Coker Tire
Encyclopedia
Coker Tire Company is a Chattanooga, Tennessee
-based company that manufactures and sells vintage-style Michelin
, Firestone
, BF Goodrich and Uniroyal
bias-ply and radial whitewall tires for collector automobiles. Applications include: restored classic vehicles, Brass Era vehicles, Hot Rods, Muscle Cars, Modern Muscle Cars, Vintage Trucks, Military Vehicles, Vintage Motorcycles, European Sports Cars, Micro Cars, Scooters, Vintage Airplanes, among many others. Though Coker's products retain the appearance of the old tires by using the original, refurbished molds, or new molds built from original drawings, the tires are made with modern materials. Coker Tire was given manufacturing rights by the original tire brands and also has acquired many different tire molds of the original obsolete tires they manufacture. In addition to tires, Coker Tire also offers wheels for collector vehicles. Many Brass Era style wheels are manufactured by Coker Tire in its in-house machine shop, while muscle car and hot rod wheels are manufactured by Specialty Wheel in Portland, Oregon. Coker Tire's line of authentic wire wheels are manufactured by Roadster Wire Wheel. Tire and wheel accessories are also available from Coker Tire, making it possible to buy a complete tire, wheel and accessory package from one source. The company also has a distribution facility in Fresno, California
and over 30 distributors worldwide.
tires, called the Coker Classic, but it also offers a number of popular brands, such as B.F.Goodrich, Firestone, U.S. Royal, Michelin, Vredestein, Excelsior and American Classic in both bias ply and radial construction. Coker Tire is the leading source for Firestone Deluxe Champion tires, as well as B.F.Goodrich Silvertown tires. Many of the tires are exact OEM replacement tires for a wide range of vintage makes and models. Coker also sells modern radial tires, manufactured with whitewalls, redlines and other sidewall treatments, built for many applications. By using refurbished original molds, the tires are authentic to the originals, while the modern manufacturing procedures and materials offer safe and reliable driving characteristics. Coker Tire's President, Corky Coker, has searched the world for discontinued molds that can be rebuilt and used for modern tire manufacturing. On any of Coker's tires with custom sidewall such as a whitewall or a redline, the particular sidewall treatment is actually a part of the manufacturing process, instead of manufacturing a tire, then applying the sidewall treatment after the fact.
In 1994, Coker Tire released a radial tire with a wide whitewall, which was a first of its kind. Coker now sells many brands that offer whitewall radial tires, and manufactures a modern radial tire that has the narrow tread profile and distinct shoulders of a vintage bias ply tire. These tires are very popular with enthusiasts who want the vintage look, with the increased driving comfort of a radial tire. Coker Tire also has a Performance Division, which produces mostly drag racing tires. Coker sells Phoenix Race Tires, M&H Racemaster, Pro-Trac, Hoosier Pro Street Radials, and select Firestone vintage tires through its performance division. Coker has also developed a line of Firestone Indy tires, built for a variety of vintage Indy cars.
Coker Tire also manufactures what they describe as the largest bicycle tire in the world, at 36 inches in diameter. Other unique offerings are its tires for Vintage Trucks and Military Vehicles, as well as its Vintage Motorcycle tires.
, with a 36 inches (914.4 mm) wheel in front and a 12 inches (304.8 mm) wheel behind; a cruiser
-style bicycle
with 36 inch wheels called the "Monster Cruiser"; and two touring-style unicycle
s called "The Big One" and the "V2", each with a 36-inch tire and wheel combination.
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
-based company that manufactures and sells vintage-style Michelin
Michelin
Michelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands...
, Firestone
Firestone Tire and Rubber Company
The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company is an American tire company founded by Harvey Firestone in 1900 to supply pneumatic tires for wagons, buggies, and other forms of wheeled transportation common in the era. Firestone soon saw the huge potential for marketing tires for automobiles. The company...
, BF Goodrich and Uniroyal
United States Rubber Company
The United States Rubber Company was founded in Naugatuck, Connecticut in 1892. It was one of the original 12 stocks in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and became Uniroyal Inc...
bias-ply and radial whitewall tires for collector automobiles. Applications include: restored classic vehicles, Brass Era vehicles, Hot Rods, Muscle Cars, Modern Muscle Cars, Vintage Trucks, Military Vehicles, Vintage Motorcycles, European Sports Cars, Micro Cars, Scooters, Vintage Airplanes, among many others. Though Coker's products retain the appearance of the old tires by using the original, refurbished molds, or new molds built from original drawings, the tires are made with modern materials. Coker Tire was given manufacturing rights by the original tire brands and also has acquired many different tire molds of the original obsolete tires they manufacture. In addition to tires, Coker Tire also offers wheels for collector vehicles. Many Brass Era style wheels are manufactured by Coker Tire in its in-house machine shop, while muscle car and hot rod wheels are manufactured by Specialty Wheel in Portland, Oregon. Coker Tire's line of authentic wire wheels are manufactured by Roadster Wire Wheel. Tire and wheel accessories are also available from Coker Tire, making it possible to buy a complete tire, wheel and accessory package from one source. The company also has a distribution facility in Fresno, California
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
and over 30 distributors worldwide.
Tires
Coker Tire sells its own brand of bias ply and radialRadial tire
A radial tire is a particular design of automotive tire . In this design, the cord plies are arranged at 90 degrees to the direction of travel, or radially ....
tires, called the Coker Classic, but it also offers a number of popular brands, such as B.F.Goodrich, Firestone, U.S. Royal, Michelin, Vredestein, Excelsior and American Classic in both bias ply and radial construction. Coker Tire is the leading source for Firestone Deluxe Champion tires, as well as B.F.Goodrich Silvertown tires. Many of the tires are exact OEM replacement tires for a wide range of vintage makes and models. Coker also sells modern radial tires, manufactured with whitewalls, redlines and other sidewall treatments, built for many applications. By using refurbished original molds, the tires are authentic to the originals, while the modern manufacturing procedures and materials offer safe and reliable driving characteristics. Coker Tire's President, Corky Coker, has searched the world for discontinued molds that can be rebuilt and used for modern tire manufacturing. On any of Coker's tires with custom sidewall such as a whitewall or a redline, the particular sidewall treatment is actually a part of the manufacturing process, instead of manufacturing a tire, then applying the sidewall treatment after the fact.
In 1994, Coker Tire released a radial tire with a wide whitewall, which was a first of its kind. Coker now sells many brands that offer whitewall radial tires, and manufactures a modern radial tire that has the narrow tread profile and distinct shoulders of a vintage bias ply tire. These tires are very popular with enthusiasts who want the vintage look, with the increased driving comfort of a radial tire. Coker Tire also has a Performance Division, which produces mostly drag racing tires. Coker sells Phoenix Race Tires, M&H Racemaster, Pro-Trac, Hoosier Pro Street Radials, and select Firestone vintage tires through its performance division. Coker has also developed a line of Firestone Indy tires, built for a variety of vintage Indy cars.
Coker Tire also manufactures what they describe as the largest bicycle tire in the world, at 36 inches in diameter. Other unique offerings are its tires for Vintage Trucks and Military Vehicles, as well as its Vintage Motorcycle tires.
Wheels
Coker Tire sells wheels and wheel accessories for a wide range of applications. Most of its offerings are steel wheels, designed to replace worn out OEM wheels, on makes such as Chevrolet, Ford, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Mercury, Chrysler, Buick, Volkswagen and many others. Coker also offers OEM wire wheels for Buick, Cadillac, Chrysler, Packard, Ford Model A and Ford Thunderbird but also offers custom wire wheels for hot rods. Coker sells custom wheels for hot rods and other modified collector vehicles. An in house machine shop is responsible for custom wheel manufacturing for Brass Era style vehicles, which use clincher mounting system and other antiquated forms of tire mounting. Coker is also a distributor for Rocket Racing Wheels and Dayton Wire Wheels. Hubcaps, trim rings valve stems and other tire and wheel accessories are offered by Coker.Coker proudly advertises that it will provide free mounting and balancing if customers buy tires and wheels together.Memorabilia
With official licensing for Michelin vintage products, as well as Firestone vintage products, Coker Tire sells automotive memorabilia, in addition to its tires, wheels and accessories. Metal signs, neon clocks, and poly-resin figurines are available items. Coker also sells die cast vehicles, and other collectible merchandise.Bicycles and unicycles
Coker markets the "Wheelman", a penny-farthingPenny-farthing
Penny-farthing, high wheel, high wheeler, and ordinary are all terms used to describe a type of bicycle with a large front wheel and a much smaller rear wheel that was popular after the boneshaker, until the development of the safety bicycle, in the 1880s...
, with a 36 inches (914.4 mm) wheel in front and a 12 inches (304.8 mm) wheel behind; a cruiser
Cruiser bicycle
Cruiser bicycles, also known as beach cruisers, combine balloon tires, upright seating posture, single-speed drivetrains, and straightforward steel construction with expressive styling...
-style bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
with 36 inch wheels called the "Monster Cruiser"; and two touring-style unicycle
Unicycle
A unicycle is a human-powered, single-track vehicle with one wheel. Unicycles resemble bicycles, but are less complex.-History:One theory of the advent of the unicycle stems from the popularity of the penny-farthing during the late 19th century...
s called "The Big One" and the "V2", each with a 36-inch tire and wheel combination.
External links
- Coker Tire Official website
- Coker Cycles Official website