Tire CRISIS!!!
The P185/80 R 13 shortage...
Background:
As many of you may have noticed, it is becoming quite difficult to find replacement tires in the original size for your Corvair. The supply of once plentiful P185/80R13 radial tires, which used to be available anywhere tires were sold, appears to have suddenly dried up "quicker than a West Texas waterhole." While some do not mind having their 'vair shod with slightly smaller tires for better performance, they give up ground clearance and correct speedometer calibration. Others "upgrade" their cars with larger wheels and very low-profile tires for that "custom" look. One big pothole, and it's back to the shop to buy another expensive wheel and tire.
Most Corvair owners prefer the "stock" tire size, P185/80R13. It's the right height and width to fit the stock 5" Corvair wheel (originally designed for the U.S. Royal 560-15 bias-ply tire, which was in turn introduced on the Corvair). This tire allows the speedometer to display the correct speed, gives the car sufficient ground clearance to allow access to most driveways without scraping the undercarriage, and allows all of the advantages radial tires can provide over the OEM bias-ply models. In addition, if you damage a wheel/tire, another steel Corvair wheel is (still) cheap and plentiful, and the tires (when they can still be found) can still be reasonably priced.
The problem:
Tire companies find the small size and proletarian nature (and therefore low price) of this sized tire to be a low-profit endevour. There is more money to be made in selling "performance" tires and up-size wheel and ultra-low-profile tire combinations. The world's major tire companies appear to be conceding this shrinking segment of the tire market to imported lower-tier and off-shore subsidiary producers. There are only one or two US made tire models available from any US tire maker - the rest are coming from Central and South America, Korea, China, India, and other "emerging" nations, where many local daily-driver autos still roll with this size tire. Quality varies from very good to awful. Prices for the better tires are rising after years of stability. The situation has reached a point where major US tire producers (and their often overseas masters) are closing the production facilities of their domestic second-tier producers (see link below), citing inability to compete with cut-rate off-shore labor.
This leaves the Corvair community scrambling to find sources for replacement rubber to keep their cars on the road. The good news, although maybe part of the problem in the first place, is that good quality tires now last 40,000 miles or more. If you only drive one or two thousand miles a year, that means a new set of rubber will probably last a long time.
Suppliers:
Tires are still available new. It just takes some work to find them. Prices vary from $30.00 to $175.00 each, depending on what you want. Some good values are still available for under $50.00 each, but don't expect whitewalls, or free mounting and balancing.
Here is a list of what I found during an extended session surfing the 'net:
Who made who?:
If you buy or own a "Brand X" generic set of tires (and there's dozens of brands out there), you can find out who owns the factory and check (on the Internet) to see which third-world "paradise" your tires were made in (last set of Douglas tires I checked were made in South America). Try this link: http://www.harriger.com/tires.htm - just look up the D.O.T. (US Department Of Transportation) code molded into the sidewall of your tires in the correct list at the top of the page (doesn't always match up with the list in the next link below). Also try:
http://www.tiredefects.com/private-label-private-brand-tires.cfm to see who makes the tire you may be considering...
Other possibilities:
Check national/regional chains like:
You'll have to call your local location individually and see what brands/sizes they stock. Prices/availability may vary for the same tire in different regions. Most of the above chains carry a "house label" brand, made by one of the major brands. Most usually also offer a generic "Brand X" tire you've never heard of before - this is where you'll want to check the D.O.T. code before you buy, and make sure the warranty isn't worthless, if they even offer one...
Finally:
Here is a link to a .pdf document showing some of the remaining brands and models, and a quick blurb about the Dayton plant's closing. Most of the links in the document work, and will take you to that particular company's website. If the link does not work, simply copy and paste the link into your browser's address bar, and press enter.
www.southplainscorvairclub.com/tire.pdf