Gutta who?

[dictator27]

When was the last time you saw this name on a tire? This is one of two Gutta Percha tires on my 27 Dictator. Both have about 60-70% treadwear left and have been on the car since some time in the 1940's. It has been some time since I last drove the car - it's in pieces right now - but they have never given me trouble in spite of their advanced age.


Terry Godkin
Surrey, British Columbia

[BobPalma]

'Never heard of that brand in the 'states, Terry. Is it unique to Canada? BP

[showbizkid]

I have heard that name! But I'm not sure if that's the manufacturer. Gutta-Percha refers to an exotic tree sap that used to be part of the rubber-making process. When I did mechanical drawing, we had malleable erasers made from gutta-percha. Likely, the lettering proclaims the high-quality organic components used to make these tires!


[img=left]http://members.cox.net/clarknovak/lark.gif[/img=left]

Clark in San Diego
'63 F2/Lark Standard

http://studeblogger.blogspot.com

https://www.studebakersandiego.com

[64V-K7]

Yoiks....It's also the stuff your friendly dentist stuffs in a root canal...


Bob Johnstone

https://www.studebaker-info.org

64 GT Hawk
55 President State Sedan
70 Avanti (R3)

[aenthal]

Gutta Percha is indeed what your tire was made with.
In some places that speak British English (possibly Canada, where this tire may be from) it has been used in place of the word "rubber." I know in a late 1990's BBC series, the host referred to some rubber objects as being made of gutta percha.

Gutta Percha is a phrase like Gum Dipped which appears on some other old tires.
I assume the name (or logo) of the manufacturer is elsewhere on the tire. Maybe there is even a date code.

It is amazing how well old rubber bias ply tires can hold up compared to radials which have to be thrown out due to belt separation, when they still have all their tread.

[TX Rebel]

I went to school with a guy named Gutta...

Barry'd in Studes

[comatus]

Gutta percha was the wonder of the age for Victorial scientists. It was like the Silicone Seal of the mid-19th century. Before it was available, tubes, joints and so on could only be sealed with various types of clay (and they got very good at recognizing clays), or rope caulk and oakum. Want to try those on glass tubes in a chemistry lab?

So gutta percha was the key to new chemical and industrial processes, and of course its shortcomings were what led to the development of more stable rubber formulas, and then "tyres." ISTR it was the core of original baseballs and golf balls, too.

It's a great case -- like Leonardo's bowstrung kick-lathe -- of how one discovery leads to a whole wave of progress. Or, as we put in now, it led to colonialism and imperialism. Your choice.

[dictator27]

Aenthal points out something that I should have said in my original post. There is nothing on these tires to indicate they were a product of Goodyear or Firestone or any other company. What is on them is what must be a corporate logo. It is just to the right of the name in my first photo, but is indistinct, so here is a closer view.

As noted by others here, Gutta Percha was at one time regarded as the best natural rubber available. Maybe this was an attempt to capitalize on that in the hope that buyers would conclude that these were a superior quality tire.
The remaining info on the tires is obviously the size 5.25/5.50-21, 4 ply, serial number 836154 and what might be an early date code 1Z. Yes, it does say made in Canada. All four tires do, but up to now I've only considered one to be of truly Canadian origin, because it is a Dominion tire. Maybe not. Maybe, BP, it is a brand unique to Canada.[^] The fourth tire is a Firestone.

Terry Godkin
Surrey, British Columbia

[JBOYLE]

Wild guess...
A brand name for an Indian company?

The 34 x 4 1/2 Lester Tires on my Bearcat were made in India...

63 Avanti R1 2788
1914 Stutz Bearcat
(George Barris replica)

Washington State

[comatus]

Continental-Caoutchouc-und Gutta-Percha Compagnie was founded in Hanover, Germany in 1871. Now they own Conti, General Tire, and a mess of Euro component makers.

Gutta Percha had a cute terrier mascot on their ads, which you find for sale a lot. The name was still in use in Canada in the 50's.

[comatus]

Continental-Caoutchouc-und Gutta-Percha Compagnie was founded in Hanover, Germany in 1871. Now they own Conti, General Tire, and a mess of Euro component makers.

Gutta Percha had a cute terrier mascot on their ads, which you find for sale a lot. The name was still in use in Canada in the 50's.

[nibbs53]

I found this pic.

[dictator27]

[^]

Terry

[nibbs53]

quote:Originally posted by dictator27

[^]

Terry

Hot rods from B.C. One was from Surrey.

http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=32327