Coker Tire
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| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Tires Whitewall tires |
| Founded | Tennessee (January 30, 1958) |
| Founder | Harold Coker |
| Headquarters | Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States |
Key people | Mike Kealey, CEO |
| Products | Tires and wheels for collector vehicles |
| Website | cokertire |
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.
History
[edit]The company was originally a tire and service center founded in 1958 by Harold Coker.[1][2] He would later give his son Corky Coker the opportunity to manage the antique division,[3] which was a small percentage of the company's earnings. Corky devoted 40 years to growing the antique division of the business, eventually making it the company's primary focus. Corky retired in 2014, and he appointed Wade Kawasaki as President[4] to oversee the operations of six companies and numerous brands under the Coker Group. In November 2018, Corky sold Coker Tire and its parent company, Coker Group, to Irving Place Capital.[5]
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. Coker Tire also offers wheels for collector vehicles.
Tires
[edit]Coker Tire sells its own brand of bias ply and radial 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.[6] Coker now sells many brands that offer whitewall radial tires, and distributes 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 sells mostly drag racing tires.[7] Coker sells Phoenix Race Tires, M&H Racemaster, Pro-Trac, 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 formerly sold what they described 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. [8]
Wheels
[edit]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. 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
[edit]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
[edit]Coker markets the following bicycles:
- "Wheelman", a penny-farthing, with a 36-inch (910 mm) wheel in front and a 12-inch (300 mm) wheel behind;[9]
- two touring-style unicycles called "The Big One" and the "V2", each with a 36-inch tire and wheel combination.[12][13]
References
[edit]- ^ Lutz, Hannah (17 November 2014). "Harold Coker, founder of antique tire maker Coker Tire, dies at 84". Automotive News.
- ^ Jones, Lazelle (22 March 2017). "Coker Tire Museum". MotorTrend.
- ^ Fisher, Lindsey (16 July 2013). "Coker Tire: Corky Coker Talks Vintage Tires with Rod Authority". Street Muscle.
- ^ "Coker Tire CEO Wade Kawasaki, investor group take ownership of company". Rubber News. 15 November 2018.
- ^ "Irving Place Capital and Coker Tire Leadership Team Complete Acquisition of Coker Group". Business Wire. 4 December 2018.
- ^ "Coker Tire: How one man's passion led to building a business". Classic Motorsports. 9 March 2023.
- ^ "Coker Acquires Phoenix Racing Tires". Hot Rod. 24 March 2008.
- ^ Casey Coker Cunningham. "2009 Coker Cycles Catalog". Retrieved 2010-06-18.
- ^ "Coker Wheelman". Archived from the original on 2011-05-10. Retrieved 2011-05-21.
- ^ "Coker Monster Cruiser". Archived from the original on 2011-05-29. Retrieved 2011-05-21.
- ^ "Coker Tire and Honest Charley Speed Shop Host Cruise In and Open House". Hot Rod. 29 March 2019.
- ^ "Coker The Big One". Archived from the original on 2011-05-05. Retrieved 2011-05-21.
- ^ "Coker V2". Retrieved 2011-05-21.[permanent dead link]
