Gutta Percha tyres (tires)

[Keith Webb]

Came across a set of these on a Ford F30 ambulance at the Army Transport Museum at Bandiana recently.

I don't recall seeing this type of tyre here before. They're too old and hard to use on the road, but they look the part.

It led me to start to compile a page or two on the subject.

[Jon Skagfeld]

Keith:

Gutta Percha & Rubber, Limited is/was a very common name for tires (tyres) here in Canada.

Founded in 1883, it advertised itself as the largest all-Canadian rubber company. (No snide comments, please.)

The company had 14 branches across Canada and a subsidiary in London, England as well as being represented by direct agencies in a number of countries in the world-particularly throughout the British Empire.

From the somewhat jingoistic quotations above, one can surmise that the publication from which I quote was produced during wartime.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally posted by Jon Skagfeld
Gutta Percha & Rubber, Limited is/was a very common name for tires (tyres) here in Canada.

Interesting subject! Pete, quick! Call Nigel Dawe!

Seems gutta percha is the "Malay name for what probably is the whole residue from the latex, dried after collection from whichever tree was its source" - read the whole story at bouncing-balls.com

H.

[cmperry4]

When I was a boy, our neighbour across the street was a rep for Gutta Percha, but I always thought it was used for rubber boots and root canals, not tires. Apparently cable insulation was the biggest and original use.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

There's a 10.50-16 Gutta Percha tyre offered for sale on www.gaf92.nl, listed here for reference only.

Naam: Packbier
Datum: 3 October 2011
Telnr.: 0434592696
Lokatie: Walem, Nederland
Rubriek: Banden
Aangeboden: T.k. originele 1940-1945 band voor uw CMP-truck. 10.50 x 16 rayon (inch), 12 ply c.c. Merk GUTTA PERCHA, made in Canada. Deze banden komen niet veel meer voor.
De band heeft een goed profiel maar heeft aan één zijde flinke scheuren (zie foto). De band dient daarom enkel als demo, informatiebron of als cargo load (zoals ook munitiekisten, jerrycans etc.) voor uw CMP truck.

Prijs t.e.a.b.