Snow Tires

[MCS]

Tough to switch bays tonight , -20c and snowing, so close to paint. I wonder if Dunlop makes snow tires, should I buy 2 or 4 .
or maybe I should just use studs
LOL
Phil

 

[drambuie]

Actually, I have seen Healeys with both snow tires and chains! When they where used as everyday cars by there owners.

 

[Randy Forbes]

Actually, I have seen Healeys with both snow tires and chains! When they where used as everyday cars buy there owners.

I bought my Healey in San Francisco, 1978, but pretty sure a former owner lived around Tahoe. One of the stories was about how the rear inner fenders__both sides__had perfect impressions of tire chains in them (they were there until I pounded them out in '86). Apparently, the car got out of control, banging the rear fenders/wheels into the mountainside__very much preferred, compared to the cliff side__before coming to rest.

Interestingly enough, I would later attempt the same thing, only down in Woodside , California, sticking its nose to the side of a mountain__again, much better than the tree tops on the cliff side...

... maybe it's good that BN6L-942 hasn't been anywhere near a mountain these last three (3) decades?

No snowtires fitted here either, but with "fresh" paint:

 

[tahoe healey]

I live in Tahoe and have many times been driving in the snow (not by design). Healeys handle very well in the snow with standard tires. Ground clearance is another story.
TH

 

[glemon]

I never drove my 100 in the snow much, but grew up driving Sprites as my daily drivers, they were a blast in the snow, and got around surprisingly well, if they got stuck, one strapping young fellow could push them with little or no problem, and with the short wheelbase you could do a 180 power turn in the middle of the street to snag a parking place. I am sure a big Healey would be a blast in the snow, but would be worried about waking up any dormant tin worms in the structure...

 

[MCS]

the 8 moved ok in the snow, it was the 7 that was stubborn. must be the mostly aluminium body and extra HP, that made moving entertaining. any more time outside and i will need a block heater.

 

[stuntflyr]

I'm trembling.
Chris...

 

[nevets]

As a teenager I drove a bugeye sprite in all seasons and in any weather. In snowy conditions, there were times when the rear wheels would just spin with the car at a dead stop. When this happened, I would leave it in gear at idle, rear wheels spinning, jump out and push her along until it got traction, then jump back in as she started to move and drive away.

 

[HealeyRick]

As a teenager I drove a bugeye sprite in all seasons and in any weather. In snowy conditions, there were times when the rear wheels would just spin with the car at a dead stop. When this happened, I would leave it in gear at idle, rear wheels spinning, jump out and push her along until it got traction, then jump back in as she started to move and drive away.

LOL, that brought back memories of me doing exactly the same thing. Good thing we never slipped and watched our Sprites motor away without us. Learned a lot about car dynamics driving a bugeye on the snowy back roads amongst the cranberry bogs of southeastern Massachusetts. Lots of fun in empty snow-covered parking lots, too. Thirty inches of snow dropped here over the last two days. Maybe I should bust out the bugeye from the garage, but frankly I wouldn't dream of taking a restored car out into this mess. The $350 one I drove in high school was a bit better suited to snow duty.

 

[GregW]

This video seems appropriate for this thread.

 

[nevets]

HealeyRick, Ha! Guess we had a shared experience. My all-weather Sprite cost $500.

 

[HealeyRick]

HealeyRick, Ha! Guess we had a shared experience. My all-weather Sprite cost $500. Here's pic of my bugeye with my kid sister, c. 1966, taken on a warm summer day.

I had a lot more rust in mine than yours, but I did have the benefit of a hardtop for winter driving. Used to carry a can of windshield de-icer with me into class in HS so I could spray the side curtains at the end of the day to get back in.

 

[John Turney]

I live in Tahoe and have many times been driving in the snow (not by design). Healeys handle very well in the snow with standard tires. Ground clearance is another story.
TH

Looks like you're not driving in the snow this year.

 

[tahoe healey]

Yea,John, but I get to drive in January especially since the skiing sucks. Went out one day and quit by noon. And I get Healey shop time instead of slope time.

 

[RAC68]

Driving the Healey in snow, what’s the big deal?

Today the plows were clearing the roads in front of my house and, since it was bitterly cold, the 10” of snow was blowing in the wind. I considered taking the Healey down my drive to clear all but the less then 3” below my resonator but my wife had already called the plow guy so reliving a past experience was a no-go (never would have done it anyway).

When my Healey and I were young, I lived directly across the river from the Empire State Building (NYC) in NJ and was courting a girl (later to be my wife) who lived in North East Pa. Back then, not driving through the mountains to see her, even during a winter snow, was never even considered by this City boy.

Although I did carry chains in the boot, they never would have been used for fear of chipping the rear fenders. In those days I relied upon the Dunlops and my driving skills (blissful ignorance). However, since my BJ8P1 was so low, I eventually learned to consider snow depth before departing and a prediction of Snow Flurries in NE Pa translated to Snow Storm in City language.

In those young days, the top was up only during wet weather and the tonneau was used extensively …even on snowy drives. A heavy Irish wool sweater covered by a shell jacket with a high collar, hat, scarf and driving gloves is what I usually wore on those winter drives and, with the tonneau buttoned down, the heater’s total output would bath the driver in warmth as it vented to the outside. Although we never considered the Big Healey a winter vehicle, back then it was as good in the snow as most other vehicles … if the roads were freshly plowed..

Well, my Irish wool sweater may be long gone and I definitely feel the cold more, but I still drive my Healey during cold (sunny) winter days with the top down and my time machine always stimulates many of the memories and feelings experienced back then.

Enjoy your Healey all year round,
Ray (64BJ8P1)

 

[glemon]

LOL, that brought back memories of me doing exactly the same thing. Good thing we never slipped and watched our Sprites motor away without us. Learned a lot about car dynamics driving a bugeye on the snowy back roads amongst the cranberry bogs of southeastern Massachusetts. Lots of fun in empty snow-covered parking lots, too. Thirty inches of snow dropped here over the last two days. Maybe I should bust out the bugeye from the garage, but frankly I wouldn't dream of taking a restored car out into this mess. The $350 one I drove in high school was a bit better suited to snow duty.

Yes, did the leave it in gear and push thing too, even then it occurred to me that the car could kind of get away from me, and I have a vague memory of having to run it down in the alley one time, but, we were young and (in our minds at least) our bodies and cars were indestructible. As I recall my first car, a Sprite, cost $400.

 

[Randy Forbes]

As a teenager I drove a bugeye sprite in all seasons and in any weather. In snowy conditions, there were times when the rear wheels would just spin with the car at a dead stop. When this happened, I would leave it in gear at idle, rear wheels spinning, jump out and push her along until it got traction, then jump back in as she started to move and drive away.

LOL, that brought back memories of me doing exactly the same thing. Good thing we never slipped and watched our Sprites motor away without us. Learned a lot about car dynamics driving a bugeye on the snowy back roads amongst the cranberry bogs of southeastern Massachusetts. Lots of fun in empty snow-covered parking lots, too. Thirty inches of snow dropped here over the last two days. Maybe I should bust out the bugeye from the garage, but frankly I wouldn't dream of taking a restored car out into this mess. The $350 one I drove in high school was a bit better suited to snow duty.

Yes, did the leave it in gear and push thing too, even then it occurred to me that the car could kind of get away from me, and I have a vague memory of having to run it down in the alley one time, but, we were young and (in our minds at least) our bodies and cars were indestructible. As I recall my first car, a Sprite, cost $400.

All you Sprite guys! Well, at approximately the same age, maybe a little older, I bought my first MGB (new in August 1973) and it being my only car, drove it through the next two (2) Detroit winters.

Same MO though; get out of the car leaving it idling in 1st gear with the tires slipping in the snow, and commence pushing. Perhaps the wheelbase was the difference, but nobody mentioned running over their right foot (did it twice) and there were a few near misses too! I never lost the car though__or vice-versa__but missing that first step as your foot was spit out behind the tire cost me some footage (errr, distance, no pun intended...) and a few tense moments until I could leap into the car. Fortunately, the doors of the 'B were much larger than the Spridget's, and a lot more space between the steering wheel and seat.

Ah, to be immortal again

For all you guys in the snow country this year, you have my sincere sympathy! It dipped to the 40s here last night and for the first time this season, slept with the heat on instead of the a/c. Below 50* when I got up this morning (51* now) but heading up to 74* for the high. Supposed to go down to 35* Monday night (Tuesday high @ 51*), making me think that we didn't move far enough to the south...