Michelin Double Rivet 5.50-18 Tire: Eclectic Tire Company is a distributor of Michelin Classic tires in North America. We proudly offer legendary Michelin Classic products for early automobiles through the incredible performance car tires of the seventies and eighties. Many of these innovative products shaped the tire industry when new, including several industry firsts such as the radial tire. Michelin brings a well established record of engineering excellence to market, and premium Michelin Classic tires are no exception. "Double rivet" is in fact the name of a tread pattern which first appeared with the first generation of automobile tires known as beaded edge tires. This tread pattern was retained for the first tires with bead wires in 1925. This tread pattern was truly revolutionary at the time, also served as the inspiration for the first radial tires. Blackwall Tire Since the introduction of carbon black rocked the tire industry, the original recipe for most tires has been a solid black sidewall. For classics and collector cars alike, it's hard to beat the no-nonsense appeal of a classic blackwall style tire. British sports car, classic truck and even hot rod enthusiasts love the way a nice period correct blackwall tire looks on their vehicles. Bias Ply Construction Bias ply tire construction is a method that was used from the 1900's through the 1970's on passenger cars and light trucks. Bias ply tires feature ply cords that run at a 45 degree angle to the bead, and overlap in a crisscross pattern, depending on how many ply layers are used. This creates a strong tire, but bias ply tires have a tendency to follow breaks or ruts in the pavement. Bias ply tires are the most authentic choice for classic car restorations and traditional hot rod builds. Eclectic Tire offers a huge variety of bias ply tires for many applications. Michelin Double Rivet tire Iconic tread pattern. The "Double Rivet" is the name of a sculpture reminiscent of the design of textile cables, a great innovation that first appeared in 1919. This sculpture has been preserved to equip many vehicles of the roaring 20's. Modern know-how. The tire is made of materials used in the 21st century, giving it today's performances. Michelin Brand Collector Vehicle Tires: Michelin is known for its high quality tires, and we keep thousands of popular Michelin tires in stock every day. Our Michelin product offerings include fitments from the 1920's all the way into the 2000's, with an intense focus on classic sports cars. Build quality, fitment options and period correct styling makes the Michelin product line a favorite among sports car enthusiasts around the world. 5.50-18 Double Rivet Bias Ply Blackwall Tire