Ken, I had the same experience with my 1970 Spitfire a month ago. It had
sat for 16 years with a set of Dunlop steel-belted radials. They weren't
"flat", but very low. After putting air in them at the PO's house to
put the car on a trailer, we were amazed to find no dry rot or cracks on
the rubber.(they only had about 4,000 miles on them) After a 5 month
fix-up on the car my excitement was squashed on the first test ride
down the street as I thought I was on a buckboard on a dirt road. My
first thoughts were that I badly botched the suspension repairs, but it
turned out the tires had taken a set. I don't believe steel-belted tires
will "round out" with use as bias ply can. One way to check if the tires
are at fault is to jack up the car and let out the air on a couple
tires. I did that and was amazed when they actually looked like they
were flat....on the top, or sides of the tire. The steel took on the
same flat spot. I now have new Pirelli's all around. Just my
experience, YMMV
Kevin D. Thompson
1970 mk3 Spitfire-now up & running
1975 Spitfire donor slug
1976 TR6-just aquired
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