| Uniroyal Giant Tire | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Location | Allen Park, Michigan |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | |
| Height | 80 feet (24 m) |
| Design and construction | |
| Owner | Michelin |
| Website | |
| www.uniroyaltires.com/about/gianttire.html | |
The Uniroyal Giant Tire was constructed by the Uniroyal Tire Company, and is the largest non-production tire model ever built.[1] The tire resides on the list of the world's largest roadside attractions.[1]
The giant tire serves as a symbol of Michigan, and pays homage to the rich automotive heritage of Detroit. The tire is located in Allen Park along the Interstate 94 (I-94) corridor, near Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW).
Contents |
The structure is 80 feet (24 m) tall and weighs 12 short tons (11 t). The exterior tire tread is 6 inches (15 cm) deep, with an interior volume of 120,576 cubic feet (3,414.3 m3).
The tire was first created as a Ferris wheel for the 1964/1965 New York World's Fair. Designed by the firm of Shreve, Lamb and Harmon, the same architectural firm that designed the Empire State Building. As a ferris wheel, the tire carried over 2 million people, including prominent passengers such as Jacqueline Kennedy and the Shah of Iran.[2] The Ferris Wheel contained 24 barrel-shaped gondolas, each carrying 4 people.[3] The Ferris wheel was capable of carrying up to 96 passengers and was driven by a 100 hp engine.[4] When the fair ended in 1965, the mammoth 86-foot (26 m) tire was disassembled and shipped by rail to Detroit, where it was reassembled outside a Uniroyal sales office. Later, the sales office moved but the tire remained, becoming an icon of Detroit's industrial power.[5] The tire is anchored in 24 feet (7.3 m) feet of concrete and steel and can withstand hurricane force winds.The tire is not made of actual rubber, but instead uses a Uniroyal-developed polyester resin reinforced with glass fiber, which makes the tire flame resistant. Today this tire still stands tall as an essential symbol of the 111 year heritage of Uniroyal and to the city of Detroit.[6]
In 1994, after Michelin bought Uniroyal-Goodrich, the company announced plans to renovate the landmark. The renovations for the giant tire included the addition of neon lights for the lettering of UNIROYAL and a new hubcap.[7] The tire's fiberglass cover was cleaned, painted, and thereby modernized with its new sleek look.[2] In 1998, a giant nail was driven into the tire as a promotion for Uniroyal's new puncture resistant tire.[8] The nail was removed in 2003 and was donated to the city of Allen Park by Michelin, was to be auctioned on ebay to raise funds for the Allen Park Historical Society programs and facilities.[9] The giant nail had a length of 11 feet (3.4 m) and weighed 250 pounds (110 kg).[10]
In 2003, Uniroyal renovated the Giant Tire as part of Detroit's I-94 corridor revitalization project. The US$1,000,000 renovation included the replacement of 30 interior steel beams, asphalt and storm drain installation and the replacement of the neon lettering with reflective lettering.[10]