Uniroyal Giant Tire
| Uniroyal Giant Tire | |
|---|---|
The US Royal Giant Tire Ferris Wheel at the 1964 New York World's Fair
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| General information | |
| Location |
1964–1965: New York World's Fair since 1966: Allen Park, Michigan |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates |
1964–1965: 40°44′42″N 73°50′53″W / 40.74500°N 73.84808°W since 1966: 42°16′14″N 83°12′33″W / 42.27055°N 83.20905°WCoordinates: 42°16′14″N 83°12′33″W / 42.27055°N 83.20905°W |
| Owner | 1964–1990: Uniroyal since 1990: Michelin |
| Website | |
| www |
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The Uniroyal Giant Tire was created by the Uniroyal Tire Company for the 1964 New York World's Fair, where it functioned as a Ferris wheel. Since 1966 it has served as a static display in Allen Park, Michigan, alongside Interstate 94, between the Southfield Freeway interchange and Outer Drive overpass.
Conflicting reports credit the structure as being 80 feet (24.4 m), 83 feet (25.3 m), and 86 feet (26.2 m) tall.
It weighs 12 short tons (11 t), is anchored in 24 feet (7.3 m) of concrete and steel, and can withstand hurricane-force winds.
The exterior tire tread is 6 inches (15 cm) deep, with an interior volume of 120,576 cubic feet (3,414.3 m3). It is not made of rubber, but of a Uniroyal-developed polyester resin reinforced with glass fiber, which makes it flame resistant.
It is the largest non-production tire scale model ever built, and one of the world's largest roadside attractions.
The Giant Tire was first created as a Ferris wheel for the 1964 New York World's Fair in Flushing, Queens, NY. Located on Grand Central Parkway next to the Transportation and Travel Pavilion and now part of the Queens Zoo, it was originally emblazoned "U S ROYAL TIRES". Designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon, the same architectural firm that designed the Empire State Building, the wheel carried over 2 million people, including prominent passengers such as Jacqueline Kennedy, Telly Savalas, and the Shah of Iran. It had 24 barrel-shaped gondolas, each carrying up to 4 people, and could carry up to 96 passengers. It was driven by a 100 hp engine.
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