New Metzlers!!!
I called Snow City to get them installed, 3 week waiting list, time to call a friend....
Buddy Derrick is a good friend with the tools necessary, check out his 'newfie bead breaker', worked very well, made the job quite easy;
a little muscle (and thanks to rim savers) and the old tires were off, replaced with new rubber, and on to balancing;
Thanking Derrick, I brought them home, installed and aligned....
Derrick dropped by to check if I needed help (good friends do that for each other) and I think he was surprised to see I was ready for a ride ... so we did.
I still have a slow oil leak, probably a bit of dirt behind a crush washer, nothing a good engine shampoo and watch for the wet spot to develop shouldn't address.
Thanks for reading/chiming in. If there's any interest, I may doc the cosmetic work to follow now that she's mechanically sound again.
/Jim.