LONG BEACH, Calif. — Performance Plus Tire, a 54-year-old family-owned tire and wheel superstore with deep roots in the hot rod and vintage car community, has acquired Lucas Classic Tires, a specialty supplier long regarded as one of the industry’s premier sources for whitewall, antique, classic, and hard-to-find specialty tires. The acquisition brings two Long Beach institutions together under one roof, extending the legacy of Lucas founder Stan Lucas
— who devoted 70 years to the classic and antique car community before passing away in 2025. The deal expands Performance Plus Tire’s portfolio as a leader in the specialty and vintage automotive aftermarket, which also includes the classic wheel brand Boyd Coddington Wheels.

Honoring a Legacy

Stan Lucas (1938–2025) built a business that became a trusted resource for enthusiasts across the country. Lucas Automotive Engineering — the venture that would become Lucas Classic Tires — began by manufacturing hard-to-find tires for antique car collectors worldwide, and the line grew to include the Lucas Classic tire range, the Wards Riverside tire range, and Custom Classic Tubes — specialty inner tubes designed to pair with period-correct applications. Lucas Classic Tires is also a distributor of vintage Pirelli and Michelin tires, Coker Tire products, Kontio Tyre, and Specialty Tires of America products, and serves as the exclusive distributor of select classic tire size ranges for the historic Bedford, Royalton, and General brands. Lucas Classic Tires will continue as a separate entity within the Performance Plus Tire offering with its identity and specialized product focus preserved.

Complementary Strengths

Performance Plus Tire has built a broad retail, wholesale, and e-commerce platform, developing the infrastructure to serve customers at scale both domestically and internationally. Lucas Classic Tires built its reputation on deep expertise in niche offerings — hard-to-find sizes, vintage tread designs, and authentic whitewall and specialty products that collectors, restorers, and enthusiasts depend on. Together, the combined operation is positioned to deepen inventory across specialty categories, improve fill rates on niche sizes, and make rare products more accessible to customers nationwide.

A Seamless Transition for Customers

Customers of both businesses will continue to work with familiar products and, where possible, familiar people. Over time, they can expect more stock on the shelves, expanded options online, and improved visibility into availability and lead times — all supported by the greater operational scale Performance Plus Tire brings to the partnership.
The combined company plans to engage the enthusiast community through car shows, events, and specialty channels as the transition unfolds. Stan Lucas’s legacy will serve as a guiding reference point for the business going forward.

Website: https://www.performanceplustire.com/