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Car Forum / Chevrolet / Chevrolet Corvette / April 2004Opinion Poll
OK, guys...it's time for new tires. Here's the question, do I stay with the "original" looking thin white walls, or go with the raised white letters? I'm trying to remember if white lettered tires were available in 68. If so, that's prolly the way I'll go. What do you folks think?  Signature-|>|- Diode -|<|- '68 L-79 Coupe '79 Triumph Bonneville Shut up, Dave. They had raised white letters back then. I had them on a 68 GTO. SignatureCharlie !993 Corvette Convertible OK, guys...it's time for new tires. Here's the question, do I stay with the "original" looking thin white walls, or go with the raised white letters? I'm trying to remember if white lettered tires were available in 68. If so, that's prolly the way I'll go. What do you folks think? -- -|>|- Diode -|<|- '68 L-79 Coupe '79 Triumph Bonneville Shut up, Dave. >OK, guys...it's time for new tires. Here's the question, do I stay with >the "original" looking thin white walls, or go with the raised white >letters? I'm trying to remember if white lettered tires were available >in 68. If so, that's prolly the way I'll go. What do you folks think? =============== Screw white walls.... RWL is what I would put on the car.... Bob Griffiths > >OK, guys...it's time for new tires. Here's the question, do I stay with > >the "original" looking thin white walls, or go with the raised white [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Bob Griffiths I have a set of 3" white walls and they would look good on that thing if you would update to sheep skin seats. SignatureLife is a sexually transmitted Disease that is always fatal. > OK, guys...it's time for new tires. Here's the question, do I stay with > the "original" looking thin white walls, or go with the raised white > letters? I'm trying to remember if white lettered tires were available > in 68. If so, that's prolly the way I'll go. What do you folks think? What's the color of your '68? (WWs make my Elkhart Blue '67 w/rallye's look much sharper, but I wouldn't necessarily put them on a red, black or yellow '67. My Targa Blue '72 w/rallye's wears RWLs that set off the sport factor and WW just wouldn't look appropriate unless I had the fancy wheel covers.) Here's waving to ya - \|||| Owen Bush Administration Policy: "You can ask, but we won't tell." 194377'n'1Z37W2 spoke thusly: > What's the color of your '68? (WWs make my Elkhart Blue '67 w/rallye's > look much sharper, but I wouldn't necessarily put them on a red, black > or yellow '67. My Targa Blue '72 w/rallye's wears RWLs that set off the > sport factor and WW just wouldn't look appropriate unless I had the > fancy wheel covers.) It's silverstone silver w/ gunmetal gray interior and has the rally wheels. SignatureShut up, Dave. -|>|- Diode -|<|- '68 L-79 Coupe '79 Triumph Bonneville > It's silverstone silver w/ gunmetal gray interior and has the rally wheels. Red stripe, definitely red stripe. :) Actually I think red or white stripe would look good and set the car off with a touch of elegance. White letters would lend it the sporty touch. Here's waving to ya - \|||| Owen diode are you going to put the original size back on too? Weren't they F70 or F60 15s? If I remember correctly back in 68 you could get either type of tire. I do remember there were red stripe tires but don't remember if it was for 68 or not. > OK, guys...it's time for new tires. Here's the question, do I stay with > the "original" looking thin white walls, or go with the raised white > letters? I'm trying to remember if white lettered tires were available > in 68. If so, that's prolly the way I'll go. What do you folks think? Les Benn spoke thusly: > diode are you going to put the original size back on too? Weren't they F70 > or F60 15s? > If I remember correctly back in 68 you could get either type of tire. I do > remember there were red stripe tires but don't remember if it was for 68 or > not. I'm going to go a touch wider...some time ago Dad gave me the tire sizes that will fit without rubbing. Could you lay that on me again, Dad? In 68 you could get white, red or ooooh, gold stripe tires. SignatureShut up, Dave. -|>|- Diode -|<|- '68 L-79 Coupe '79 Triumph Bonneville I think you can put 415X30X20's on it if you get the 3" wide white walls. SignatureDad 98 C5 Black/Black/Auto 72 Shark Black/Black/4spd > Les Benn spoke thusly: > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > that will fit without rubbing. Could you lay that on me again, Dad? In > 68 you could get white, red or ooooh, gold stripe tires. Dad spoke thusly: > I think you can put 415X30X20's on it if you get the 3" wide white walls. And just exactly why do you believe that I want to make my beautiful car look like a pimp wagon? Are you JEALOUS?? Hmmm? HMMMM? :o) SignatureShut up, Dave. -|>|- Diode -|<|- '68 L-79 Coupe '79 Triumph Bonneville > Weren't they F70 > or F60 15s? > If I remember correctly back in 68 you could get either type of tire. I do > remember there were red stripe tires but don't remember if it was for 68 or > not. '68s came with F70x15's. With optional red stripe or white stripe. (White lettered came out in '69.) According to NCRS, there were 7188 cars with no stripe, 9692 with white stripe and a whopping 11686 with red stripe. (kinda surprising, no?) Here's waving to ya - \|||| Owen >OK, guys...it's time for new tires. Here's the question, do I stay with >the "original" looking thin white walls, or go with the raised white >letters? I'm trying to remember if white lettered tires were available >in 68. If so, that's prolly the way I'll go. What do you folks think? Depends on the wheels. Generally I like RWL on C3s. Look nice accelerating off the line. Regards, "Mike" -- mikeellison3xxxatzzzyahoo.com -- Owen already gave you the facts and numbers. If you want original, stay with a reproduction F70-15 and use the red stripe. If you want to drive it and not crunch it or kill yourself, go with a 235/60-15. You'd actually be better off buying a set of 8 inch rally wheels ('69-'82) and mounting the 235/60-15 tires on them. Raised white letter look the best. The problem is that there isn't much in the way of performance for 15 inch wheels anymore. Most are cosmetic "performance". You can go to a 245/60-15 but you'll be hard pressed to find any that size. 255/60-15 will rub on the rear brake cable on the trailing arms and the front fender lips. You can go one up by going down in aspect. A 255/50-15 should work. With the weight and performance of a '68 Corvette, you want to have about 7.5 to 9 inches of tread on the ground. An F70-15 only has 6.5 inches roughly. A 255/60-15 is 9 inches, but that has interference on your car. Any wider than 9 you need either a soft tread and track use or serious rain grooving if on the street. I know you have said you want to retain stock, buy a set of 8 inch and mount your "daily" tires on them. Then get repro redline F70s for the 7 inch wheels and mount them for the shows. Or you could get the redline 60s that look stock, but of course, they aren't. > OK, guys...it's time for new tires. Here's the question, do I stay with > the "original" looking thin white walls, or go with the raised white > letters? I'm trying to remember if white lettered tires were available > in 68. If so, that's prolly the way I'll go. What do you folks think? Tom in Missouri spoke thusly: > Owen already gave you the facts and numbers. If you want original, stay with OK, just to boil this down, what is the widest size tire I can put on the 7 inch rims that won't rub? Is that the 235/60-15? I don't have the cash right now to get a set of 8 inch rims. However, I could put a wide tire on the 7's and move them to 8's sometime down the road, so please keep that in mind when replying. Thanks guys. BTW, I lost the "Owen" post...sorry. SignatureShut up, Dave. -|>|- Diode -|<|- '68 L-79 Coupe '79 Triumph Bonneville Here it is: In article <Q2Lgc.1910$FB1.169@fe25.usenetserver.com>, "Les Benn" <lesbenn@starband.net> wrote: > Weren't they F70 > or F60 15s? > If I remember correctly back in 68 you could get either type of tire. I do > remember there were red stripe tires but don't remember if it was for 68 or > not. '68s came with F70x15's. With optional red stripe or white stripe. (White lettered came out in '69.) According to NCRS, there were 7188 cars with no stripe, 9692 with white stripe and a whopping 11686 with red stripe. (kinda surprising, no?) Here's waving to ya - \|||| Owen The '68 7-inch Rally wheel code AG is 15x7 with -0.28 offset. So the distance from the hub plane to the edge of the inside rim plane is 3.22 inches. To the outside is 3.78 inches. The '69 - '82 8-inch Rally wheel code AZ is 15x8 with -0.50 offset. The distance from the hub plane to the edge of the inside rim plane is 3.50 inches. To the outside is 4.50 inches. As such, the '68 has a bit more clearance, so you can go a bit wider as far as the inside goes, meaning the rear brake cable mount. However, width of the tire is slightly different, depending on a 7 inch rim or an 8 inch rim, so you are probably still at the limits of the 8 inch. A 235/60-15 will fit. How much more I'm not sure. And then you run into car variations. Each Corvette, although a mass-produced item, seems to be an individual when it comes to fit and alignment, and so one guy's car may work and another guy's car may not. You should see if there is anyone around that has a set of Rally wheels with tires the size you want to run and try them on for size. This is an advantage of buying tires locally. You can have them mount one tire, try it at all four corners, and if it doesn't fit, you can buy a size that will. Hard to do that mail order. It might cost a bit more, but you are paying for service, and this is service. > Tom in Missouri spoke thusly: > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > please keep that in mind when replying. Thanks guys. BTW, I lost the > "Owen" post...sorry. Tom in Missouri spoke thusly... > A 235/60-15 will fit. How much more I'm not sure. And then you run into > car variations. Each Corvette, although a mass-produced item, seems to be > an individual when it comes to fit and alignment, and so one guy's car may > work and another guy's car may not. OK, an interesting twist to this thread occurred tonight. I went with my neighbor to a tech session at a Corvette restoration shop here on Long Island. It turns out that they guy was a good friend of Chip Miller. He used to talk to him 3or 4 times a day. He delivered a eulogy at Chips funeral. Has also restored a couple of Chips 27 Corvettes. Very nice guy and very much into Corvettes. Since it was a tech session, I asked him his opinion. He said he wouldn't go wider than a 225, but he didn't say why. Do you know anybody actually running 235/60s on a 68? Does anybody else know somebody? Signature-|>|- Diode -|<|- '68 L-79 Coupe '79 Triumph Bonneville Shut up, Dave. I did for years. B.F. Goodrich TAs 235/60-15. I tried a set of Firestone 255/60-15s and they rubbed the brake cable bracket on the trailing arm when mounted on 8 inch Rallys. The Firestone 255/60s fit when mounted on the '76-82 Aluminum wheels. This was on a '68. A friend ran Goodyear F60-15 on a '69 the entire time he had it. they actually looked a bit narrow. However, they were the equivalent of a 235/60-15. For some very strange reason, the trend has been to run a very narrow tire on classic Corvettes the last few years. And it is a shame, because wider to a certain extent really improves the handling. Remember that a 255/60-15 (HR60-15) was the optional tire on a '78 up to improve handling over the GR70-15 (225/70-15). The problem was the front inner lip had to be trimmed away. The rear fenders on '78 up moved out roughly 1/2 inch to allow a wider body for the rear fastback, so tire rub wasn't an issue except on the brake bracket, which was moved. The guy who told you only go to 225 either meant 225/70 (recommended size on such a tall tire) or was CYA if he meant 225/60. Money is so high on these cars now that you get a lot of prima donna owners that if anything goes wrong, they look for someone to sue. If he told them use a 235/70 and two years later, they hit a pothole while making a turn and the tire cracks a fender, they would sue him. Just remember, not all tires are the same size. A 235/60-15 by one manufacture will vary from another manufacturer. The know what you are getting, you need the tire spec chart that gives tread width, overall section width, tire diameter, rolling diameter, and so on. Then you can determine if yours will fit. Check this site for the tire size chart. http://clubs.hemmings.com/clubsites/chevylist/tech/tire_size_conversion.htm > Tom in Missouri spoke thusly... > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > than a 225, but he didn't say why. Do you know anybody actually running > 235/60s on a 68? Does anybody else know somebody? Here are examples of sites with a tire spec chart with section width, tread width, and diameter. http://www.kelseytire.com/pages/tirechart2.html http://www.sportscartire.com/tire_specifications/specs_bfgoogrich_comp_ta_drag_1.htm http://www.bfgoodrichtires.com/assets/pdf/radial_ta.pdf Find this type of information on tires that you know fit (my Goodrich TA 235/60-15) and compare to the ones you want to buy. Unfortunately, the standard Goodrich TA isn't that much of a performance tire by today's standards, but they do look good. I'd check out some of the more aggressive TAs today for better rain control and better dry performance. I'd keep away from steel belted tires. Unless you go to a Z rating, the Corvette is capable of ripping the steel belts out and slicing off your fender. I unfortunately remember a few acquaintances having that problem when the first steel belted GR70s were bolted on Corvettes in the '70s. > fender, they would sue him. Just remember, not all tires are the same size. > A 235/60-15 by one manufacture will vary from another manufacturer. The > know what you are getting, you need the tire spec chart that gives tread > width, overall section width, tire diameter, rolling diameter, and so on. > Then you can determine if yours will fit. Believe it or not, Goodyear has two Eagle tires that are the 235/60-15 size. http://www.goodyeartires.com/goodyeartireselector/results_size.jsp?treadwidth=23 5&aspectratio=60&rimdiameter=15# Both are S-rated for only 112 mph. What idiot in Goodyear deems a tire this size to be used only to 112 mph? Any car running this size (Corvettes, Camaros, Firebirds, Challengers, Barracudas, Mustangs, etc.) is more than capable of exceeding 112 mph easily. Tom in Missouri spoke thusly... > Both are S-rated for only 112 mph. What idiot in Goodyear deems a tire this > size to be used only to 112 mph? Any car running this size (Corvettes, > Camaros, Firebirds, Challengers, Barracudas, Mustangs, etc.) is more than > capable of exceeding 112 mph easily. When you click on the GT II, the detail blurb says that it's available in "S" and "T". The bummer is, the lettering is black serrated, not RWL :o( Even though it does say "RWL" before you click on it. Bummer...they would have been perfect. I alway liked Eagle GTs. Signature-|>|- Diode -|<|- '68 L-79 Coupe '79 Triumph Bonneville Shut up, Dave. The GT II, like a lot of the sports car tires of others, is available in S and T ratings, but the 235/60-15 size is only available in S rating. To get T rating, you find only the 16 inch sizes. Many are not even making a 235/60-15 anymore. Most stop at 215/60-15 and a few make a 225/60-15. Very few make the 235/60-15. Part of it is due to the performance cars of yesterday which would use and could run a wide 15 inch tire are being restored and running a restoration-style tire in some narrow size like came from the factory. There were reasons people flared fenders and mounted fat rubber back then. The skinny tires didn't handle nearly as well. Some of the fat ones did hydroplane more, but in the 30-35 years that have gone by, the manufacturers have learned a lot about tire grooving and shedding water, so a modern fat tire can shed the water as well and even better than an old style narrow tire. But just like the "knowledge" that all '68 Corvettes are poor quality and not worth owning, the "knowledge" that wide tires are poor in wet weather (like anyone drives their 30 year old classic in rain today) and not that great in dry, either, still is prevalent among the "experts". > Tom in Missouri spoke thusly... > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > :o( Even though it does say "RWL" before you click on it. > Bummer...they would have been perfect. I alway liked Eagle GTs. > Believe it or not, Goodyear has two Eagle tires that are the 235/60-15 size. > http://www.goodyeartires.com/goodyeartireselector/results_size.jsp?treadwidth=23 5&aspectratio=60&rimdiameter=15# [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Camaros, Firebirds, Challengers, Barracudas, Mustangs, etc.) is more than > capable of exceeding 112 mph easily. A couple of thoughts on this: Where in the US can you drive at a sustained speed of 112 mph or greater? The speed ratings are for sustained speeds - my drag radials have no speed rating (and a treadwear rating of 0!) but are perfectly fine up to the 112 mph I run them to (and some guys go way faster) but would not be able to withstand sustained high speeds. So, unless you plan on driving greater than 112mph on a regular basis, I wouldn't worry about it if it's the tire size you need... Pirelli makes a W rated 235/60 if 168mph is enough for you... http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Compare1.jsp?shipquote=N&compare=true&partNumber=& make=&model=&clarifier=&price=&width=235%2F&ratio=60&diameter=15&sortCode=&speed Rating=&qty=&stockMessage=&type=T&URL=&newCompare=true&prevprice=&loadRating=&pr omoShortText=&promoUrl=&promoLongText=&sidewall=&sidewallShown=&frontTire=&front LeftTire=&rearTire=&rearLeftTire=&wantRHP=&RHPprice=&sumRating=&hasSpec=&hasWarr anty=&hasComments=&hasTests=&hasSurveys=&perf=&pre=&specCode=&goWhere=%252Ftires %252FCompare1.jsp&AddToUser=true&performance=MP&performance=UHP&performance=HP&p erformance=GT&startIndex=0&sortValue=3&qty_36WR5600_=4 :) Ray "Where in the US can you drive at a sustained speed of 112 mph or greater?" Large part of Montana you can do that during daylight hours. Other then that, I do not know of any other place it is legal. SignatureTedd Riggs Redmond, WA >> Believe it or not, Goodyear has two Eagle tires that are the 235/60-15 >> size. [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > > Ray No longer able to do that as I recall. SignatureDad 04 C5 CE Z51 72 Shark Black/Black/4spd > "Where in the US can you drive at a sustained speed of 112 mph or greater?" > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > >> Believe it or not, Goodyear has two Eagle tires that are the 235/60-15 > >> size. http://www.goodyeartires.com/goodyeartireselector/results_size.jsp?treadwidth=23 5&aspectratio=60&rimdiameter=15# > >> Both are S-rated for only 112 mph. What idiot in Goodyear deems a tire > >> this [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > > > Pirelli makes a W rated 235/60 if 168mph is enough for you... http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Compare1.jsp?shipquote=N&compare=true&partNumber=& make=&model=&clarifier=&price=&width=235%2F&ratio=60&diameter=15&sortCod e=&speedRating=&qty=&stockMessage=&type=T&URL=&newCompare=true&prevprice=&lo adRating=&promoShortText=&promoUrl=&promoLongText=&sidewall=&sidewallShown=& frontTire=&frontLeftTire=&rearTire=&rearLeftTire=&wantRHP=&RHPprice=&sumRati ng=&hasSpec=&hasWarranty=&hasComments=&hasTests=&hasSurveys=&perf=&pre=&spec Code=&goWhere=%252Ftires%252FCompare1.jsp&AddToUser=true&performance=MP&perf ormance=UHP&performance=HP&performance=GT&startIndex=0&sortValue=3&qty_36WR5 600_=4 > > :) > > > > Ray I have heard rumors of that one also Dad.Just have not been able to get anyone that seems to know for sure. Guess I would not want to experiment and find out the hard way. SignatureTedd Riggs Redmond, WA > No longer able to do that as I recall. > [quoted text clipped - 46 lines] >> > >> > Ray Nope, not a rumor http://www.mdt.state.mt.us/speed_limit/ > I have heard rumors of that one also Dad.Just have not been able to get > anyone that seems to know for sure. Guess I would not want to experiment > and find out the hard way. Yikes, Since May 28, 1999 !! I could not find any reference when I looked, But I was checking Montana.gov or MT.Gov sites. Thanks for the update ! SignatureTedd Riggs Redmond, WA > Nope, not a rumor > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >> anyone that seems to know for sure. Guess I would not want to experiment >> and find out the hard way. > Yikes, Since May 28, 1999 !! I could not find any reference when I > looked, But I was checking Montana.gov or MT.Gov sites. Thanks for the > update ! Is ok. And I've done a triple digit drive through Montana when it was legal (96). Was very nice to be able to legally cruise around 100. FWIW, in 2002 on the interstates you'd be a roadblock at 75, we cruised around 95 to go with the flow... Ray I cheated, Montana speed limit + www.google.com :-) > Yikes, Since May 28, 1999 !! I could not find any reference when I > looked, But I was checking Montana.gov or MT.Gov sites. Thanks for the > update ! There are many clubs that do things like autocrosses and high speed autocrosses. And there are track days. Not everyone who goes has a new C5 to toss around the curves. While running 150 and blowing a tire on some deserted two-lane on the many vast open areas in the US would not be nice, losing a tire next to the wall at Charlotte or coming down the hill at Atlanta would be as ugly and maybe more ugly. and it would be quite legal. Besides the sustained speed rating drops as time goes on. This is how so many lost tires in the '70s, cruising long stretches at 80 and 90 and losing a tire supposedly rated at 112. Remember back then it was still 55 and so pushing to 80 or 90 was really out there. It would be the equivalent of running around 130 or 140 today. And speaking of today, with 70 mph limits, it is quite common to see traffic flowing at 80 to 90 mph in some open areas. So that 112 mph tire is on the ragged edge. The speed rating is currently at something like 88% load and 30 minutes duration at speeds of 75, 80, and 85 mph each. The resistance to heat is measured and a speed rating is calculated. FMVSS 109 So you add a hot summer day, 100 degrees in the shade, sun beating down on your favorite highway, and you headed out to play. Maybe that 112 isn't really 112 mph after all. > > Believe it or not, Goodyear has two Eagle tires that are the 235/60-15 size. http://www.goodyeartires.com/goodyeartireselector/results_size.jsp?treadwidth=23 5&aspectratio=60&rimdiameter=15# > > Both are S-rated for only 112 mph. What idiot in Goodyear deems a tire this > > size to be used only to 112 mph? Any car running this size (Corvettes, [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Pirelli makes a W rated 235/60 if 168mph is enough for you... http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Compare1.jsp?shipquote=N&compare=true&partNumber=& make=&model=&clarifier=&price=&width=235%2F&ratio=60&diameter=15&sortCode=&speed Rating=&qty=&stockMessage=&type=T&URL=&newCompare=true&prevprice=&loadRating=&pr omoShortText=&promoUrl=&promoLongText=&sidewall=&sidewallShown=&frontTire=&front LeftTire=&rearTire=&rearLeftTire=&wantRHP=&RHPprice=&sumRating=&hasSpec=&hasWarr anty=&hasComments=&hasTests=&hasSurveys=&perf=&pre=&specCode=&goWhere=%252Ftires %252FCompare1.jsp&AddToUser=true&performance=MP&performance=UHP&performance=HP&p erformance=GT&startIndex=0&sortValue=3&qty_36WR5600_=4 > :) > > Ray > There are many clubs that do things like autocrosses and high speed > autocrosses. And there are track days. Not everyone who goes has a new C5 > to toss around the curves. Tom, relax! :) I understand... but what would be wrong with the Pirellis I mentioned if you're stuck with a 235/60 size? They are W speed rated. Frankly, if you're taking a car to the track I'd run something a bit better than an Eagle ST anyway. Having driven on the stock Goodyears for drag racing and then used Drag Radials, I won't even consider street tires on a racetrack anymore. I'd get a set of used 16" or 17" wheels and some low profile racing rubber for a track day. For the street, S speed should be fine at 80-90 - even in the heat. From tirerack.com: Speed ratings are based on laboratory tests where the tire is pressed against a large diameter metal drum to reflect its appropriate load, and run at ever increasing speeds (in 6.2 mph steps in 10 minute increments) until the tire's required speed has been met. So it's not like they just assign speed ratings at will... (and I don't have a C5, or any Vette - yet. I own a Trans Am that will be replacing the stock Goodyears with Kumhos tonight. I like Goodyear the company for supporting Nascar, but I refuse to pay 2x the price for the same tire to have a Goodyear logo on it. And my tires have a Y speed rating even though I won't be driving anywhere near 186 mph...) If you want to do the period aspect ratio style, GO REDLINE MAN! :-) > OK, guys...it's time for new tires. Here's the question, do I stay > with the "original" looking thin white walls, or go with the raised > white letters? I'm trying to remember if white lettered tires were > available in 68. If so, that's prolly the way I'll go. What do you > folks think? SignatureRic Seyler |
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