C1, NOS Red Stripe Tire and Wheel?????

[William B.]

I have a spare tire and wheel from a 1968 corvette, which i owned around 1970. It is brand new with tire wiskers still on tread. Would it be correct for a 1969, which i intend to restore or is it only for a 1968. The wheel is marked "GM" and "KH". The tire is an NOS Single Red Stripe, marked "GOODYEAR F70-15, NF, NYLON CORD, SPEEDWAY WIDE TREAD TUBELESS. It is interesting that the front of rim is sprayed silver and the back stayed black. Is there much value to this?

[Joe L.]

Re: C1, NOS Red Stripe Tire and Wheel?????

Bill-----

The tire and wheel are correct for a 1969 as well as a 68. However, keep in mind that wheels and tires are date coded (although tire date codes are hard to decipher). So, from this perspective, it may not be "exactly" matching for a 69. Also, I think that some very early 68 tires may not have been "DOT" embossed. Later tires for 68s (after 1-1-68) and 69s were "DOT" embossed.

The description that you provided for the wheel painting is exactly how factory wheels were usually painted.

The tire and wheel are quite valuable, in the range of $500-750, I'd say. I'd definitely recommend keeping it and using it on your 69 for judging purposes. Remove it from the spare tire well at other times and replace with another tire for spare use.

[Joe L.]

Coorection

I forgot for a moment. The tire would be correct for a 69 (except for "dates" that I mentioned). However, the wheel is NOT. 1968 Corvette wheels were 15 X 7, the only year Corvette to use that size wheel. 1969 wheels were 15 X 8.

[Jack H.]

Footnote....

Had the pleasure of judging a rather straight old '68 in Europe and as far as the owner knew, the spare tire tub had never been let down. I think he was right!

When we dropped the carrier, there was a LOT of dirt/dust.... Looking for DOT code was VERY interesting! Car was built roughly Jan 15 of 1968. On the rear sidewall was a computer generated label glued to the rubber hanging on by it's 'fingernails' providing the DOT certification sequence. There was no insert/emboss in the rubber sidewall providing similar data.

Kinda/sorta says what happened to WIP (work in progress) when the new Federal DOT identification law went into effect. So, if the spare the thread poster saved just happened to have come out of a change over/transition car, it's value as being a unique 'one of' might rise dramatically and CARE should be taken to preserve the paper label!

[Loren L.]

No Value at all - will trade straight across

for a new can of Krylon Semi-flat - You deliver.