C2 - Radial tires

[Mike McKown]

Re: C2 - Radial tires

Thank you very much Mr. Collins. I don't know you. I have never seen you post on any Corvette board. But, you just made my point. Thank you.

Mike

[Larry Rosamond]

Haven't seen it yet....

but your many posts about C-2 tires have been enlightening. Soon after purchasing my '66, I shod it with the generic Firestone 205R75 (770's if memory serves) because the Firestone logo is virtually unchanged 40 years later, it has the correct whitewall and the tread pattern is definitely "non-aggressive". This choice made for a pleasing original appearance in a radial without thought to performance. My original thought was that I would never drive the car very hard. After burning a few tanks of gas, I learned that I indeed would want to push this beast on occasion. The story posted by one of regulars over a year ago about a non-speed rated radial coming apart and ripping up a quarter panel was an eye-opener.

Since I'm in the car business, I'm going to move the Firestones to an appropriate used car and re-shoe my vette's repop KO's with the 215R70 Michelins or Pirellis as you suggest. Then if I get a little "aggressive" with the car and the tires get hot or abused, there'll be no worries. Got a set of steel wheels and caps on the shelf, just need Mike #14 to show me how to remove the DOT info from a set of repop bias tires in case I ever have the car judged.

After a lot of thought, my 02c is to use the premium rubber for driving. I don't short the rubber on my drivers or my quality inventory, why on earth would I do so on a 37 year old vette? Thanks fo the education.

Regards, Larry

[Patrick H.]

Re: C2 - Radial tires

I've seen the Tiger Paws relatively frequently on street-driven C2's. They seem to ride and drive quite well for most folks.

Seeing as we can't get anyone in our Corvette Club with an age over 50 (not trying to generalize too much here) to even take their cars slowly through a parking lot autocross, much less with any gusto, I'm sure that this tire would be more than sufficient for the relaxed cruising most folks seem to enjoy. Older Corvettes are rarely driven as "sports cars" anymore but rather as Sunday cruisers. They are the two seat version of what I call my "ice cream car" - my 1970 Cutlass convertible. How many members actually drive their cars to work as I do with my 71 coupe on a regular basis?

I don't mind the Diamondback radials (nee' Dayton Daytonas) on my 71, and I enjoy some spirited driving. If I want more, I sneak out my Dad's 92 with the GS-C's (the 2002 doesn't have enough miles on it yet to sneak that mileage up unnoticed). Actually, the old, hardened "Performance Radial" tires (I think a Western Auto brand) that came on my 71 when I purchased it in 1994 were quite fun on an autocross as well as on Gingerman Raceway. I learned how to drift that car through the curves with aplomb, and you could spin the tires in all 4 gears. Wasted power? Sure. But high on the "Fun" scale. The newer Diamondbacks, although likely not any better at a speed rating, don't do any of that anymore as tire technology has continued to evolve significantly even in the lower grade tires.

I don't think that Duke is wrong to enjoy driving his cars in a spirited manner if that's what he enjoys, and I value his input on tires useful for such. I think it's just a matter of fact that it's not how most of our cars are used any longer. The previous owner of my 72 babied the car so much when he drove it that he never could tell the Rochester Q-jet was missing its power piston spring, so I'm sure his BFG Radial T/A's were more than acceptable. And they'll work fine for me driving it out to PA next week for the Regional.

Sorry if this was a little long.

C'est La Vie.

Patrick

[Dino L.]

Re: C2 - Radial tires

Hey Jim, thanks for the great response! Exactly what i was looking for! I have looked at several C2's with 215 65 R15 on knockoffs and I think they look great except one problem, the rear tires in my opinion dont fill the wheel well completely, but you do get a wider tire with a nice tread pattern, and performance? So I am trying to decide between Michelin X 205 75s or Goodyear 215 65's.

By the way, you will be happy to know that I have babied that Bonneveille to no end, it looks as great today as when I first received it, I have put 1000 miles on it and it has been fantastic classic cycle!

Sorry about the confusion Duke, I will not be driving my C2 at the track, I am looking for good looks as well as moderate performance, and many of our fellow memebers have crossed the bridge of buying tires to drive their C2's after they have flighted their cars that is what I am preparing for.

[Duke W.]

Re: C2 - Radial tires

I don't have any recommendations for track tires because there are none available that will fit under the fenders. The best you can do on a C2 is a speed-rated all-season touring tire. The 215/65 size will cause your speedometer/odometer to read about six percent higher than with the OEM size tires.. A 215/70R-15 will only cause a 2 percent increase on a '64 and none on a 65-67, and they will fill out the wheel wheels because they are the close to the OD of a 6.70-15 and the same as a 7.75-15. You can find 215/70s in speed ratings up to "W", but "H" is more common, and there are several narrow whitewalls available in the size.

Duke