Old tires okay?

**Joe R.** · February 20, 2005, 05:41 PM

Re: Old tires okay?

Ken,

They MAY be safe to look at but a drive around the block could cause major damage to the wheel well. Save them for show on the original wheels but get some NEW tires for driving. Auto Accessories has the wheels in repo and everyone has that tire size so why take the chance of doing major damage when you don't need to.

Regards,

JR

**Steven J. nEEL** · February 20, 2005, 06:50 PM

Re: Old tires okay?

All tires only have a 5 year safety shelf live regardless where they are according to Discount Tire

**Duke W.** · February 20, 2005, 06:58 PM

Re: Old tires okay?

The lack of any obvious surface flaws is a good sign, but tires can have internal manufacturing flaws or defects from aging that cannot be seen. They may be visible to X-ray inspection with a knowledgeable tech who can read and interpret the X-ray image, but why bother.

Early non-speed rated radial tires built by US manufacturers were not up to the design and manufacturing quality of European speed rated tires of the same era, and these early US built radials had a much higher tendency to suffer tread separation, so for that reason alone I would consider them suspect for normal driving, and since they are "new" why not preserve them.

I agree with the advice to save then on the OE wheels. Buy a set of repro wheels and have a new set of tires mounted on them for driving. Save the original tires/wheels/factory balance weighs as historical artifacts.

Duke

**Patrick H.** · February 20, 2005, 07:13 PM

Re: Old tires okay?

Of course, my first question is, why would you drive a showroom-kept car with only 63 miles on it?

But that's just me.

Patrick

**Tony Merendino** · February 20, 2005, 07:20 PM

Re: Old tires okay?

I agree with Patrick.

To buy that car to drive is questionable. It will depreciate faster than a new car. If you want to drive one buy a restored one for 1/3 the price and enjoy it. The historical value of that car far outweighs its value as a driver. Each mile you put on it drops its value.

**Kevin M.** · February 20, 2005, 08:31 PM

Re: Old tires okay?

Like the above posts I would get it judged before you put another mile on it . You could get a Bow-Tie award for it. It would be very usefull from a historic point of view and provide valuable infromation for that year of car.

Kevin

**Ed Jennings** · February 20, 2005, 08:37 PM

Re: Old tires okay?

There are probably a lot of 78 pace cars still sitting in dealer's showrooms. I know of one with 28 miles. Low mile 78 pace cars aren't that rare.

**Patrick H.** · February 20, 2005, 08:41 PM

Re: Old tires okay?

Every mile is probably $100 off the value until you hit 100 miles, then goes down after that.

There are loads of 78 pace cars with moderate mileage (40000 to 60000) to drive. We even have two in town at that mileage that don't sell at $10-12k each. You can lose that much in value with this car by driving it on one afternoon.

There was a story in one of the Corvette magazines a couple of years ago about a guy in CA who bought a very low mile Pace Car (8 miles?) and then proceeded to make it into a daily driver. That put him into the "fool and his money are soon parted" category in my book, but then again it's not my money or my car.

I can guarantee you that if my Bowtie car had 67 miles, not 60,700 as it does, it would get trailered and not driven.

Patrick

**Mike Cobine** · February 20, 2005, 08:47 PM

More rare now than they ever were

I think half of them were trailered home to sit in a garage in 1978, but many gave up when the prices dropped to normal pricing and never climbed again through the '80s, '90s, and the '00s. After all, there were hundreds of them with less than 20 miles on them, not exactly rare.

After all, it is easy to store and never drive a work of art that is increasing in value, but a car that is depreciating loses a lot of justification for sitting.

Getting the Bow Tie award and some others would improve its desirableness and should be an easy effort with only 60 some miles on it.

**Kevin M.** · February 20, 2005, 09:18 PM

Re: Old tires okay?

So Ken wish you'd come here first? I like the Pace Car I'd buy one at the right price, but it would have to be a low mile one like yours. Like the guys have said not rare but will be someday if you keep the miles down. Drive it and it's just another old Corvette. But don't feel bad in the 70's even 67's weren't bringing the dollars they are today, have it judged get as many awards you can and wait for Barrett JAckson 2016, in the meantime buy one you can drive.

Kevin

**Ken Liperi** · February 20, 2005, 10:24 PM

Re: Old tires okay?

And I've seen one on ebay with 6 miles on it! ....My point was about tires, not to go for a Ripley's Believe It or Not record for low mileage.

**Ed Jennings** · February 20, 2005, 10:31 PM

Re: Old tires okay?

Ken, the point simply is that if you bought the car to drive it is your personal decision. It's not like you're going to destroy a one of a kind piece of Corvette history. There are plenty more pristine examples out there for the guys who value having the factory air in the tires. Will you reduce the value of the car? probably, but that wasn't your question.
Put the old tires in storage for shows or judging, get some new rims and rubber, and drive it as you please.

**Ken Liperi** · February 20, 2005, 10:37 PM

Re: Old tires okay?

I like the idea of swapping wheels and tires, because I do intend to drive it to shows and around on weekends. I appreciate the comments, but I always loved the looks of this car (even when I had a '66 matching # 427/425 roadster). So going real fast in fastly appreciating vets I've done. I happened to "steal" this car from the dealer, so I feel it was a wise investment. And since I know it's complete history (how many of us can say that about our cars?)I've got piece of mind. After getting a few NCRS awards out of the way I'm gonna drive the hell out of it and have fun!

**Christopher R.** · February 21, 2005, 12:14 AM

Re: Old tires okay?

No. The tires can appear fine, but could have hidden internal damage that'd make them lethal.

Old tires okay?

Old tires okay?

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