Tire selection

**John M.** · February 17, 2000, 09:15 PM

Re: Tire selection

I appreciate all the comments and just received my coker wide white radials today and can hardly wait to get the car back on the road to see how it drives but probably have another 2 months before it is ready to run. I have another tire question that perhaps someone can help me with. My spare is the original tire which came with the car 40 years ago but is worn unevenly from being on the front end and camber being out of adjustment but the overall tread depth is aprox. 50%. Does anyone specialize in retreading original carcasses or is the tread condition fairly inconsequential if I ever have the car judged considering that the remaining tires will be repros?TIA

**Bob Babcock** · February 22, 2000, 04:21 PM

Re: Tire selection

You are correct about the ride. My 66 big block 425Hp was a mess with bias ply.

I got redlines for the 66 and wide white radials for my 58 and 60 from Diamond Back tires in Myrtle Beach.

Bob

**John M.** · September 17, 2000, 05:21 PM

Tire selection

Well, I now have my wheels blasted and repainted and finally have to make that big decision , which tires to put on my 60. I am torn between the original looks of the bias ply tires and the reported driveabliity improvement of the wide white radials. I have a couple of questions which I am sure some of you can answer. 1. Do the 205R75 wide white radials fit within the spare tire compartment of a C1 and will the cover properly seat? 2.How about the reproduction bias ply tires , I have heard that are not exact repro. and the tire cover board will not seat? 3. Just how much of an improvement are the radials? Before I took the car down for restoration last year it had 15 x 7 wire wheels and 25 year old bias ply tires and never noticed that it handled that bad but never haven driven a C1 with radials I have no point of reference.

TIA

**Wayne W.** · September 17, 2000, 05:22 PM

Re: Tire selection

Can you say night and day. Thats about how much difference between radials and bias. If I was using the car as a driver there would be no question, radial. If you are going to get serious about judging then you may want to go the other way. You can find an original or repro to fit the tub if you want.

**Wayne Kever** · September 17, 2000, 05:22 PM

Re: Tire selection

Can't help with the spare tire question, because I've never gotten around to putting anything in the tub. However, the switch from bias to radial took the car from scary at highway speed to pleasurable to drive. This is on a '54.

By the way: Coker's claim to be the only folks molding new tires with wide whites held up to my search. Everyone else sells stuff that's painted on or heat-welded on top after the tire is molded. I've seen that stuff crack, peel, etc.

Another tip: Corvette Central had a better price on Coker wide whites than anybody else, including Coker direct. Last spring, $148 per tire, with free shipping if you bought four. More expensive than the add-on guys, but I know they'll last.

- Wayne

**Don H** · September 17, 2000, 05:22 PM

Re: Tire selection

I would definately recommend the radials if you plan to drive the car. If you are going to show it, the repro originals are fine. I was amazed at the difference the radials made on my 60. I have an old original tire for a spare and the board doesn't fit as well as I would like. Don H.

**Duke W.** · September 17, 2000, 05:22 PM

Duntov said no!

I remember reading, probably in the late sixties, or perhaps when radials became OEM in 1973 (I think) that Duntov did not recommed radials on earlier Corvettes. This was long after I had installed radials on my '63. I think Chevrolet Engineering did a lot of suspension development for the radials, particularly bushings, but I've never understood Duntov's admonishment, given that nearly all are quite satisfied with radials on all earlier Corvettes. Does anybody have any insight on Duntovs "no radial" stand?

Duke

**Terry M.** · September 17, 2000, 05:23 PM

Re: Duntov said nylon

Duke,

I cannot shed any light on his attitude toward radials, but he insisted on nylon cord tires long after fiberglass became the material of choice in the industry in spite of nylon's tendency to flat spot.

I am not sure why because my conversations with him were after his stroke and communication was difficult for him.

Terry

**Marty** · September 17, 2000, 05:23 PM

Re: Duntov said no!

My understanding was that it was related to shock absorber tech. at the time the cars were designed. Of course now we are all running Koni's on our drivers so that shouldn't matter. My '64 tanker is much happier with radials, as is my wife.

**Doug Flaten** · September 17, 2000, 05:23 PM

Re: Duntov said no!

I read an article years ago that said radials transmitted too much shock to the suspension components. The article said the suspension would wear out faster and the ride would be harsher. I don't think it was attributed to Duntov and I don't remember if it was in a Vette or Mustang magazine. I switched to radials, largely because bias-ply tires were getting rare. The radials will make a loose suspension drive much better and I will not put bias ply on another driver.

**Jerry** · September 17, 2000, 05:23 PM

Re: Duntov said no!

It is interesting to suggest that suspension configuration dictated the use of bias ply tires however C3 suspension changed little through out production yet that design saw the introduction of radial tires in it's lifetime and the general saw fit to make them standard equipment. There may be merit in the C1 argument but I don't see it applying to C2 - C3 suspension. Just a thought.

jerry

**Wayne W.** · September 17, 2000, 05:24 PM

Re: Duntov said no!

Just can`t see how a radial with those soft sidewalls would transmit more shock to the susension. As a sidebar to the radials of C3s they didn`t change the alignment specs. much if any either.

**Wayne M.** · September 17, 2000, 05:24 PM

Re: Nylon Bias Ply vs Steel-Belted Radials

Duke -- Here's a few items culled from my collection of road tests.

SPEED & SUPERCAR (test of '72 LS5) ...'72's still come standard with F70-15 non-belted, wide tread nylon tires. At low speeds, Chevrolet claims, a belted tire may provide slightly more traction under certain conditions, but at ten-tenths on the road, the non-belted nylon tire is superior. Nylon is also far superior for sustained high-speed cruising conditions.

GM news release: Tuned suspension for '73 -- new GR70-15 steel-belted radial tires; combined with new 2-piece rubber biscuit body mounts, springs and shock absorbers, contribute toward the softer and quieter vehicle operation, without loss of sports car feel.

ROAD & TRACK (June '73) The major change this year was the tires. For several years, Corvettes came with Corvette-only tires, built to specifications drawn up by Corvette engineers. They were of conventional bias construction at first, then bias-belted (???) when other sports cars had changed over to radials. This year, the Corvette finally has radial tires, from either Goodyear or Firestone. The change was not altogether desired by the Corvette people, but tiremakers showed a lack of interest in continuing to build a specialized tire for the Corvette and there was no problem getting steel-belted radials of the right size. Cornering power has been reduced, braking distances have increased, and the tire is rated for a lower cruising speed, down from 140 to 120 mph.

**Duke W.** · September 17, 2000, 05:24 PM

Re: Nylon Bias Ply vs Steel-Belted Radials

Thanks for all your research and typing, Wayne, and to everyone else who contributed to this thread. I just lost my second attempt to post a more thorough response to the vicious "white screen". Might try again tomorrow, but we're about to loose this thread to the archives.

Duke

Tire selection

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