Duntov an Tiresy

[lyndon sharpton]

why did Zora,

keep on using the NYLON cord tires on the corvette after radial tires had come along?

[John H.]

Re: Duntov an Tiresy

Corvettes started using radial tires in 1973, long before most other domestic cars did, and long before the domestic high-volume tire industry began to change over their bias-ply tire production facilities and tooling to radial tire production.

[Duke W.]

Re: Duntov an Tiresy

Duntov early on didn't like radial tires, but I don't know why. In fact, he advised against installing radials on pre-'73 models, but I don't know anyone who ever installed them and didn't think they were an improvement.

The other issue might be that the American tire manufactures were slow to adopt radial technology, and their early models were dreadful and prone to tread separation.

The 6.70-15 Michelin X radials I installed on my SWC in 1964 were not speed rated, but they did several hundred miles of race track hot laps and numerous runs well into triple digits and lasted 47,000 miles.

Best thing I ever did to that car.

Duke

[Chris H.]

Re: Duntov an Tiresy

Do not know what other GM cars had them but the new '73 Monte Carlo came out with them and was advertised, I believe, as having Mercedes Benz ride and handling. Anyone else confirm this?

Chris

[Duke W.]

Re: Duntov an Tiresy

I recall that vintage Monte Carlo being advertised as having a "high caster suspension", which Mercedes have usually had through the years. High caster provides good road feel and negative camber gain on the outside tires, which helps offset body roll to keep the tire vertial with the pavement during cornering.

High caster suspensions usually require power steering, or the steering can be too heavy with too much kickback.

The nominal front caster on my Mercendes W201 chassis is 10.5 degrees, but I don't think that vintage MC was as much - maybe 6 degrees. C2 Corvettes are nominally about two degrees.

Duk

[Chris H.]

Re: Duntov an Tiresy

Thanks, Duke. I graduated from High School in 76 so I believe I remember the mercedes connection when I bought the car years later. I think I have a sales brochure for it somewhere.

chris

[John H.]

Re: Duntov an Tiresy

I recall buying a new '78 Pontiac LeMans, and they were still touting "Radial-Tuned Suspension", as they had only been offering radial tires on that car line for a year or two. Previously, I had bought a new '73 Olds 98 Regency 4-door hardtop for my wife, and it definitely did NOT have radial tires - rode and handled kinda like an ocean liner with a button-tufted velour interior, and four Bosnians could have set up housekeeping in the trunk