1978 Corvette tires

[Steve Soli]

I have a 1978 Silver Anniversary paint option L48 auto built in November 1977.
Was there an optional Goodyear tire for this vehicle that read "NASCAR" in white block letters or was that tire only avaialble on the pace car replica?

[Duke W.]

Re: 1978 Corvette tires

The base tire for 1978 was a 225/70R-15 and a white letter 255/60R-15 was option, but it did not say "NASCAR". The best replacement tires for your car would be one of the V-rated 225/70R-15 police pursuit tires available from Goodyear, Firestone, or General.

Duke

[Dave S.]

Re: 1978 Corvette tires

The Goodyear Eagle GT's in 225/70R/15 or 255/60R/15 with the white outline can be found. Those are the original tires and I have found them to be an outstanding tire for show, judging and/or street use.

[George C.]

Re: 1978 Corvette tires

Hi Steve, Go with what Dave recommends that will be your best bet. Are you confusing Goodyear and Nascar, because Goodyear does have a yellow lettered 70 size tire that they promote as a Nascar type tire for street cars. >George

[Tom R.]

Re: 1978 Corvette tires

Steve:

My 78 silver anniversary is a November 10 1977 build car with VIN 9041...what is your build and VIN number?

Now onto your question. No...there was no NASCAR tire option provided as an option only RPO QBS (white letter P255/60R15) and RPO QGR (white letter P225/70R15). the P60R15 series came with raised letters like on Pace Cars. RPO QGR came with solid white letters and read "Goodyear and Polysteel Radial"

The service replacement offered by Goodyear includes the NASCAR tire series but I believe they also have the white raised letters series and it reads "Goodyear and Eagle GTIV"...I think.

Check with your window sticker to detemine if you SA came with the QGR option.

[Grant M.]

Re: 1978 Corvette tires

Steve,

There's an easier way to check what tires your '78 came with. If it was factory optioned with the 255/60 series the forward portion (from about the 12:30 position) of the front wheel well lips were 'shaved' somewhat to accommodate the wider tires on turns under suspension loading. Cars supplied with the 'standard' 225/70 series tires did not require this modification.

[Mark Ring]

Re: 1978 Corvette tires

The 78-82 Corvette came with blackwall "Goodyear Polysteel Radial" as standard. White letter style optional with same "Goodyear Polysteel Radial" lettering and the larger size tire option that had "Goodyear GT Radial" on it. Late '80 cars with the optional larger tires had "Goodyear Eagle GT". The fenders were trimmed on cars with the wider tire option as was stated earlier. The tires have date codes.

-Mark.

[John M.]

Re: 1978 Corvette tires

Not all 78 fenders were trimmed. I have a 1000 mile 1978 completely original, non pace car, documented with the window sticker and tank sheet. It has the 255/60 tire option (QBS) and the fenders were not trimmed. From the trim jobs that I have seen, I will take the chance of a tire rub over the hack jobs with the saws-all that I have seen. I have asked several NCRS judges and they said that they have seen a few documented cars from the factory with out the wheel wells trimmed out....