C3-1971 What tires should I get

[Greg F.]

I have a small block 71. It has the original wheels including the spare. It is a driver and I hope to have it judged in a year or 2. I have some kind of cheap white letter tires on it currently. I've reviewed the archives and I'm confused. I know nothing about tires especially when it comes to the orginal type and bias versus radial. I will put 3-4/K miles per year on the car.

Below are the questions going through my head:

1. First, I don't have a tank sticker and I have no idea if my car came with white letters or white walls. How does this factor into judging? I like the white letters on my rally's, so do I just keep that combination?

1. My car is very original and I want to keep it that way while working towards getting it judged and still enjoying a nice ride - what tire, size and manufacturer will do this? (I realize I will have to sacrifice points for this but I do live in Florida so I plan to drive it to the meets and regionals next year or year after).

2. Can I put 4 different tires on the car for driving and purchase a correct spare for judging purposes to maximize points? If so, what tire and size is needed? I have 225's on the car now and I like the look of that size. Originals were 215's correct?

Lots of questions and pondering going on here...am I leaving anything out? Thanks!

[Duke W.]

Re: C3-1971 What tires should I get

The subject of C3 tires (for driving, not necessarily what judges best) was discussed in some detail about a week ago on this Board.

There is also tons of information in the archives.

The Spring and Summer 2003 editions of The Corvette Restorer also have an extensive two-part article on the subject.

Duke

[Duke W.]

Re: C3-1971 What tires should I get

The subject of C3 tires (for driving, not necessarily what judges best) was discussed in some detail about a week ago on this Board.

There is also tons of information in the archives.

The Spring and Summer 2003 editions of The Corvette Restorer also have an extensive two-part article on the subject.

Duke

[Brad M.]

Re: C3-1971 What tires should I get

Does your spare still have the original tire? If so, I would say best bet is to match that.

[Brad M.]

Re: C3-1971 What tires should I get

Does your spare still have the original tire? If so, I would say best bet is to match that.

[Joe L.]

Re: C3-1971 What tires should I get

Greg------

The original tires used for your car were not "225" or "215"; they were bias ply, F-70-15 of either Goodyear Speedway Wide Tread or Firestone Wide Ovals. You can obtain virtually correct reproductions of the Goodyear tire from Kelsey Tire. They are available in both blackwall, red line, white stripe, and raised white letter. Which your car was delivered with only documentation can reveal. For judging purposes, any original tire configuration will do. However, for 1971 only blackwall, white stripe, or raised white letter were used; no red stripe.

Coker Tire markets a reproduction of the Firestone tire. However, it's a version which was not actually used on Corvettes.

For a replacement tire, the sizes closest to the original are the 225-70-R15 and the 215-70-Ri5. Neither tire has exactly the same dimensions as original so select the one that you like the best.

[Joe L.]

Re: C3-1971 What tires should I get

Greg------

The original tires used for your car were not "225" or "215"; they were bias ply, F-70-15 of either Goodyear Speedway Wide Tread or Firestone Wide Ovals. You can obtain virtually correct reproductions of the Goodyear tire from Kelsey Tire. They are available in both blackwall, red line, white stripe, and raised white letter. Which your car was delivered with only documentation can reveal. For judging purposes, any original tire configuration will do. However, for 1971 only blackwall, white stripe, or raised white letter were used; no red stripe.

Coker Tire markets a reproduction of the Firestone tire. However, it's a version which was not actually used on Corvettes.

For a replacement tire, the sizes closest to the original are the 225-70-R15 and the 215-70-Ri5. Neither tire has exactly the same dimensions as original so select the one that you like the best.

[Jack H.]

Add-on

As mentioned in another recent thread, NCRS judges the spare tire/wheel on a separate line item from the four mounted tires and wheels. Even though the factory originally matched tires (all five alike), we ignore differences during the judging process in the interest of preserving what few factory original tires remain.

Therefore, your spare can differ from your mounted tires and each will be judged separately following the advice given in the Judging Guide + the Standard Deduction Tables of the NCRS Judging Reference Manual.

[Jack H.]

Add-on

As mentioned in another recent thread, NCRS judges the spare tire/wheel on a separate line item from the four mounted tires and wheels. Even though the factory originally matched tires (all five alike), we ignore differences during the judging process in the interest of preserving what few factory original tires remain.

Therefore, your spare can differ from your mounted tires and each will be judged separately following the advice given in the Judging Guide + the Standard Deduction Tables of the NCRS Judging Reference Manual.

[Greg F.]

Re: Add-on

thanks for the answers.

Can I buy the F70 Goodyear that Joe Lucia mentions for my spare from Kelsey and expect to score well? I'm still undecided on the 4 tires. I love the look of the F70's from Goodyear but I plan to drive my car too. I've never driven on bias tires and I've heard bad feedback about them. Why don't they make a radial with the identical lettering of the F70 tires for those who want the look of original but driving comfort of a radial???

Thanks,
Greg

[Greg F.]

Re: Add-on

thanks for the answers.

Can I buy the F70 Goodyear that Joe Lucia mentions for my spare from Kelsey and expect to score well? I'm still undecided on the 4 tires. I love the look of the F70's from Goodyear but I plan to drive my car too. I've never driven on bias tires and I've heard bad feedback about them. Why don't they make a radial with the identical lettering of the F70 tires for those who want the look of original but driving comfort of a radial???

Thanks,
Greg

[Harmon C.]

Re: Add-on

Greg
I have talked with the tire companys about why they don't make radial tires for 73 and up Corvettes that had radials originaly. The answer is it costs too much too tool up. Radials on older cars would be a heavy deduction.
Lyle

[Harmon C.]

Re: Add-on

Greg
I have talked with the tire companys about why they don't make radial tires for 73 and up Corvettes that had radials originaly. The answer is it costs too much too tool up. Radials on older cars would be a heavy deduction.
Lyle

[Terry M.]

Re: Add-on

They can not legally make a radial tire without the lettering indicating the radial construction -- nor would you want them too. Don't you want to know what you are purchasing when your well being depends on the construction? Think Firestone and Explorer -- and remember that incident when your new car has low tire pressure warning indication.

When John Kelsey was developing the F70x15 tire he wanted to use something besides nylon cord, but the exterior of the tire has to say "nylon cord" in order to be like the original. His statement was that if it said "nylon cord" then he was required by the DOT to use that in the construction of the tire.
Now you will have to decide whether our judging standards are at the heart of this or the DOT standards are.

[Terry M.]

Re: Add-on

They can not legally make a radial tire without the lettering indicating the radial construction -- nor would you want them too. Don't you want to know what you are purchasing when your well being depends on the construction? Think Firestone and Explorer -- and remember that incident when your new car has low tire pressure warning indication.

When John Kelsey was developing the F70x15 tire he wanted to use something besides nylon cord, but the exterior of the tire has to say "nylon cord" in order to be like the original. His statement was that if it said "nylon cord" then he was required by the DOT to use that in the construction of the tire.
Now you will have to decide whether our judging standards are at the heart of this or the DOT standards are.