Mike1968

Can anyone confirm that Red Line steel belt tires would pass a judging flight status or is it required to be the original bias ply tires. Thank you for any guidance.

Tooch1

Hi Mike,
Here is what the NCRS judges go by when judging tires. Tires fall under the NCRS specific Standard Deduction Guidelines. Here is the section on tires right from the latest NCRS Corvette Judging Reference Manual. I highly recommend you visit the NCRS store and purchase this Manual especially if you are planning to have your car flight judged.
Hope this helps,
Jimmy

Alan 71

Hi Mike,
A car having steel belted tires on it can attain the Top Flight award.
I agree with Tooch that you need to look carefully at the Standard Deduction chart for tires that he posted.
I think that after you digest it you'll see that having the tires on the car be made by one of the original tire MANUFACTURERS that supplied tires for the year of the the car's production is the FIRST hurdle.
Then it becomes a matter of tire size and tire construction that affect the percentage of the available points the tires will earn.
Regards,
Alan

Mike1968

Thank you for this information. I do have the judging manual but wanted confirmation as the wording is rather vague. This makes me more confident in my purchase. Thanks again, Mike

Mike1968

Thank you for this information. I do have a manual for my 68, but after going through one judging and getting deductions on crazy things before I spend $1000 wanted another interpretation of the judging manual. Going from 3rd to 1st is going to be a challange and tires were a biggie. Thank you very much, Mike

Alan 71

Hi Mike,
An important thing with tires, and really ALL OTHER judged items, is to endeavor to at least get, at a minimum, 10% of the available ORIGINALITY points so you can get some, if not ALL, of the CONDITION points.
In working on a car to try to improve it's Flight score many folks use the judging sheets to see where the most points were lost and then try to judge where to put their time, work, and $$$ to the most benefit.
I'll ask…. how did your car do on the Operations portion of Flight Judging?
Sometimes points are lost in Operations that with just a little work can be gained the next time the car is Flight Judged.
Regards,
Alan

7T1vette

As with many other types of 'competition', the owner with the most money...wins!!

{Some folks think I am cynical; others say I just tell it like it is.}

Mike1968

Thank you for confirming my thoughts as well. We feel it is the good ole boys club sometimes as I did all of my work and didn't just write the big check!

Alan 71

Hi Mike,
I'm really sorry that's the impression you get.
There are certainly lots of NCRS members restoring cars and having them Flight Judged while keeping a close eye on where every dollar is going.
Regards,
Alan

boat196

Are you an NCRS member?

7T1vette

Why would one join a group that they feel is going the wrong direction?
_____________________

Note: This site is NOT an NCRS site. If folks want to discuss NCRS issues, they need to realize that NON-NCRS folks have just as much right as they do to participate in this OPEN forum. If you don't appreciated that, discuss those NCRS issues on an NCRS site, and the rest of us won't have the 'opportunity' to post differing opinions.

TheSkunkWorks

This might come as a shock to some for me to be the one saying so, but despite there being a few strict-preservationists among the Society who believe that the rest of us are going about it wrong, the NCRS performs a vital role for our hobby's long-term future.

However, unless I've been misinterpreting, IMHO it is long overdue for the NCRS to have revised its deduction schedule for tires in order to not constructively place in danger (of injury and/or liability) those enthusiasts who strive to achieve the highest possible score. For safety's sake, and as a former member, I submit that original appearing tires with only DOT marking and/or internal construction variances should no longer be penalized. That's my $.02

Revi

I really don't see what all of the fuss is about?

Some people like the way reproduction bias-ply tires look on the older cars (as do I). They just so happen to judge the best at an NCRS event.

If you prefer a radial, any Goodyear or Firestone will also judge fairly well because Goodyear and Firestone were the OEM tires in 1968. (other years as well)

You can also choose any other Size or Make tire that you prefer, it just won't judge as well. A nice straight original car will still Top Flight with 30" wheels on it. It's always the owners choice.

7T1vette

My "beef" is that the organization claims to advance the collection and restoration of Corvettes. BUT, to do it the way that is "correct" would direct their members toward the "store and tow" philosophy and relegate the "driver car" group to mediocre status. Not only that, but members who attain that elite status tend to consider driver cars as "non-compliant" so there is a negative stigma attached to those cars and their owners. It doesn't appear to be "welcoming" to all Corvette owners.

530planeman

Revi

In a word "wrong". FYI- the constant whining about the NCRS is getting a little old. You've been traumatized by the NCRS, we get it.

My 106k mile, never trailer-ed, mediocre status 1970 Coupe.
I've not had one NCRS member ever complain that I drive my car on a regular basis or to a Judging Event. It's always, "good for you, nice to see it being driven".
My car has also been to the drag strip, a road coarse and a dozen or so laps around Texas Motor Speedway, all on bias-ply tires.



The mileage below was driven each way on bias-ply tires and I somehow managed to cheat death (sarcasm & eye roll).

Four NCRS Chapter Top Flights
NCRS - Lake Erie Chapter, 08/04/13, Top Flight – 94.3 pts (no driving pts) 150 miles driven
NCRS - Heart of Ohio Chapter, 04/27/14, Top Flight – 98.0 pts (96.4/1.6 mileage) 160 miles driven
NCRS - Pitt Tri-State Chapter, 05/03/14, Top Flight – 98.1 pts (97.6/.5 mileage) 50 miles driven
NCRS - Lake Erie Chapter, 08/10/14, Top Flight – 97.4 pts (97.3/.1) 150 miles driven

Two NCRS Regional Top Flights (Judging sheets available upon request)
NCRS - New England Regional, 09/25/14, Top Flight – 100 pts (96.8/3.2) 575 miles driven
NCRS - Texas Regional, 10/22/16, Top Flight – 97.7 pts (97.3/.4) 45 miles driven

It’s ready for a National Top Flight in July. (Approx. 300 miles each way)

Peterbuilt

I'm sure that you are very proud of your Corvette and congratulations on all your awards but I agree that NCRS questions should be addressed to the NCRS board.
I don't need a bunch of old folks crawling all over my car telling me that I don't have 'original tires' or that there was no passengers side mirror or that 100% leather seats were not an option.
I also don't need a 'good for you' because I drove my car, after all, it's a car and was meant to be driven.
Regards, Pete.

1974ta

1974ta

Wheels look great on your white Corvette!

Kind Regards,

Bill