So I've never owned a corvette.
My ex-wife didn't approve..... Hence the ex part.
I went to Mecum in Glendale and fell in love with a silver 62 with red interior.
It came from the Rick Hendricks collection.

I'm in love. I figure I didn't pay too much,,,,,, just too soon

Anyway.
Driving is a white knuckle experiance.
I am going to order some radials that look like bias ply. (Not sure what size I should get)

Hoping that helps some, but guessing I may have to delve into suspension or steering box.

Being new to these, I'm hoping someone can lead me.

Thanks
Kurt

 

An unmodified, bias tire equipped C1 can be a handful compared to a modern car you may be more used to driving. Let us know how the tire change works out. As for size, a good tire shop can convert the recommended tire size to current sizes.

 

I will keep you posted.
I have around 10 older cars from 37 chev to newest being a 70 road runner. With Buicks, Olds, Pontiacs, and Fords thrown in. (I like everything)
But except for the 46 woody, nothing has made me white knuckle this bad.
But I love it and will try and correct without changing the originality (hopefully)

 

 

BEEutiful '62...and, the garage, and other toys, aren't too shabby either

 

Driving a '62 (or earlier) Vette shouldn't be a white knuckle experience. Something is wrong and the first place I'd look would be the suspension for worn parts. When everything is in good condition, the car will track straight and it will go where you aim it.

 

Welcome to the Corvette Forum and congrats on the 62 Vette, it looks great.
As you've already heard, and I agree completely, tires can be a helluva contributor to squirrelly (sp) steering issues, as you've already figured out.
When I picked up my 66 L72 Roadster in 2021 it had a nearly new (looking) set of Coker Goldlines on it. They really looked new and probably had no more than
5K miles on them but...the receipt for those Goldlines was dated 1994. Add in a little precipitation and the drive was hairy at best.
As Factoid mentioned, there's a ton of difference between 62 and older solid axle Vettes and anything else but starting with good tires adn
give it a little time to get accustomed to driving a car with no power steering or brakes and you'll start to feel more comfortable driving it.
Mike T - Prescott AZ

 

First of all, welcome to the forum. You've got a wonderful toy chest with some great toys. I have a '63 and '72 so can't help you on the C1 specifics but I'm sure more will chime in. The Forum search function is helpful to find info quickly. Sometimes you'll get an even better response by searching for a topic in Google and adding Corvette Forum to guide yourself to some threads (ie search "C1 Corvette radial tires Corvette Forum").

I will point out some universal basics though:

If possible, contact a local Covette club or some other C1 owner in the area and see if you can ride in another C1 to compare what you're dealing with.
1: First step is to change the tires as you are planning. The tires you have may not only be bias ply but may also be aged out. It would be interesting what the age date is on the tires you have.
here's a couple of tire links: https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...as-plys-2.html
2: Visually inspect the rag joint, steering box, tie rod ends looking for looseness. Same for any play in the kingpins; control arm bushings.
3: Verify alignment.

Here is where things get tricky. The C1 Kingpin setup is very different from the ball joint setup you have on most of your other cars. Here's a couple of links to get you started in thinking about the alignment.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...alignment.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ent-specs.html
visually check to see if you have these alignment shims still installed on your car: https://www.corvettecentral.com/c1-5...gnment%2bshims

The trick will be to find an alignment shop that can capably adjust what you have if it needs adjustment. It may be helpful to just measure what you have for alignment settings as a baseline and post here for opinions before trying to modify the alignment outside of simple toe adjustment.

If you're lucky, tires, alignment and perhaps something easy like replacing worn tie rod ends will get you where you need to be.

Last but not least,If possible, contact a local Covette club or some other C1 owner in the area and see if you can ride in another C1 to compare what you're dealing with. This could even be a very good step to take just after you install new tires.

Hope that's a start. Good luck!

 

I'd do a quick toe check, toe out will cause wandering.

 

May I suggest you contact "Diamondback Tire"

for radials with the classic white wall. Give them a call. I found them very helpful and accommodating.

 

I agree - the front suspension NEEDS to be in good shape, including the steering box, otherwise it can be a handful to drive, bias ply or radials..........

Tom

 

You've gotten good advice but it's all been based on assumptions about what you are experiencing.

It would help you get better guidance if you could provide a clear description of what's happening.

For example, does the car tend to wander? Do you have to turn the steering wheel a lot before the front wheels notice? Is the steering effort too high? Does the steering feel "notchy" at certain points when turning the steering wheel? When you turn into a curve, do you find you suddenly get more steering than you wanted and have to back off on how much you've turned the wheel? Something else?

 

I have a C1 and radials helped allot.

 

From another 62 owner, welcome to the Forum!

To your tire question, the OEM tire size was 670x15, the modern equivalent is 205/75R15. Not everyone has had pleasant experiences with some of the collector car tires available, it often seems to be hit or miss on getting a set that wants to be balanced. As mentioned above, Diamond Back is a good alternative, though they're taking modern tires and adding a white side wall to them so you lose many of the sidewall markings and of course they look nothing like a bias ply tire. 62 was the first year GM went away from the old wide white side wall tires. The original white wall width was in the 7/8" to 1" range in 62.

The 62's front suspension was developed in the late 40's for use under the 49 full size Chevrolet, so even compared to that 57 Nomad the suspension is archaic. There's no doubt that radials will help (I'm running slightly shorter and wider 215/65R15's on my 62), but if everything is tight and in good order it should go down the road straight. Like any car the things to check are alignment, tie rod ends, suspension bushings, play in the steering box and of course on a 62, king pins.

While I personally tend to gravitate toward red cars, the Sateen Silver with a red gut is a striking combination, a friend of mine has one in that combination. What engine/trans is in your 62?

 

Welcome to the forum and C-1 ownership. The King Pin front suspension on a C-1 is the same that used on all 1949-54 Chevrolet's. Sadly, the ball-joint front suspension that debuted on the 1955 Chevy's was not incorporated into the C-1 and didn't appear until the C-2's. The ride and steering difference between the two is substantial, but the looks of the C-1 is iconic and hard to beat. Radial tires will help a lot and the Diamond Back suggestion is a good one. As mentioned above, the steering box, front end components and even wheel bearings can affect the steering and need to be in good condition...........if not it can wander like a bad dog.

Good luck and keep us posted. There are lots of knowledgeable guys on this forum and no question is too dumb. We were all first time C-1 owners with the same questions at one time or another.

 

My 59, with its king pin suspension, has no difficulties in tracking straight at any speeds. Yes the suspension is very rough when compared to the C6 that I owned previously, yet I don't spend as much time in the 59 as I did in the 2008 C6. So IMHO a C1 with a properly functioning King Pin suspension and radial tires is a pleasure to drive. Parking of course is a little more difficult, but that's why it has the Conestoga sized steering wheel. LOL:

 

Get rid of the tires !!! Go radials. I could take my 60 through the 1/4mile at 118 mph with one hand on the wheel and the other on the shifter. Stock front suspension but good radials and alin.

 

Thank you for all the reply's and ideas.
I will start with tires and alignment continue from there

Someone asked what it's doing.
Basically it will drift one way, and then it takes a lot of steering input to correct, which then has me going in the other direction
then back the other way....

And no I'm not expecting new car driving.
I have 3 cars with Art Morrison chassis, and one with Detroit speed.
I will not do that to this car. It's too perfect

 

Might take a few minutes and have someone slowly wiggle the steering wheel back and forth enough to take up the play, while you watch the steering linkage to see if there's something loose.

Might also check that the rear axle housing is solidly attached to the springs

 

Having owned a 62 back in the early 70's. The car drove and stopped fine and that was with bias tires. I think you need to check for looseness in the suspension and alignment, as others suggested. You have a beautiful example of a 62, and it shouldn't be a "white knuckle" experience in any way.