Spare tire question
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 319
Likes: 0
From: Sunnyvale CA
Spare tire question
I pulled my spare off today (after a lot of pain trying to get the thing off) and what I found kinda surprised me. I assume that this is origonal, correct me if it is not for my '76. My main question is: I though that the spare came on an alloy rim, matching my other wheels. This is obviously not an allow rim. Help?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,812
Likes: 2,029
From: eastern NC
Corvettes never came with General tires to my knowledge. They were either Goodyear or Firestone. My early '77 came with Firestone 500's that were recalled and replaced with Firestone 721's. They also didn't come with the alloy wheel for a spare.
The C2's with knock-offs and bolt-ons did come with a 5th alloy wheel.
I did see plenty of original spares at Carlisle this year with like new GR-70's on them. Most were going for $100 - $125. If the tire is in good condition with good tread and no dry-rotting, it's worth cleaning good and carring as a spare.
GUSTO
The C2's with knock-offs and bolt-ons did come with a 5th alloy wheel.
I did see plenty of original spares at Carlisle this year with like new GR-70's on them. Most were going for $100 - $125. If the tire is in good condition with good tread and no dry-rotting, it's worth cleaning good and carring as a spare.
GUSTO
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,812
Likes: 2,029
From: eastern NC
Originally Posted by 76mike
I could be wrong about this, but I thought that Corvettes came mostly with BF Goodrich tires for a long time.
I've gone through some of my old literature and can find none that ever came with Generals. I'm certainly not an authority on Corvette tires in the early years, this is just based on my observations since I first became involved with Corvettes in the 60's.
GUSTO
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 4,930
Likes: 11
From: AnyTown NJ
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Originally Posted by 76mike
My main question is: I though that the spare came on an alloy rim, matching my other wheels. This is obviously not an allow rim. Help?
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 4,255
Likes: 82
From: Brampton Ont.
I'm the original owner of a 75 coupe, it came and still has that type of rim with the Firestone 500 as a spare. There was a recall on the 500 which were replaced with (I believe) the 721,s as GUSTO14 mentioned but I chose to keep the 500.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 194
Likes: 0
From: Hamilton Ontario
Originally Posted by KenSny
I thought 76's did NOT come with alloy wheels. There was a factory foul-up of some kind and they never made it onto any cars released to the dealers.
76 was the first year the alloy wheels were available as an option. You were right about a foul up...because they were originally supposed to be an option several years earlier.
The spare on a 76 should be a Firestone and should be on a standard rim. Doesn't really matter what you got back there unless you are trying to stay within NCRS standard. Personally...a spare is a spare.
Cheers.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,812
Likes: 2,029
From: eastern NC
Actually 1973 was the first year for YJ8 Aluminum Wheels. According to the Corvette Black Book, "...records show four sets of 5 per set actually being sold. Early in production Chevrolet rejected the wheels for porosity problems and recalled the wheels that had been released. Rumors place the the number of wheels produced at 800 sets. Some are definitely in private hands, but the actual number remaining is unknown. The casting number on these rare wheels was 329381."
In 1976 more than 6,200 sets of YJ8 Aluminum Wheels were sold. These sets included 4 wheels and a conventional steel spare. They were made by Kelsey Hayes in Mexico.
I personally think they make a great addition on almost any of the Shark cars. They look good on the cars, when polished they are virtually maintenance free, original ones are very inexpensive and they will only go up in value... what's not to like.
GUSTO
In 1976 more than 6,200 sets of YJ8 Aluminum Wheels were sold. These sets included 4 wheels and a conventional steel spare. They were made by Kelsey Hayes in Mexico.
I personally think they make a great addition on almost any of the Shark cars. They look good on the cars, when polished they are virtually maintenance free, original ones are very inexpensive and they will only go up in value... what's not to like.
GUSTO
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 21,453
Likes: 461
From: Massillon,Ohio USA
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Cruise-In VI Veteran
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12
Originally Posted by Mark PittPayne
...The spare on a 76 should be a Firestone and should be on a standard rim.
From '73 to '77, all Corvettes either came with Firestone 500 Steel Belted Radials(the recall tire)or Goodyear SteelGard Radials. Both brands were GR-70/15 and came three ways...white letter, narrow white stripe or blackwall to 1976. 1977 the narrow white stripe was not available, either blackwall or white letter tires were used. 
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 194
Likes: 0
From: Hamilton Ontario
Originally Posted by GUSTO14
Actually 1973 was the first year for YJ8 Aluminum Wheels. According to the Corvette Black Book, "...records show four sets of 5 per set actually being sold. Early in production Chevrolet rejected the wheels for porosity problems and recalled the wheels that had been released. Rumors place the the number of wheels produced at 800 sets. Some are definitely in private hands, but the actual number remaining is unknown. The casting number on these rare wheels was 329381."
They were supposed to come out even earlier than 73, but they couldn't get an error free wheel, then they introduced them in 73 and found....ERROR. They went back to the drawing board until the 76 model year. I would imagine any existing 73 alloy wheels are Rec. Room ornaments now, however the reality is most owners returned them when their dealership replaced them with the standard wheels back in the day.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Originally Posted by GUSTO14
Corvettes never came with General tires to my knowledge. They were either Goodyear or Firestone....They also didn't come with the alloy wheel for a spare....GUSTO
But I'm thinking C3s with ralley wheels came with a fifth ralley as a spare. Big Wheels cars got a space saver spare.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 319
Likes: 0
From: Sunnyvale CA
I took the whole spare assembly off and I won't even bother with it till I get new tires and get a new spare. I put the spare up next to the tires that I have on the car, and it is a lot bigger (go figure) Might explain how I'm getting terrible gas milage. I thought that it had a performance rear end anyways, and with small tires I don't know that the car is capable of going 90 before redline.