fishwater

I am going to purchase a set of Torq Thrust II's in 17 X 8" with 4" back spacing for my 1979. Everywhere I check online it says that they will fit, this is true correct? These should also fit a 1968-1973 should I purchase one of those at a later date correct?

I am also looking at the KUMHO ECSTA Supra 712 in size 255/50WR17 from TireRack.com, these seem nicely reviewed for cheap money. Does anyone see anything wrong with these choices as far as size & quality of the tires?

Gordonm

They fit my 72 just fine. The only problem I had was the 255 50 17s rubbed my front fenders. The 79s had a bigger front wheel house so they should be OK. The rears are no problem. I went with 255 45 17s all around and have no rubbing.
Check out the Fuzion tires. I put them on m ine and have been very satisfied. The Kumhos are also a very good tire. You won't go wrong with either one.

zwede

I had Kumho 450's in 255/50-17. Good tires, especially for the price. When they wore out I replaced them with Bridgestone 730's in the same size. The Bridgestones are better all around. Better grip, better feel and last longer. They cost a little more though. One thing I like about the Bridgestones is that they have a rim protector (little lip sticking out). It has saved my rims once or twice.

Jay M

I had the Kumho's recently andI hated them, I wasn't until I got something better that I realized how bad they are.

I started with Bridgestone Potenza RE-730 and those were very nice but I think they discontinued them, so I got the Kumhos because they are so cheap and got good reviews on tire rack. I felt like hey had no grip. First gear was usless on my car with those tires.

I just a few months ago needed new tires, mainly in the front so I got some Michelin Pilot Sport PS2s for the front the difference was so dramatic that I decided to replace the rear also.

One differece that I wasn't expecting was that whenever I would rit ruts in the road the car would follow them where ever they went, I felt like I had very little control over the car. Now with the Michelins that propblem has almost completely gone!

I will never buy cheap tires again.

When you read reviews on Kumho tires any good review is usually concluded with a statment like "for the price, thery are a great tire"

Almost all the best and most expensive tuner cars in the world use either Michelin Pliot Sport or Pilot sport PS2.

~Jay

Jay M

I had the that size kumho and they also rubbed the fender. I went to a 245/45 and now have lots of room, in part because the Michelin tires are very rounded at the edges. At the driving school Dick Gukdstrand said that rounded edge helps them to get a good bite.

~Jay

bobs77vet

well that sounds like a positive endorsement....

70 LS1

I have the Kumho Ecsta MX's on my car and I like them. They are a little softer compound than the 712's so they don't last as long, but the ride is nice and the grip is excellent.

My Stepdad went from the runflats, to the Bridgeston Pole Position S03's to the Kumho's on his C5 and swears by the Kumho's.

enkeivette

I've heard to stay away from Korean tires. Even a lot of Japanese tires suck, I'd go with some good sticky American tires.

427V8

I have the ecsta's in front and I think they are pretty sticky, A LOT stickier than BFG Radial T/A's and about as sticky as Drag radials.

They do follow ruts very badly due to their shallow tread and large blocks. I think I would look into the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2s

fishwater

OK, all of these are good suggestions. I will look a little deeper.

LS-Five

[QUOTE=torqvette]I've heard to stay away from Korean tires. Even a lot of Japanese tires suck, I'd go with some good sticky American tires.[/QUOTE

I only wish that this were true.

What's american anymore? Goodyear and Cooper Tire used to be the only tire companies that made all of their tires exclusively in the US, now Goodyear is moving alot of plants to Asia.

fishwater

So, 255/50WR17's will not fit on a bumper car but will fit on my 1979? Zwede, you have no rub problems with 255's?

I am "trying" to stay around $150.00 per tire. The Bridgestone Potenza RE750 looks nice? I don't drive my car every day, it rarely see's rain & will never see snow. I only get to take it out one day a weekend.

fishwater

Also, has anyone run 245/50WR17 in the rear & 245/45WR17 in the front? There is a 1.6 inch difference in overall diameter. The sectional width is also .8" less on the 245 front. Sounds like it would work on 68-74 as well as my 1979, should I ever find one.

Glassbowtie77

I would suggest taking a look at the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500's. They are a very quiet, smooth handling tire. They are great in wet condition and have excellent dry traction as well and they wear like iron if you keep them properly inflated and rotate them regularly. Oh, and they look great also.

LS-Five

There are some 255/45/17 Firestone tires for sale in the parts section. One pair belongs to me, and the other belongs to lvrpool32.


http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...61&forum_id=57

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...69&forum_id=57

zwede

Yep, mine hit on the front. I trimmed the fender lip front and rear of the tire and it clears now. I understand the factory did the same thing on the later C3's with the optional 255/60-15 tires. Unless you know C3's real well you can't tell anything was trimmed.

Kid Vette

I'm running 255/50WR17's on my '73. I feel you need the biggest diameter tire possible to fill up the wheel wells. They rub on the frame when I'm at full lock. No big deal IMHO. They never rub on the body.

fishwater

Anybody have any pics with the 255/45r17's or 245/45r17's? How do they fill the wheel well if the car is stock ride height?

73C34me

Hey, can you weigh the wheel & tire combo's & post them? This would be very helpful. thanx in advance, jim

70 LS1

Fronts are 245/45/17 and my car sits just a little higher than stock (about 1/2" or so.)