tires
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 367
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas NV
tires
first time getting new shoes and wondering whats a descent tire for a low price
ive been looking into the firestone indy 500's P225/70R-15
ive been looking into the firestone indy 500's P225/70R-15
Last edited by ngroat7007; Aug 28, 2008 at 11:10 PM.
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
From: san antonio texas
i just bought 4 g f goodrich from ntb ran me $481.00.size are 225/60/15.this size vas given to me by a senior member.they fit the wheel wells great.i went with the same size all the way around.but that member sent pics of his 71 with 255/60/15 in the rear and 235/60/15 in front.and they looked good.i have stock 15x8 wheels.hope this helps.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,297
Likes: 156
From: Clayton New Jersey
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
If you want the 'stock' look, 225/70x15 is the direct replacement. In the mid/late 1970's, C3 tires went to 60 series for lower profile. If you plan on some 'hard' driving/steering, you probably need to research the best brand/rating tires for your car; if you just want to drive the streets and enjoy the car, go with 235/60x15's all the way around. Also, I believe that you can still order Goodrich T/A radial [raised white letter] tires from Wal-Mart. Check their website to see if they can still get them. 
Pro
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 692
Likes: 0
From: waterloo ontario
Also when buying tires check the DOT, this represents the week and year the tire was manufactured, people have put tires on their vehicle thinking they are new, finding out later the tires are quite old.
Just a matter of interest, for your buying experience.
Rod
Love the Vette
Just a matter of interest, for your buying experience.
Rod
Love the Vette
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,305
Likes: 2
From: Lewisburg WV
thegazman
The optional tire for your car was 255/60X15'a from GM. They don't cost much more and give your car a nice look. Look at Tire Rack.com. It at least gives you a starting point for you are shopping for tires.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
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
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 946
Likes: 0
From: Lake Geneva WI
I paid around $600 for a set of 4 255/60X15' BF Goodrich Radial T/A's for my 79 last year. This was the price for the tires, installed, stems, balanced etc..
So far, they've been great tires.
So far, they've been great tires.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 264
Likes: 0
From: Hamilton New Jersey
I am currently running 225/70/15 which are a bit wider than stock but do fill the wheel wells nicely. If your car is stock height try to stick with a tire 27" tall. I will soon be putting 245/45/18 all the way around on TT2's.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,006
Likes: 28
From: Lutz Florida
Do a search of this site with regard to tire shelf life. There is a recent thread. I like Radial T/As too, but a 15 year old tire is way past the time it should be replaced. You couldn't see any cracks or issues with mine either until one failed due to tread separation.
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 12,146
Likes: 2,038
From: Easton, PA
St. Jude Donor '10
I removed the wheels from my 76 yesterday and they were all date coded 1991. 
So today the tires were removed from my wheels at STS and I paid to have them disposed. Too big a risk running on 17 year old tires, not a good idea.
I want to clean up all five of my wheels, media blast, prime, paint and then I will have them re-treaded. Your thread here has me re-thinking the 225/70R15 I thought I was going to put back on the car. I like the idea of a 235/60R15 but will make this decision in another week or so when my wheels are finished and ready for rubber.
Great thread, thanks for starting it and be careful about running on old tires folks, very dangerous.
David
77Sleeper
So today the tires were removed from my wheels at STS and I paid to have them disposed. Too big a risk running on 17 year old tires, not a good idea.
I want to clean up all five of my wheels, media blast, prime, paint and then I will have them re-treaded. Your thread here has me re-thinking the 225/70R15 I thought I was going to put back on the car. I like the idea of a 235/60R15 but will make this decision in another week or so when my wheels are finished and ready for rubber.
Great thread, thanks for starting it and be careful about running on old tires folks, very dangerous.
David
77Sleeper
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 946
Likes: 0
From: Lake Geneva WI
FYI, if you are cheap like me, don't pay the disposal fee and take the tires home with you. Most communities have something called "big garbage pickup day". You are allowed two tires/month in the disposal pile. Chances are the first two will disappear before they are picked up. I tend to put mine out a day or two early. When they go, dump the next two.
Same goes for waste oil, which I collect in Tidy Cat containers. Can hold 2-3 oil changes per jug. Saves money, and still gets properly disposed of.
I hear ya on the old tires thing. The rubber on the Vette I bought last year was in good shape, but OLD. First thing I did was get new Goodrich's on there. Not before I burned a little off the old ones though.
Same goes for waste oil, which I collect in Tidy Cat containers. Can hold 2-3 oil changes per jug. Saves money, and still gets properly disposed of.
I hear ya on the old tires thing. The rubber on the Vette I bought last year was in good shape, but OLD. First thing I did was get new Goodrich's on there. Not before I burned a little off the old ones though.
Pro
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 573
Likes: 5
From: Georgetown Township MI
Hello,
Both BF Goodrich Radial T/As and Firestone Firehawk Indy 500s are
excellent choices for the classic look. For your car, I can only assume
the size was the same as mine - 225-70-15.
Last summer, I put on the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 225/70/15s
on my 70'. They ride great and look sharp.
I also made sure the tires were new as well.
When you buy new tires, look at the last set of embossed numbers.
My date code was 1708. The first set of numbers, the weeks into the
calendar year and the last 2 numbers, the year the tires were built.
My date code, the 17th week of 2008.
The BF Goodrich Radial T/As and the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500s 225/70/15 are priced
about the same, around $400.00 for a set of four. I had my choice of both for $400.00 with
road hazard protection, disposal and tax included.
Both BF Goodrich Radial T/As and Firestone Firehawk Indy 500s are
excellent choices for the classic look. For your car, I can only assume
the size was the same as mine - 225-70-15.
Last summer, I put on the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 225/70/15s
on my 70'. They ride great and look sharp.
I also made sure the tires were new as well.
When you buy new tires, look at the last set of embossed numbers.
My date code was 1708. The first set of numbers, the weeks into the
calendar year and the last 2 numbers, the year the tires were built.
My date code, the 17th week of 2008.
The BF Goodrich Radial T/As and the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500s 225/70/15 are priced
about the same, around $400.00 for a set of four. I had my choice of both for $400.00 with
road hazard protection, disposal and tax included.
Last edited by Rudy's Stingray; Apr 11, 2009 at 01:02 AM. Reason: Updated photos
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 91
Likes: 0
From: Columbus GA