Tires
02-20-2020, 12:03 AM
#3
Safety Car
Member Since: May 2004
Location: los altos hills california
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Not sure why a C4 owner is posting about C8 performance in a C3 forum. Here is a thread about Firestone sizes and others on a 15" wheel.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ck-1974-a.html
That said, there are all kinds of tires for all kinds of reasons, appearance, handling, mileage. I've always liked Tirerack to compare choices. There is a Wheels and Tires forum under General Corvette Topics here as well. Never been there myself but they tell me it is nice.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ck-1974-a.html
That said, there are all kinds of tires for all kinds of reasons, appearance, handling, mileage. I've always liked Tirerack to compare choices. There is a Wheels and Tires forum under General Corvette Topics here as well. Never been there myself but they tell me it is nice.
Last edited by ignatz; 02-20-2020 at 12:06 AM.
02-20-2020, 10:25 AM
#4
Le Mans Master
Don, welcome to the Corvette Forum. 
You've come to the right place to get answers to almost any Corvette question you might have.
To answer your question, you might, as Cliff recommends above, check out Tire Rack. If you have the Firestone 500's, they are probably GR70/15's. An equivalent tire today would be the P225/70R15 tire. Firestone as well as Goodyear, Cooper, General and a few others offer tires in that size. In 1978 the Corvette used the P255/60R15 on the Pace Car and began offering it as an optional tire in '79. Many of us have used the 255/60R15 on earlier C3's as well and hand no issues, I use them on my '73 convertible. Unfortunately there are not nearly as many manufacturers offering them in the 255/60 size.
Keep in mind, if you still have Firestone 500's on your car, they are over 40 years old, and regardless of how they look, they are not worth driving on.
One other company to check out for modern reproductions of the C3 size tires is Kelsey Tire Company. They offer modern versions of both the 225/70 and the 255/60R15 Goodyear tires. Also Avon Motorsports offers a number of modern performance tires, the CR6ZZ, in various sizes compatible with the C3. Neither of these tires come at bargain prices, but both offer a level of performance difficult to find anywhere else.
Good luck and do tell us more about your C3, year and engine as well as intended use, are essential elements that should factor in to tire selection.
GUSTO
You've come to the right place to get answers to almost any Corvette question you might have.To answer your question, you might, as Cliff recommends above, check out Tire Rack. If you have the Firestone 500's, they are probably GR70/15's. An equivalent tire today would be the P225/70R15 tire. Firestone as well as Goodyear, Cooper, General and a few others offer tires in that size. In 1978 the Corvette used the P255/60R15 on the Pace Car and began offering it as an optional tire in '79. Many of us have used the 255/60R15 on earlier C3's as well and hand no issues, I use them on my '73 convertible. Unfortunately there are not nearly as many manufacturers offering them in the 255/60 size.
Keep in mind, if you still have Firestone 500's on your car, they are over 40 years old, and regardless of how they look, they are not worth driving on.
One other company to check out for modern reproductions of the C3 size tires is Kelsey Tire Company. They offer modern versions of both the 225/70 and the 255/60R15 Goodyear tires. Also Avon Motorsports offers a number of modern performance tires, the CR6ZZ, in various sizes compatible with the C3. Neither of these tires come at bargain prices, but both offer a level of performance difficult to find anywhere else.
Good luck and do tell us more about your C3, year and engine as well as intended use, are essential elements that should factor in to tire selection.
GUSTO
The following users liked this post:
ignatz (02-20-2020)
02-20-2020, 10:34 AM
#5
Pro
The White Rabbit (77L48) came to me with 20 year old Goodyear 225x70x15. I replaced them with Cooper Cobra of the same size. Letters have stayed white. No complaints after 2 years.
09-01-2020, 12:09 PM
#7
You failed to mention those are the original tires from 1976!
Do not drive on those tires, they may break apart violently.
Do not drive on those tires, they may break apart violently.
I had a 3-year old 500 break apart violently in 1979.
