Great looking Stingray! Can't wait to see more of it! Congrats, Bro!

 

I bought my 76 early last October and the tires also look great with plenty of tread left. By the time I got everything done I eventually looked up the date on them and they are now in their 7th year with no obvious dry rot. I have a May 5 date to run the car for 100 minutes on a 3.3 mile, 17 turn road track in their Touring Lights deal at V.I.R. and have heard that you can scrub a fair amount of tread off with the turns and on the track. I debated changing the tires before the date then after running it fairly hard on twisty route 5 and other roads decided to see how the track date goes, drive it this summer and put new BFG TA's on it in late summer or early fall. I'm just leary about the age of the rubber as these big wide tires see lots of heat and forces on them, especially the sidewalls. No complaints and I've very happy with the BFG TA tread adhesion to the road. Have not taken it out in the rain and won't so have no clue there. Makes sense to me that these tires get changed on time more than tread the way many of us drive them as Sunday cars.

Anyone have anything to modify this or suggest any other approach? We're all learning.

lance

 

Your wheels appear to be American Racing Vectors. I have a set on my 1977 and they look nice in natural finish with the machined areas polished too. Classics, and a period correct accessory.

Lance... If you are able to avoid it, I would not take outdated tires to the track. By your last session I suspect you will be stressing these more than you currently think possible. That's a bad time to discover a hidden flaw in the sidewall or tread.

 

Thanks for the info markids! Do you have any pics you can share?

If I replace the tires, I'll most likely go with the BFGs. The question is 225 or 255s? The current owner said he put the 225 Eagles on because the prior ones rubbed. Anyone put 225s on the front and 255s on the rear?

 

I appreciate the caution but they are only 6 years old and have stood some pretty tough test driving on local roads for me to practice and will have 4-5#'s of air more than normal in them cold. In addition, the Touring Lights is not flat out racing but following a pacing car on the track with no passing for novice racers and a once in a lifetime offer only for you. The initial 25 minute session will be no doubt at 45-60 mph speeds around the track so that those of us behind the pacing car learn the lines, elevations, braking zones of the track. I'm sure the sessions during the day will have the speed pick up as the club secretary who organizes it has told me I will be excited, exhilerated and pushed a little by the end of the day with my car. I really hope they let me let it out a little towards the third or fourth session (120 or so on the 4000' straights?). three weeks from tomorrow at this exact time we will start our first on the track session. My goal is to learn to drive it with enough of a rhythm to go around the course more or less fluidly and turn 3 minute laps by the end of the day which is only averaging 65 mph or 40 through curves and 85 or 90 on the straights which I've already more than done on roads. If I can get under 3 minutes that will just be gravy but with a 35 year old car and 67 year old reflexes I won't push it like you might a new ZR1.

I'm not worried about the tires at all under these more or less controlled conditions but will go ahead this fall and proactively replace them before I do start to be concerned. If they were already 10-11 years old then maybe I would change them first. When I first saw them in Oct. I thought they'd just been put on in the last year for reference. I apologize but it might help others to see what they look like with small images attached. I'm comfortable with them for this use but will learn by doing and expect that it will wear some tread off.
lance

Lance

 

I have 255 x 60 r15...with the 255 you have to go with a smaller ratio so that the height isn't too tall to fit the overall wheel into the wheel well with the wheels you buy for the wide tires. My 255 x 60's don't rub anywhere and with the Progressive wheels that were on it the total tire is not 27.04" as calculated but 26.5" or maybe 26.375" in my actual case. some of that is the wheel. as you can see, I have my spinners knocked off per the track rules for now but will put them back on after the track day.

 

I mounted 225/70s because I like the look of the "fuller" wheel well the tall sidewall tires give. My most recent photo is from last winter; I will try and snap a fresh one tomorrow and e-mail it to you. I'm still doomed to dial-up and it takes an hour of agony to upload a Photobucket file and download it here.

 

dsl is what I have and much betta. I like the 255 for traction cornering.

 

mn.. PM your e-mail. I have new pics.

 

Picked up the Vette today.

After driving home I decided it needed tires ASAP.

Went to the shop and they had 255/60/15s in stock.
They rubbed.

225/70/15 should be in by the end of the week.

The shop determined the Eagles were from 1994.

 

Leaf fan is this for toronto maple leafs????

 

too bad about the 255's. Mine are on very wide rims...the tread is 10" wide and if I put them on an 8" rim I'm sure mine would be taller than they are on the wider rim if that's even possible to mount them that way. I havn't had a tire off the wheel yet but the rims on mine I think are 15" x 9" wide Progressive wheels by best est. with tape measure to date. If I had stock wheel sizes I'd stick with the 225 x 70 x r15 or whatever the narrower stock size was.

They all work with diff. plus and minus. I think the big wide tires may be more difficult to keep in balance over the life too but it's early days for me with them.

lance

 

Yup. Long suffering Maple Leaf fan living in Minnesota.

 

lol we sure love the pain, always next year lol go to most of the leafs games , the wife's uncle is the score keeper for the leafs gets me in places most don't..... 255 will work its the back spacing of the rims that is making it rub change the rims and you will be good.
Todd

 

I just replaced a set just like yours w/ raised whiteoutline letters, they haven't been made in a long time and I would make them a priority if you are going to drive the car right away, they are not safe. Sweeeet car though and I think the Vector wheels work!

 

Here is a quick pic of the engine bay.

 

And the trim tag:

 

Congrats. on the purchase of your car. It looks great. Great color too.

 

I like your wheels and would adjust the tire sizes to fit the wheels. 17 year old or more tires need to go as you figured out.

Nice engine photo. Was that stock to have an open air cleaner and two air nozzles? Seems redundant. If it's open then what do you need any air nozzles for?

Also, what is the short capped hose midway along on the drivers side valve cover? Is that a leftover part from an A.I.R. system removed?

Pretty nice looking engine bay to start with though. You did good.

lance

 

Based on pics I've seen I believe that is the correct air cleaner... but missing the hood-to-cleaner gasket.

Yes, I think that is a left-over from the smog equipment. The bottom of that hose connects to a couple of spots on the exhaust manifold. The pump is gone, and the car has a dual exhaust system ( with dual cats ).