Tire RANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,813
Likes: 1
From: JOPPA MD
Tire RANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why do C3 owner's with seemingly beautiful and correct cars put cheap, off brand, low speed rated tires on their car? 
Hey folks, this is a real pet peeve of mine. I constantly see C3's for sale.. or not, that seem to either have great potential, or have been restored to a respectable level, but then have some goofy looking cheap, off brand tires mounted. Most are mounted on the correct Rally wheel, but the look / make of the tires just makes me want to puke. I mean hey, the tires in my opinion make or break the total appeal / appearance of the car, not to mention the safety concern here with a classic car that you have a considerable amount of monies invested. And, when I see these cars with the cheap, off brand, low speed rated tires on them....... My first thought is, if they went cheap there, where else did they cut corners, to save a trivial amount of monies? I could easily post several examples, but I really do not want to pick on any certain CF member....you know who you are already.
Anybody else feel this way, or am I just being a tad critical ????????
Stay in tune....
Hey folks, this is a real pet peeve of mine. I constantly see C3's for sale.. or not, that seem to either have great potential, or have been restored to a respectable level, but then have some goofy looking cheap, off brand tires mounted. Most are mounted on the correct Rally wheel, but the look / make of the tires just makes me want to puke. I mean hey, the tires in my opinion make or break the total appeal / appearance of the car, not to mention the safety concern here with a classic car that you have a considerable amount of monies invested. And, when I see these cars with the cheap, off brand, low speed rated tires on them....... My first thought is, if they went cheap there, where else did they cut corners, to save a trivial amount of monies? I could easily post several examples, but I really do not want to pick on any certain CF member....you know who you are already.
Anybody else feel this way, or am I just being a tad critical ????????
Stay in tune....
Racer
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 290
Likes: 0
From: Winchester CA
I know what you mean. Everyone is different. The personal look of our corvettes is subjective and therefore we have a variety of flavors out there. But, I understand what you're refering to when it comes to the brand of tires.
1969/1971/2021 Coupes
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,212
Likes: 80
From: Port Huron MI
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Completely understand! I set out to buy new tires for my 71 last weekend. The well known tire store around here didn't have Goodyears or the size BFG's that I wanted. I must have sat there for 15 minutes trying to explain my preferences while he in return tried his best to sell me some in store brand (to make the sale). I ended up going to another place where I found BFG's but had to go a little wider. My wife didn't understand why I didn't go for what they had in stock either. I started on the whole "where do you buy your shoes" thing and why.
Ended up getting 245's instead of the 235's that I originally set out to find but I'm satisfied with what I ended up with and they look good.
Ended up getting 245's instead of the 235's that I originally set out to find but I'm satisfied with what I ended up with and they look good.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 4,930
Likes: 11
From: AnyTown NJ
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,709
Likes: 3
From: Savannah GA
It is purely a matter of apportioning funds for my car. It needs everything, and I used the dollars saved on the cheap skins to replace the rusted/curbed/bent rallys with something a bit safer. When the car's complete and I wear out these (or they time out from age) I'll replace them with something sportier, I simply needed somthing safe which held air for right now.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,813
Likes: 1
From: JOPPA MD
It is purely a matter of apportioning funds for my car. It needs everything, and I used the dollars saved on the cheap skins to replace the rusted/curbed/bent rallys with something a bit safer. When the car's complete and I wear out these (or they time out from age) I'll replace them with something sportier, I simply needed somthing safe which held air for right now.
Putting on cheap, off brand, low speed rated tires on your completed C3, Is like going to your mother's funeral in your best black Sunday suit wearing your everyday, dirty, smelly, tennis shoes! It just doesn't work!!!!!!!!
Stay in tune....
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,813
Likes: 1
From: JOPPA MD
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,220
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From: www.Z16.org North/West Pennsylvania
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Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,590
Likes: 403
From: Nashville TN
St. Jude Donor '09
I've got 2 Coopers and 2 off-brand tires on mine that PO put on. Finally after five years the tires made it to the top of the priority list and I have 4 new 255x60x15 BFGs sitting in the garage. I'm going to frreshen up the paint on the Rallies and get them mounted. But I agree with you that cheap tires should not be installed, especially on a vette.
Terrorizing Orange Cones
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,572
Likes: 17
From: Northern CO
Even if I was dealing with any of my other vehicles, I just don't consider mounting cheap tires for many of the same reasons you've stated.
Too much blood, sweat, and cash invested, not to mention personal injury or property liabilities.
I know to prepare for the type of driving I'll do, regardless the platform. I will always love the look of the Rally's on many classic Chevrolets, especially C2 & C3 Corvettes but I chose to build a long-distance driver out of mine.
If I'm out of town and need tire service, it's a lot easier for me to find inventory in a 17" or 18" z-rated tire. Not that an appropriate 15" tire wouldn't be available but contemporary tire stores are stocked through market trends and what the majority of folks ask for. I'd expect recent date builds too to avoid buying old tires.
I certainly understand that these cars deserve the best and I suspect, if money was no issue for many of us, these cars would be as up to date as possible for whatever use intended.
Just my .02.
Too much blood, sweat, and cash invested, not to mention personal injury or property liabilities.
I know to prepare for the type of driving I'll do, regardless the platform. I will always love the look of the Rally's on many classic Chevrolets, especially C2 & C3 Corvettes but I chose to build a long-distance driver out of mine.
If I'm out of town and need tire service, it's a lot easier for me to find inventory in a 17" or 18" z-rated tire. Not that an appropriate 15" tire wouldn't be available but contemporary tire stores are stocked through market trends and what the majority of folks ask for. I'd expect recent date builds too to avoid buying old tires.
I certainly understand that these cars deserve the best and I suspect, if money was no issue for many of us, these cars would be as up to date as possible for whatever use intended.
Just my .02.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,839
Likes: 45
From: nassau co. new york
i understand where markids77 is coming from as i have no budget per se for my vette.i do all the work myself or it doesn't get done.i have made the car as safe as possible so i can use it between repairs.some cars may never be completed.there are probably more of us out there than you think but it's better than not having a vette at all.old tires have to go though and all of us should check the dates as well as condition to keep our rides safe.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,813
Likes: 1
From: JOPPA MD
Okay...I know for a fact, that a lot of the members here on the forum put an extreme number of monies, time, labor, blood, sweat, & tears into their car's. Wether it be mounting classic Rally's or other, it doesn't matter. Some here like to go with the latest, greatest, trendiest, and the larger wheel configurations...16", 17", 18", plus, etc.... They throw huge amounts of dollars at the wheels / rims, plus additional monies for the adaption, and then put on the cheap, off brand, low speed rated tires. It just seems to me that after all the hard work has been done, these owners fail to complete the car by installing the proper rubber, and skimp on the tires for whatever reason. Go figure????
To re-quote Robert Duvall to Tom Cruise in the movie Days of Thunder..."Tires win races!". I would like to state here that "Tires complete the car!". JMO!!!!!!!!!!!
Stay in tune....
To re-quote Robert Duvall to Tom Cruise in the movie Days of Thunder..."Tires win races!". I would like to state here that "Tires complete the car!". JMO!!!!!!!!!!!
Stay in tune....
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,943
Likes: 61
From: Southern NH
I cant even find decent tires for my 81 anywhere. its either BF goodrich, Firestone, or.. wait thats about it. 
I balanced my tires last week at work and all 4 of my steel wheels looked like they've hit their share of New England potholes. I was going to get some factory aluminum wheels, but after seeing my tires choices, I'm going to be stepping up to 17" wheels. My brother just put some Eagle F1's on his 93 and he says the car has never felt better to drive.
the PO put some store brand tires on my car, and I can't even find them to replace the 2 that are all flat spotted, until I find a set of wheels I like.
I balanced my tires last week at work and all 4 of my steel wheels looked like they've hit their share of New England potholes. I was going to get some factory aluminum wheels, but after seeing my tires choices, I'm going to be stepping up to 17" wheels. My brother just put some Eagle F1's on his 93 and he says the car has never felt better to drive.
the PO put some store brand tires on my car, and I can't even find them to replace the 2 that are all flat spotted, until I find a set of wheels I like.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,100
Likes: 12
From: Frederick Maryland
I understand the original poster specifically said low speed rated and low quality tires, but even low priced tires are made by the bigger tire makers under a private brand name. That doesn't necessarily mean low quality, but it sometimes can.
Tires come with speed and tread wear ratings. If someone uses tires with a lower speed rating than the car is capable of, they're cheaping out and creating a possibly unsafe car. Corvettes aren't Kia's...they require a better tire simply because they're capable of far higher speeds and handling potential, regardless of whether the owner ever intends to drive that fast. Meeting those design specs costs...you gotta pay to play.
Just a few weeks ago a close friend asked me about tire ratings...he has a C5 Corvette. I gave him the speed ratings and their meanings and he thought they were ludicrous as he has no intention of driving as fast as his car is capable of. He just wouldn't understand the tires are designed to meet the car maker's specs and what the car can do, not what he will do.
Tires come with speed and tread wear ratings. If someone uses tires with a lower speed rating than the car is capable of, they're cheaping out and creating a possibly unsafe car. Corvettes aren't Kia's...they require a better tire simply because they're capable of far higher speeds and handling potential, regardless of whether the owner ever intends to drive that fast. Meeting those design specs costs...you gotta pay to play.
Just a few weeks ago a close friend asked me about tire ratings...he has a C5 Corvette. I gave him the speed ratings and their meanings and he thought they were ludicrous as he has no intention of driving as fast as his car is capable of. He just wouldn't understand the tires are designed to meet the car maker's specs and what the car can do, not what he will do.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 801
Likes: 1
I don't have time to worry about what kind of tire you have your car.I won't run cheap tires on my daily drivers either.Its their business if they want to risk all that money on China tires.llfe is way to short.
Last edited by rugerm44; Apr 15, 2011 at 01:25 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,709
Likes: 3
From: Savannah GA
Radial TAs are only rated to 112MPH and that's about the best speed rating I have found in a currently available 15 inch tire. All C3s are capable of speeds in excess of that rating so unless you're running aftermarket wheels you are FUBAR anyway. And who said anything about Chinese tires?
Racer
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 257
Likes: 1
what I've found(and with help from other forum members here) is that there are only two 15" tires on the market that are rated above normal "S" passenger car...many of the top brands of 15" tire might only appear to be a "performance" tire with a sporty look, but they do not have the handling characteristics and speed ratings needed for any sort of "sports car"
Avon tires are from the UK and are a performance/race type of brand, and offer a "V" rated(149mph) tire CR6ZZ, which(IMHO) has a vintage look....they are said to have a very stiff sidewall to help with cornering side loads with the small rim to larger sidewall when using 15" diameter rims and 26"~27" diameter tires...however they are very high priced
http://www.sascosports.com/products/...php?type_id=39
$377 245/60R15 ~10" wide
$429 275/55R15 ~11" wide
$444 295/50R15 ~12" wide
(note that those prices are for one tire, where a set of four passenger car 15" tires or performance 17" tires might total close to that price)
the other tire option for a 15" rim is much more reasonable in price(about half the price as Avon, tho still slightly higher than what you might find in a performance 17" tire), and has a more modern looking directional tread pattern from Micky Thomson, a brand that is known for radical performance tires across many different types of vehicles/uses: strip/track/street/off-road ...the Sportsman S/R carries a "H"(130mph) speed rating
http://www.mickeythompsontires.com/s...em=SportsmanSR
$191 26X10.00R15LT
$210 26X12.00R15LT
(I have a set of these with the 10" wide tread on 15x8 Corvette YJ8 aluminum rims)
if you are not getting one of those two tires, I would not get 15" diameter wheels...as the other lower performing passenger car tires that you are limited to buying today have no business being on a higher demanding car like a Corvette
Avon tires are from the UK and are a performance/race type of brand, and offer a "V" rated(149mph) tire CR6ZZ, which(IMHO) has a vintage look....they are said to have a very stiff sidewall to help with cornering side loads with the small rim to larger sidewall when using 15" diameter rims and 26"~27" diameter tires...however they are very high priced
http://www.sascosports.com/products/...php?type_id=39
$377 245/60R15 ~10" wide
$429 275/55R15 ~11" wide
$444 295/50R15 ~12" wide
(note that those prices are for one tire, where a set of four passenger car 15" tires or performance 17" tires might total close to that price)
the other tire option for a 15" rim is much more reasonable in price(about half the price as Avon, tho still slightly higher than what you might find in a performance 17" tire), and has a more modern looking directional tread pattern from Micky Thomson, a brand that is known for radical performance tires across many different types of vehicles/uses: strip/track/street/off-road ...the Sportsman S/R carries a "H"(130mph) speed rating
http://www.mickeythompsontires.com/s...em=SportsmanSR
$191 26X10.00R15LT
$210 26X12.00R15LT
(I have a set of these with the 10" wide tread on 15x8 Corvette YJ8 aluminum rims)
if you are not getting one of those two tires, I would not get 15" diameter wheels...as the other lower performing passenger car tires that you are limited to buying today have no business being on a higher demanding car like a Corvette
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,160
Likes: 4,236
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Gregg,
I agree with you that the right set of tires really set off the car.
I've often wondered about the brain that designs some of the names, letter fonts, and letter sizes on tires. Can you ONLY put bad ugly words on off brand tires?
One of my favorites from long ago was Kelly-Springfield ROAD HUGGERS. Otherwise very nice tires!
Regards,
Alan
I agree with you that the right set of tires really set off the car.
I've often wondered about the brain that designs some of the names, letter fonts, and letter sizes on tires. Can you ONLY put bad ugly words on off brand tires?
One of my favorites from long ago was Kelly-Springfield ROAD HUGGERS. Otherwise very nice tires!
Regards,
Alan
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 924
Likes: 2
From: Kearneysville West Virginia
Why do C3 owner's with seemingly beautiful and correct cars put cheap, off brand, low speed rated tires on their car?
Hey folks, this is a real pet peeve of mine. I constantly see C3's for sale.. or not, that seem to either have great potential, or have been restored to a respectable level, but then have some goofy looking cheap, off brand tires mounted. Most are mounted on the correct Rally wheel, but the look / make of the tires just makes me want to puke. I mean hey, the tires in my opinion make or break the total appeal / appearance of the car, not to mention the safety concern here with a classic car that you have a considerable amount of monies invested. And, when I see these cars with the cheap, off brand, low speed rated tires on them....... My first thought is, if they went cheap there, where else did they cut corners, to save a trivial amount of monies? I could easily post several examples, but I really do not want to pick on any certain CF member....you know who you are already.
Anybody else feel this way, or am I just being a tad critical ????????
Stay in tune....
Hey folks, this is a real pet peeve of mine. I constantly see C3's for sale.. or not, that seem to either have great potential, or have been restored to a respectable level, but then have some goofy looking cheap, off brand tires mounted. Most are mounted on the correct Rally wheel, but the look / make of the tires just makes me want to puke. I mean hey, the tires in my opinion make or break the total appeal / appearance of the car, not to mention the safety concern here with a classic car that you have a considerable amount of monies invested. And, when I see these cars with the cheap, off brand, low speed rated tires on them....... My first thought is, if they went cheap there, where else did they cut corners, to save a trivial amount of monies? I could easily post several examples, but I really do not want to pick on any certain CF member....you know who you are already.
Anybody else feel this way, or am I just being a tad critical ????????
Stay in tune....