When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I bought four brand new BFG 225's, they should be arriving this coming Monday.
I went by the shop yesterday and had a look at the date code on the inside wall of the shredded tire and it read "491" in an oval. According to Coker Tire, BFG used 4-digit date codes after the year 2000, so this tire appears that it was manufactured the 49th week of 1991, 1981, or maybe even 1971 (not really sure about this one). I'm assuming on 1991 only because the car had undergone a complete body-off re-paint about thirty years ago.
The other front tire had also started to form a bubble on the tread. All I can say at this point is I dodged a bullet and someone up there was watching over me, which I am thankful for. Imagine if this rupture had happened on the highway at 70 mph. Forget the damage to the body of the car, which I admit would not be fun $$$$ ...... but, I could have been seriously injured or worse. ****, man!
The back tires are newer because the tread is different. Again, I have to go by the shop today, so I'll try and take a pic of the date codes. Hope I'm reading and deciphering this correctly but you guys can confirm the codes and dates.
I understand about the yellowing of the white letters, but it's something I'm willing to live with and maintain as the need arises. I've been given to understand that BFG Radial T/As are an excellent tire and probably the best of what's out there given the choices available.
I'm not really a fan of the red stripe tires. Not my cup of tea, but that's just me.
In any event, four new tires are on the way.
Last edited by Roger Dodger; 08-31-2021 at 05:52 AM.
I kept Michelin Pilot Sport tires on my Corvette for many years. They were 225/70R15, mounted on Keystone 8-inch wide aluminum rims, with Corvette offset. There were no clearance problems with them. But, I would still go by what BFG recommends.
Yep, I'm a proponent for replacing the tires when old. My Corvette sat in the shop on old tires for a long time. Dry rot and age caused this one to blow one evening. The others were in similar condition but still held air. It is unimaginable the damage this blown tire would have caused if the Corvette were in motion.
I'm 110% with Roger Dodger and L46 Man on this one. Never, ever consider rolling the Corvette on old or failing tires. Just don’t do it!!
Blown Tire, Dry Rot and age took this one. This one is holding air but ready to blow
heard of a guy bought a truck that sat for 40 years. pulled it onto flatbed. unloaded it off flatbed. went to bed. got woke up by 3 bangs overnight. 3 of 4 tires blew while sitting still just from rolling about 100 feet total.
L-46man, I was the guy that "found" the (actually 49 year old) spare. You were "flamed" because you didn't reply about the safety issue, but you made a condescending comment and then said definitively that it was used, (it is not) to try to minimize the value of the find. Why would I chuck a mint unused spare that may have value to me or somone else potentially for judging? You came off as a snotty know it all. That's why you were flamed.
Hey, I also got my 49 year old factory anti-theft alarm workng. Why don't you criticize me and tell me to chuck it because it is primitive and provides minimal protection?
And while your at it tell me how my working original 49 year old am/fm radio souds like crap compared to a modern stereo.
You obviously have no appreciation for originality. Thats fine, but don't talk down to those of us that do.
From an online tire site. Before the year 2000, the date code was only 3 digits, so the first two would be the week of manufacture, and the last would be the year, so without any listing of decade, a 247 date code could either be the 24th week of 1997, 1987, or 1977 (Date stamps went back at least to the 1970s). No matter what decade it is, anything with a 3 digit date code is too old and would definitely be an unsafe tire to use.
08-30-2021, 08:14 PM
