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2025 C3 ('68-'73) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Originally Posted by 67:72
100% with you on this - both of my cars have their original spares and I won't part with them. My '72's spare still has the nubs and ink markings on the tread. The paint is a similar situation - it doesn't look fantastic: it's worn through in spots, crazed, the bonding strips are apparent, but it's the factory paint and dealer pinstripes. Once they're gone, they're gone.
It's these types of discoveries that appeal to me with the cars. They are time capsules from a time that will not be repeated.
Not my experience at all. NCRS does not advise or encourage anyone to use unsafe components.
Advising and indirectly encouraging are two different things. NCRS does not advise anyone to drive on unsafe tires. However, they do provide an incentive to people to install ancient tires on their cars by offering additional judging points.
Originally Posted by 67:72
That's why, for example, modern replacement brake hoses are not subject to deductions for fitting crimps and such - remove the ink markings that show millimeters and such and you're good to go.
That sounds great. However, that is exactly what NCRS does not do as it relates to tires. My understanding is if a car owner goes to the great expense to buy tires that are virtually identical in appearance to the original tires, NCRS will still deduct points due to the DOT markings will not be the same as they were on the original tires, made a half century ago. Please tell me that practice is not true, and I will concede the point.
Originally Posted by 67:72
Having an original spare is not the same as driving on original tires. Some folks do have originals that are put on for static display only.
Tires made as recently as 15 years ago sometimes burst while the car is sitting parked in a garage or in a parking lot. Old tires can and do burst just by being inflated.
I’m keeping my spare because it’s made it this long, and I got the impression that I need a tire in the spare boot for weight balance. I’m never going to put it on my car. I agree it would be kind of silly to take it off and keep it in the garage.
The Jack is still in place. I think if I tried to remove it, I couldn’t get it back in.
This is one of the original Firestone 500 tires that came on my 75, every few years i would take it down and hit it with a pipe to see if it had air. Sounded OK to me, about 15 years ago i went to check it with a gauge-Zero, the tire was as hard as a rock.
My comment on March 1972 or older (it was older, December 9, 1971) had to do with the weld bead on the wheel. This procedure was started sometime in 1968 and continued into March 1972 for Chevrolet high performance applications (of which Corvette was one) to minimize the amount of weight that needed to be added to balance the wheel/tire. The idea was to match the weld bead (which was the high weight point of the wheel) to a circular paint mark on the tire (the low weight point of the tire).
This practice stopped after March/April 1972 if I recall correctly.
You can see the weld bead (circled in red) on the wheel. There is no paint mark on the tire as it has been either cleaned or worn off… The weights on the outside of the wheel are not factory installed either (inside only) so it’s possible that the tire has been off of the wheel.
One thing to think about with having a spare tire in the tub is, will the flat tire you take off the car fit in the spare tire tub (or boot)?
Many of us have gone to wider tread tires or larger diameter wheels.
Its nice to have a spare but if the tire your taking off won’t fit into the tub, what are you going to do with the flat tire?
Leave it and your wheel on the roadside or have your passenger hold it in their lap?
When I pulled my car apart, I took one of the 245/60/15 tires off the car and found it won’t fit in the tub.
Just something to think about!
2025 C3 ('68-'73) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Flat bed for me................i'm never EVER, ever going to change a flat, did i say EVER ??? So i'm not concerned what's in or not in my tub, but an original spare makes an interesting conversation & adds to the history !!
I had a rare opportunity to put a wheel back on my car last month. I got flat-bedded home instead, since the remaining lugs were bent and broken when the wheel fell off. While a AAA card can expire (like tires), valid ones fit in your wallet, and take up hardly any space.
My comment on March 1972 or older (it was older, December 9, 1971) had to do with the weld bead on the wheel. This procedure was started sometime in 1968 and continued into March 1972 for Chevrolet high performance applications (of which Corvette was one) to minimize the amount of weight that needed to be added to balance the wheel/tire. The idea was to match the weld bead (which was the high weight point of the wheel) to a circular paint mark on the tire (the low weight point of the tire).
This practice stopped after March/April 1972 if I recall correctly.
You can see the weld bead (circled in red) on the wheel. There is no paint mark on the tire as it has been either cleaned or worn off… The weights on the outside of the wheel are not factory installed either (inside only) so it’s possible that the tire has been off of the wheel.
Regards,
Stan Falenski
Stan, would you please comment on configuration of the subject wheel/tire photo, regarding the balance weights being installed to the rim’s outboard bead vs inboard?
It’s only, truly the original, if it still has the original factory air.
I’ve heard 70’s St Louis air has a distinct odor which NCRS judges are trained to detect.
Stan, would you please comment on configuration of the subject wheel/tire photo, regarding the balance weights being installed to the rim’s outboard bead vs inboard?
Thx
The factory used wheel balance weights on the inboard side only… The reason being that weights on the outboard side could potentially interfere with the installation of the trim rings.
Additionally during the 1968-1972 time frame, the factory used weights in .5 ounce increments from no weights up to two 2.5 ounce weights (for a maximum of 5 ounces) to balance the wheel. Anything more than 5 ounces needed to balance the wheel was cause for rejection. The whole weld bead high/low weight of the wheel/tire was an attempt to minimize the amount of weight required to balance the wheel and hopefully, eliminate the need to reject a wheel for balance issues.
One thing to think about with having a spare tire in the tub is, will the flat tire you take off the car fit in the spare tire tub (or boot)?
Many of us have gone to wider tread tires or larger diameter wheels.
Its nice to have a spare but if the tire your taking off won’t fit into the tub, what are you going to do with the flat tire?
Leave it and your wheel on the roadside or have your passenger hold it in their lap?
When I pulled my car apart, I took one of the 245/60/15 tires off the car and found it won’t fit in the tub.
Just something to think about!
Purchased my 77 a yr ago August and upon inspection was excited to have original spare. After posting it here was told that my spare was the replacement tire for the factory re-call on the spare at the time. Check to see if your yr had the recall and if it did is yours the original or replacement
So at the body shop I help at a couple days a week we just started on 66 Cuda restoration. It has a very original looking spare tire in the back. No way I would run it. Would be a great garage art thing.
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