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I bought my 72 in October of 22 and finally got around to taking a look at the spare. Check it out! Original tire from 72!! Crazy. Obviously going to keep it, but buying a new rim and tire for a functional spare.
I don't see a date anywhere on the rim or tire. I see a GM and an M stamped in the wheel. There is a couple of codes on the tire but nothing that is an obvious date. How do you tell?
When I took my “69 to the mechanic last year, we found the original white stripe tire in the boot. My mechanic made me promise never to use it. The lettering looks similar. I didn’t think to get a photo before putting it back.
I don't see a date anywhere on the rim or tire. I see a GM and an M stamped in the wheel. There is a couple of codes on the tire but nothing that is an obvious date. How do you tell?
The date is located by the valve stem hole.
In this case K-1-9 is the Romulus assembly plant, Chevrolet make, 9 (1969) year… 1 (valve stem hole) 16 is January 16… AZ is Corvette application.
Mine says "K 1 12 (stem hole) 9 AZ". Yours had the extra digit in the K-1-9. Mine is just K-1. Unless is is just not visible.
Probably K-1-1 considering you have a 1972 Corvette… That would make the date December 9, 1971 (older than March 1972!) for a Corvette application. The wheels were usually about two weeks out from the Corvette trim tag date… Figure your car was built end of December 1971, perhaps as late as early January 1972.
Mine says "K 1 12 (stem hole) 9 AZ". Yours had the extra digit in the K-1-9. Mine is just K-1. Unless is is just not visible.
Sometimes the paint is heavy and fills some of the stampings.
It will say K 1 1 if it is an original to the car 12/9 wheel
It will have K 1 2 if it is a original to the car 2/9 wheel
Either one is acceptable for judging, however a 2/9 wheel would be more likely to have been assembly line installed on a March built car.
Why is it obvious that you'd keep it? It can't be used. It's just more stuff.
If your car isnt going to be judged for NCRS, save the next owner the trouble and toss it!
Though they certainly have their good points, that's the dark side of NCRS. They encourage people to forever hang on to very dangerous tires, many of which remain mounted on wheels.
Why is it obvious that you'd keep it? It can't be used. It's just more stuff.
If your car isnt going to be judged for NCRS, save the next owner the trouble and toss it!
I guess it's obvious to me to hang on to something so cool that belongs with my cool old car. I wont be using it as a functional spare, instead it will hang on the wall of my garage as a piece of art that will forever be linked to the car that I love.
2025 C3 ('68-'73) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Originally Posted by TimKeon
I guess it's obvious to me to hang on to something so cool that belongs with my cool old car. I wont be using it as a functional spare, instead it will hang on the wall of my garage as a piece of art that will forever be linked to the car that I love.
I just changed out my spare in my "79. It 's a space saver spare. Had the original spare tire still on it. I bought a new space saver and tire. I kept my spare and put it with the aluminum wheels it came with. It's an individual thing. One man's treasure is another man's junk.
Though they certainly have their good points, that's the dark side of NCRS. They encourage people to forever hang on to very dangerous tires, many of which remain mounted on wheels.
Not my experience at all. NCRS does not advise or encourage anyone to use unsafe components. 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. 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.
I guess it's obvious to me to hang on to something so cool that belongs with my cool old car. I wont be using it as a functional spare, instead it will hang on the wall of my garage as a piece of art that will forever be linked to the car that I love.
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.
I have had my original spare in the tub for the almost 20 years that I have owned the car. Several new sets of tires have been put on due to their age. The thought of jacking the car up and changing a flat on the side of the road has never occurred to me. I would call for a flat bed tow and deal with replacing it back in my garage.
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.
Original spare!
