Can anyone reccomend a black wall bias ply tire that will look good on my 58 corvette with original wheels and caps? The car currently has mid 90's goodyear radials in good shape but because of the age I would like to replace them with a more period correct looking tire. Thanks
The originals were 6.70 x 15, here is what Coker carries: http://www.cokertire.com/catalogsearch/result/?year=1958&make=CHEVROLET&model=Corvette&q=670-15 Don
Seeing tires on a car sometimes is better than looking at a catalog. Here is what mine looked like years ago before I put mags on. I could only afford pairs of tires at the time so the fronts are a wider whitewall than the rears. Fronts were around 2" WW, rears less than 2".
Paint your coves white. You won't like the ****py ride with bias tires. Even at Bloomington Gold radials are okay.
I run these on my 56 Chevy 210. See my avatar. They're great shoes. http://www.cokertire.com/670-15-bf-goodrich-2-1-2-whitewall-tire.html
I do like them better also. They had a gold stripe around the edge of them but were no longer available when I needed another pair to match so I bought what was around at the time.
I am asking this question honestly. Is there really that big of a difference between bias vs radials on a car like this ? I have never had a car that I switched over so I have no point of reference. I run only bias on my hot rods and they ride fine, so just wondering. Don
I had a 55 Chevy 2-door post with new looking bias ply tires. It seemed rough riding and wanted to wander at speeds. Noticed they were cracked badly on back sides right when I didn't have money for new tires. Lived in Illinois and were planning to take a ride around Lake Michigan while camping. Had just bought some fairly new S-10 wheels/tires for the 55 wagon. Put those on the blue 55 2-door and took our vacation. Never bought bias tires again. Made a world of difference in both 55's. It may be different on a lighter hotrod or someone elses car.
I hate to be picky, but its my opinion. I personally think that radial white walls look like snow tires with such an aggressive look. Im not going off roading with my car thats why i use bias plys for the traditional hot rod look.
IMO radial tires are just wrong on an old car. They just don't look right. Unless you're gonna drive a few hours or more somewhere bias tires are fine. There's nothing worse than seeing an awesome highboy coupe or roadster with fat short radials.
Depends on how new the car is. I understand the non-fat fendered cars looking odd with radials. It's just my experiences with tires make me feel good running radials on our cars. A lil duece coupe or anything older may be different. But for longer trips even they would be smoother and easier to handle with radials. All radials don't look alike either.
Don, my 54 210 (same ch***is as the OPs 58 Vette) came with some really nice bias plys. I went with some narrow white radials and the car rode and tracked A LOT better. Actually chased a similar Vette through the twisties. The look in his rear view was priceless as I made that grill larger and larger as he tried to pull away. Of course, the average guy driving a Vette like that would have no idea they have the same underpinnings and I outdid him by 50 or more cubes..............
I agree bias plys look so much better it is worth them riding or feeling a bit worse. It does drive really nice right now, so I hope bias plys will not change that drastically for the worse. I had a 52 mercury on ww bias plys and I liked the ride.
Yeah, I hear you Don. I've had dreams that I "g***erized" my 57' w/ a straight axle and some pie crust slicks....but still not radials !!
I am thinking us royal black wall or Firestone black wall. Only the us royal says made in the USA, so where are the firestones made?
I believe Specialty Tire in Pa makes all of Cokers' tires. Coker owns the molds...at least that is what I heard.
if you drive it run radials----don't pay those goofy prices for geezer tires that don't perform---not going to repaint it are you?---beware the antique stigma hot rods have improved performace by definition ---corvette restorers **** don't go there with your tires or next it will be driving gloves and correct color codes and don't forget your tissue dispenser--see what I mean--- black 62
I think you would find that all Coker tires made across the Pacific. Radials will ride MUCH better, but don't look right. Go biasply.
I've got a solid axle 62 similar to yours. Put a set of correct 6.70x15s US Royals on it from Coker and it drives great. Have taken it from MN to the West coast and back, 70 mph no problems. When the bias ply tires are new they drive out very well, not much tracking across road "seams", just make sure the front end is aligned right and your kingpins are tight. I've got a second set of radials on mags, swap back and forth.
Yes I think I will get black wall US royals or some black wall bias ply....right now the rear tires are larger than the front and I like the look. Anyone know what size I can run, bigger than 670 without rubbing? I should probably measure the diameter if what is on there now since they work with no issues.
This was my dads car, I grew up with this car just as it is, so no I am not going to change it much at all. No new paint. Maybe, and that is a definite maybe I will paint the coves white. My dad got the car in 68 and the motor was replaced in 1960 with a 1960 corvette 283. The automatic transmission was also changed for a 3 speed from a 1956 corvette. You would never know they changed the trans because they used all the proper linkage and pedal parts etc. The only changes I will make are a 59 corvette 4 speed and warm the engine over just a bit.
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