new tires

[jnave]

Hi everyone,

I need to purchase some new tires for my 69Z. Any suggestions? I was thinking Radial TA but not sure. Also what sizes are people running now with these newer tires? Thanks for the help.

[JohnF]

The 215/65/15 is about as close to the original E70-15 in diameter as you can get.

[MO]

Why not go with a reproduction tire?

[69Z28-RS]

Who makes the reproduction Good Year Wide Tread?  .. and what have people's experience been with them?  (I'm not talking about rolling on/off trailers and into/out of car show arenas...  ie. experience with real driving, mileage, and age?)

[x66 714]

Who makes the reproduction Good Year Wide Tread?  .. and what have people's experience been with them?  (I'm not talking about rolling on/off trailers and into/out of car show arenas...  ie. experience with real driving, mileage, and age?)

I have them on my 68 Z/28 & the ride is different. They tend to follow ruts in the road but it's manageable. Kelsey Tire is who makes them. Rusty Small (AKA SmallHurst) is your contact for tires. The tires are made at the old M&H Racemaster plant if I understood Rusty correctly. Here's Rusty's number  816-654-3400...Joe

[69Z28-RS]

Thanks Joe.  I still haven't decided what tires to put on my z28 (when/if I ever put it back on the road)!

It's been sitting on 70 series Remingtons (in my basement most of the time) since 1981 or so... 

[joesauer]

Check out Coker Tires web site.   Lot's of options.  I went with the 215/65/15's, and had the alignment & adjustments set up for radial tires, vs old factory alignment specs.  Corners & handles great (for a 1968 Camaro)

[Vince]

I had the Kelsey Goodyear Wide Tread GT's, E70-15 on my '69 Z28 for quite awhile.  I liked them for the looks and accuracy, and they were fine for around town driving.  For highway driving I much preferred a modern (for the 1990's) radial.  I had Goodyear Eagle GT II's, 235/60-15's all around and the Z handled much better and gave me a lot more confidence at higher speeds.  They fit fine in the back and only rubbed in front when making a tight turn while on an uneven road surface. 

[z28z11]

Drove my Z11 home after purchase (135 miles) with funky bias ply tires on it - what an experience. First thing i did was put BFG TA's on it - the bias ply had rubbed the actuator shields for the hidden headlights on turning, so I dropped to a 205 series 15" tire. Gave me the look I wanted as far as stance and clearance, even emulates the flat sidewall of the Wide Treads to an extent. Boy, how the ride improved.

I ran Goodyear Polyglas on my X77 until I took it off the road in the 80's - even H60-15's on the rear (F70's front) with stock YH rally wheels. About 11" of tread, actually cleared the wheelhouses. You can't see them very well in my avatar pic, but these are the tires on it when I took the picture.

Point being - if you're driving, run TA's or an equivalent manufacturer's radial. Showing, local driving - Wide Treads. A good friend of mine did just that, 2 sets on rally wheels, changed them out depending on what he was doing with the car. Made sense - 

Regards,
Steve