Firestone 500's more dangerous than ever.

[Walter G.]

Re: Firestone 500's more dangerous than ever.

Although my '84 is about a decade newer I face similar issues. i'm original owner of a 27,000 mile car. I have the original recessed letter Goodyear Gatorbacks along with another set I bought in the late '80's for use when I had custom wheels on it for a few years. Fast forward to 2022 and there are very few sources for tires in the correct size and Goodyear is not one of them. I currently run BF Goodrich TA's and they are approaching the dreaded 10 year mark when they are considered unusable and most tire dealers will not even service them. I've mounted the originals to the car at meets for judging but will not drive on them. After reading this post I'm wondering if I should even hang on to the originals? The size P255/50VR16 was standard equipment through '88 (17" optional in later years) which meant there were a LOT of cars built using this size. Unfortunately the early C4's are not very desirable/valuable and it's unlikely other manufacturers will decide to make the size available. The alternative is to go to 17" which takes a big hit under NCRS judging. The old donut spare is another story; I was able to purchase an unused one but don't keep any in the tire compartment for fear of it exploding as those are inflated to high numbers.

[Duke W.]

Re: Firestone 500's more dangerous than ever.

Your tires were the first speed rated tires offered on Corvettes. and by 1984 American tire manufacturers knew how to manufacture high quality high speed radial tires.

I would not recommend that you use them for normal driving. They will judge well and since they are V-rated with a spiral wrapped nylon cap belt they likely will not blow out or disintegrate, whether stored or on the car.

Early American radials in the seventieths were JUNK! JUNK! JUNK!

Back when I was running cars in track events from the early eighties to the late nineties (not my SWC) I experienced three tread separations at track events - two on a set of well worn 205/60VR-15 Michelin XGTVs on the front of my front heavy (57%) MBZ 190E 2.6 special order five speed halfway through Willow Spring's very long 80 MPH Turn 2, and one, also well worn, 205/60VR-15 Phonnix Stahlflex 3011 on my Cosworth Vega at Riverside.

In all cases the tires held air but I knew there was a problem when significant vibration suddenly appeared, so I drove back to the paddock and discovered a bulge in the tread area- an obvious internal structural failure, but no loss of air. I even drove the CV the 75 miles home on the bad tire because I didn't have a suitable spare.

It was that spiral wrapped nylon cap belt that H and above speed rated tires have that kept them intact.

Most "car guys" are absolutely clueless about tires, and Corvette guys seem more concerned with cosmetics than performance and safety. And then there are the internet myths like tires are junk after six years or whatever.

The performance, safety, and longevity of a tire begins with the construction and materials, and you can take it to the bank that the higher the speed rating the better the quality of the tire even if you will never drive your vintage Corvette at 186 MPH (Y-rated) or above.

The newest tires on any of my cars are about 20 years old and all are H or above speed rated (with that critical spiral wound nylon cap belt), and I don't drive on freeways any more. My '91 MR-2 is actually wearing its original factory installed H-rated Bridgestone RE-71s, but they spent at least ten years in my tire rack while I was running Yokahama A008 DOT legal racing tires while I was running track events.

What, me worry!

Duke

[Thomas N.]

Re: Firestone 500's more dangerous than ever.

I was working in a local garage changing out one of these Firestone 500's. I think I was demounting a winter tire and putting the 500's summer tires back on. When inflating it to seat the beads, I hear a small whoosh, turned my head and then a kaboom. I felt some stinging in my face and further investigation, the belts blew on on the tread portion of the tire (like the pictures above). I was wearing a military type coat, and the epaulet on the shoulder blew off. My face was ok, and was a lucky person that day. This happened before the recalls, so didn't really know anything about these.

[Bob B.]

Re: Firestone 500's more dangerous than ever.

Duke, I have been around Riverside and Willow Springs MANY times, I had a 87 Showroom Stock GT Corvette, set a few lap records back in the day and won SoPac Division National championship 88 so I am a old Dog for sure. I ran Yokohamas, FREE probably should have spent the $ for Goodyears but what did I know. I never really though "what if" I had a blow out, probably a good thing. In 88 I won THREE NATIONAL races SSGT with one set of Yokohamas- beat Jackson out of Guildstands shop.

[Scott P.]

Re: Firestone 500's more dangerous than ever.

https://www.ncrs.org/ok/Firestone%20Recall.pdf

Gentlemen, here is the 1978 Recall Notice from Firestone thats posted on the Oklahoma Chapter web site concerning the tires you are still putting on those Corvettes.
I too had one blow out laying on its side in the trailer a couple of years ago.
Scott

[Joe L.]

Re: Firestone 500's more dangerous than ever.

A tube will not prevent or mitigate a structural failure in the tire carcass.



Duke

I agree.

And, by the way, I wouldn't touch one of these Firestone 500 tires with a 10 foot pole. Inflated, I wouldn't want one in my garage or storage.

[Doug C.]

Re: Firestone 500's more dangerous than ever.

Well after reading this thread I let the air out of my spare which has been under my 74 for the last 48 years at full pressure. I had replaced the road tires that had 32k miles a few months before the recall and forgot about the spare. BW 500 is available to anyone who wants it for judging.

[Brad Hillhouse (37766)]

Re: Firestone 500's more dangerous than ever.

there has been talk of putting tubes inside of original firestone 500s.
If someone wanted to do this, what size and brand would be recommended?

brad

[Bob B.]

Re: Firestone 500's more dangerous than ever.

Someone is going to have to explain what good a tube is going to do when a Firestone 500 explodes ?
The outter tread / rubber explodes and comes loose from the carcus
In Nascar I understand the inner tire holds air and hopefully keeps the car out of the wall, mabie some of this carries over to road use- but in the mean time the Firestore is shredding your fender right off your car or whatever it is close to.

[Joe L.]

Re: Firestone 500's more dangerous than ever.

Someone is going to have to explain what good a tube is going to do when a Firestone 500 explodes ?
The outter tread / rubber explodes and comes loose from the carcus
In Nascar I understand the inner tire holds air and hopefully keeps the car out of the wall, mabie some of this carries over to road use- but in the mean time the Firestore is shredding your fender right off your car or whatever it is close to.

Bob------

I agree. Installing a tube in one of these tires is going to have no effect on whether the tire explodes. A tube can be used to "compensate" for a tire or wheel that leaks air but it should have no effect on the blowout of a Firestone 500 (or, any other tire).

Actually, using a tube in an otherwise rated tubeless tire is really not a safe thing to do, either, except for, perhaps, a VERY temporary situation.

[Duke W.]

Re: Firestone 500's more dangerous than ever.

there has been talk of putting tubes inside of original firestone 500s.
If someone wanted to do this, what size and brand would be recommended?

brad

The 6.70-15 Michelin X tube-type radials I installed on my SWC back in 1964 required special tubes (Michelin) due to the different deflection characteristics of radials versus bias ply tires.

Since tube type radials have not been manufactured for at least 50 years I doubt if there are any available tubes for radial tires currently available.

My recommendation: forget about putting tubes inside these defective Firestone tires or any other radial tire with tread separation issues, which includes many American made radials from the seventies. It's not worth the time or money and will only give you a false sense of security. They will not prevent a tread separation blowout whether on the car or stored in your garage.

Go back and reads posts 13 and 21.

Duke

[Bill M.]

Re: Firestone 500's more dangerous than ever.

Batteries and tires both safety concerns on old cars should not receive a deduction when similar reproductions are used for judging .

[Kenneth B.]

Re: Firestone 500's more dangerous than ever.

Not sure I would want to PV a Corvette with those tires on & sure as hell would not want to be the rider Judge.

[Harry S.]

Re: Firestone 500's more dangerous than ever.

Batteries and tires both safety concerns on old cars should not receive a deduction when similar reproductions are used for judging .

This seems unfair to the member that went out of his way to locate an original battery and tires for his car. The current Standard Deductions work well in these areas.

[Bill M.]

Re: Firestone 500's more dangerous than ever.

I would agree except for the safety factor. Some things just do not last forever. Like the rubber bumpers on the 74 5's and 6's