78 Pace Car Tires

[Anthony G.]

I am (hopefully) introducing a buddy to our wonderful hobby this afternoon, as we look at a 78 Pace Car L-82 4 speed with 17K on the clock. While I haven't seen the car in person yet, it appears by all accounts to be what the seller is representing. A decent, original 30 year old car.

My huge concern is that the car still wears its original GT Radials. If we consumate this deal, I am recommending that my buddy trailer the car home (about 30 miles) and then order a new set of wheels and shoes and keep this set only for showtime.

I haven't been able yet to find a set of reproduction GT Radials...does anybody make them?

[Stuart F.]

Re: 78 Pace Car Tires

Anthony;

My son recently did exactly what you are suggesting to your friend. I can't recall the tires he bought, but I believe they were B.F. Goodrich white lettered radials. He mounted them on rims he bought from Eckler's that are specific for the 78 P.C. (red stripe) and are polished. They go for about half the cost of rims for other years (70's and early 80's) that are not polished as shown on the same page of the catalog!! Hurry up and get this deal before it is gone!!

My son took his original tires and rims off and just uses them for show. He got a top flight with his car last January here at the winter meet.

I'll mention your post to him if we are in contact today and he may respond with more specifics about prices, etc.

Stu Fox

[Anthony G.]

Re: 78 Pace Car Tires

Thanks Stu.

I went to Ecklers and found out they are having quite a sale on those rims. My buddy works in Lewistown PA, a few miles from Corvette America, so I'll send him there with that info. He can probably get them to match the price...and save the shipping.

Best,

Tony

[Stuart F.]

Re: 78 Pace Car Tires

Tony;

Your friend should be able to do well at Corvette America for, as I recall, the rims were in boxes that were labeled "Corvette America". As you no doubt are aware, many of the supply houses buy from each other - specially those that either make repro parts or have an exclusive contract to buy from a foreign supplier. Then, they sell to the other houses and every one gets their own piece of the pie.

BTW, the BFG tires are not repro, rather they are available production sizes.

Stu Fox

[Steven B.]

Re: 78 Pace Car Tires

'No Good Year repro GT Radials yet. I have asked the two well known houses----call them and show interest and maybe if enough request Kelsey or Coker will do them. I guess we have to wait awhile longer for them.

Steve

[Joe L.]

Re: 78 Pace Car Tires

I am (hopefully) introducing a buddy to our wonderful hobby this afternoon, as we look at a 78 Pace Car L-82 4 speed with 17K on the clock. While I haven't seen the car in person yet, it appears by all accounts to be what the seller is representing. A decent, original 30 year old car.

My huge concern is that the car still wears its original GT Radials. If we consumate this deal, I am recommending that my buddy trailer the car home (about 30 miles) and then order a new set of wheels and shoes and keep this set only for showtime.

I haven't been able yet to find a set of reproduction GT Radials...does anybody make them?

Anthony-----


While no reproductions of the Goodyear GT Radials are currently available, you can still get the Goodyear Eagle GT II in both 225-70-15 and 255-60-15. These are also available in raised white letter sidewall configuration. Of course, they are not identical to the original tires, but they are as close as you're going to get in a modern, currently available tire. Plus, they are NEW.

These tires are only "S" speed rated. However, I believe the originals were only "S" rated, too (or, the equivalent thereof).

[Stuart F.]

Re: 78 Pace Car Tires

Im believe my son got some real nice white lettered B.F. Goodrich tires for his (not Goodyear). Hopefully he can respond tomorrow and give you more details. But like Joe says too; there are a number of available options on new tires - you don't need repros for your friend's purpose of using them for driving. He already has the originals for show.

Stu fox

[Tom R.]

Re: 78 Pace Car Tires

These tires are only "S" speed rated. However, I believe the originals were only "S" rated, too (or, the equivalent thereof).

Original GYs were S rated!

[Tom R.]

Re: 78 Pace Car Tires

I believe they were B.F. Goodrich white lettered radials. He mounted them on rims he bought from Eckler's that are specific for the 78 P.C. (red stripe) and are polished.

Stu...can't believe Brian went with BFs...I'm a purist so tend to believe those Pace Cars should wear only GYs.

Kelsey was working a project to reproduce the original GY GT Radials for the 78-82 years. Sounds like they have not gone to production yet.

The correct service replacement would be the Good Year white letter outlines in the 255 series

[Oliver B.]

Re: 78 Pace Car Tires

Fully comply to stay with a replacement tire as close as possible.
At least the BFG has a kind of authentic look - but if it were me, I would stick with a GY as well...

Interesting info that someone does consider reproducing those GT Radials - maybe then sometimes a Firestone Steel Radial 500 might appear as well. I would not hesitate a second to refit them on my 77!

[Steven B.]

Re: 78 Pace Car Tires

Fully comply to stay with a replacement tire as close as possible.
At least the BFG has a kind of authentic look - but if it were me, I would stick with a GY as well...

Interesting info that someone does consider reproducing those GT Radials - maybe then sometimes a Firestone Steel Radial 500 might appear as well. I would not hesitate a second to refit them on my 77!

I still have the original Firestones that my '77 rolled off the truck with on the rims, never removed. They have broken steel cords sticking from each one. I didn't take advantage of the recall as I switched to 255 Good Year GT's as soon as they were available. My documentation even includes "Firestone" and my last name written in ink.

[Steven B.]

Re: 78 Pace Car Tires

By any chance did anyone get their hands on the prototype Good Years with CORVETTE in open raised white letters that were on the early prototype Pace Car, not the two-tone silver like the SA but the early black and silver that Chevy retained?

[Anthony G.]

Re: 78 Pace Car Tires

Checked out the car yesterday and it was as advertised, a real L82 4 Speed with less than 17K on the clock.

It started with a jump, and once the idle calmed down (about a minute) she ran smooth. Took it for a run around a few blocks and it was a bit stiff as can be imagined (only 75 miles put on in the past 3 years), but nothing that wouldn't loosen up over time and/or with some judicious use of grease/white lithium, etc. I think she still has the original spark plugs! I was worried that there would be more issues with all the vacuum hoses, but at least during the test drive it ran pretty much like a 30 year old Vette. Surprisingly, this is only the third C3 I have ever driven and while my 327 would obviously smoke it, the L82 wasn't the complete dog I was expecting, and the handling was much superior.

There is some spiderwebbing on the passenger door and driver key hole, but other than a fine crack on the paint where the front passenger fender seam is, the paint is pretty well preserved. The car was always indoors, so there aren't any sun bleaching or fading. The carpet is remarkably clean. In short, the car just needs a GI party to clean it up. I figure just a very gentle buff job to bring out the shine and a pile of Simple Green to attack the engine compartment and a dab of carpet cleaner and he will be good to go!

[Stuart F.]

Re: 78 Pace Car Tires

Tony;

Watch out! My son bought three P.C.'s over a couple years. One had rebuilt calipers on it, but he had to put new/rebuilt on the other two first thing. One we drove over to Tampa to pick up, and it immediately started locking up one of the front brakes and it wouldn't release. Seems the hoses go bad just sitting too and the Teflon inner tube collapses and acts like a check valve - lets fluid pass thru to caliper, but not return.

Just a pointer.

Stu Fox

[Ridge K.]

Re: 78 Pace Car Tires

Fully comply to stay with a replacement tire as close as possible.
At least the BFG has a kind of authentic look - but if it were me, I would stick with a GY as well...

Interesting info that someone does consider reproducing those GT Radials - maybe then sometimes a Firestone Steel Radial 500 might appear as well. I would not hesitate a second to refit them on my 77!

Oliver, most any successful company such as Kelsey Tire, will have a legal team due an exhaustive legal search of any potential problems. The Firestone legal problems over the defects in Firestone 500 Steel Radials set a record in the late 1970s, for federal fines, and litigation settlements. I was working at a dealership when the Firestone steel radials were introduced on the Ford line of cars, initially. The first I saw were on new Thunderbirds. They were coming back into the dealerships with tread separations, and explosive blow-outs, faster than the dealership could stock replacement tires. The defective tires literally overwhelmed many, many dealerships. Ford immediately sprung into action ordering a forced recall (which Chevrolet also participated in), and Firestone 500 steel radials were pulled of by the hundreds of thousands, and sent to shredders. With all the inherent weakness in bias-ply tires, their safety record is miles about the ill-fated Firestone steel radials. I would predict that no reputable reproduction tire company will touch them. I do wish I had saved a few sets of those low-mileage tires I pulled of, that were trucked to shredders. Be nice for a trailer queen today.