My new (old) spare tire

[William M.]

My '73 had the original date coded wheel, but a 1976 Firestone tire. Look what I bought off e-bay, an original 11/72 wheel and tire combo. The tire still has colored ink on the tread and the little rubber nibs. There's absolutely no dry rot and it really looks like a brand new tire. I guess it must have been removed from the donor and stored in a perfect environment all these years.
Wheel is K-1-2 11 21 AZ which is 11/21/72.
Tire is VDU5 FNJ472 which is 3rd week of November 1972.

[Timothy B.]

Re: My new (old) spare tire

William,

That's a nice find, take a closer picture of the argent silver to show the correct color as this may help others.

[Roy B.]

Re: My new (old) spare tire

That was a great find here is my NOS 1955 Corvette spare tire I found some years ago and still has the size in the tread

[Peter G.]

Re: My new (old) spare tire

William...

Nice find. Are you going for a set of these to put on your car for judging? I thought you wanted Goodyears?

I have a new one of these tires too that I am interested in selling. It's a Firestone whitewall GR70X15.

[William M.]

Re: My new (old) spare tire

William...

Nice find. Are you going for a set of these to put on your car for judging? I thought you wanted Goodyears?

I have a new one of these tires too that I am interested in selling. It's a Firestone whitewall GR70X15.

I found a set of 4 Firestone 500 white stripes for judging. Not as nice as my spare, but they'll do. Easier to find raised white letter, but I held out for white stripes, since that's what originally came on the car. Here's a picture from the day of delivery...

[Harmon C.]

Re: My new (old) spare tire

That picture is interesting because today many judges would say that car is setting too high in the rear. Maybe someone could photoshop that picture and give us a measurement in inches between the tire and the rear fender lip.

The black part of the tire and a downhill grade could be what I'm seeing.

[George C.]

Re: My new (old) spare tire

Very nice find. Happy for you. Save the Wave.>George

[Harmon C.]

Re: My new (old) spare tire

Bill
Could you give us a picture sometime at the same angle and post it with the original picture to see how your car sits today. I think they sit lower and the restorers are matching how they see Bowtie cars that have had the springs settle sitting around.

[Jeff G.]

Re: My new (old) spare tire

Great find, looks very nice. Looking at the picture and wondering if there is, or was, an orange paint daub on that tire. I know at least earlier C3's had this spot to identify the the high or low spot of the tire (can't remember which). A picture of my 69 attached.

[Edward M.]

Re: My new (old) spare tire

Is this the same Firestone 500 radial that was subject to a big recall in the mid 70s due to tread separation issues? I seem to recall that Firestone even admitted that they made an inferior tire at that point.

[Harmon C.]

Re: My new (old) spare tire

Is this the same Firestone 500 radial that was subject to a big recall in the mid 70s due to tread separation issues? I seem to recall that Firestone even admitted that they made an inferior tire at that point.

Oh yes this is one of the tires Firestone would like to never see in public. That is a good reason no one will ever be able to repop it. Then came the SUV tire a few years ago with a problem also.

[Terry M.]

Re: My new (old) spare tire

Jeff,
I think the orange dot, and I know for sure the wheel "be-be," ended in MY 1972. I doubt one would see any of that on 1973s.

[William M.]

Re: My new (old) spare tire

Bill
Could you give us a picture sometime at the same angle and post it with the original picture to see how your car sits today. I think they sit lower and the restorers are matching how they see Bowtie cars that have had the springs settle sitting around.

Tough to tell because my driver tires are larger. I'll get a better look when I put my newly purchased judging GR70-15's on for Carlisle and the Northeast Regional.

[William M.]

Re: My new (old) spare tire

Great find, looks very nice. Looking at the picture and wondering if there is, or was, an orange paint daub on that tire. I know at least earlier C3's had this spot to identify the the high or low spot of the tire (can't remember which). A picture of my 69 attached.

No orange daub. It's got all the other colored markings on the tread itself.

[Harmon C.]

Re: My new (old) spare tire

Make sure you take the picture on the delivery day for show and tell if you get a deduction for ride heigth. It may not help but it would be fun to watch. I think your car today sits close to the same which is good.
I want to see that tire and rim in person as it is one of the best examples of a white stripe with no tub marks and very little missing paint and no rust. This being an early rim for a 73 (late 72 date) it could help clear up that green tint thing that I have not seen but often get a deduction for.
Pictures could lie but I see no green tint on that rim. I show my cars with PO-2's a brand new set. That makes the rim tint a no issue.