1958
Looking to replace tires and get a convertible top. Can someone give me a good source for these items. Have no idea what color top originally came with car but I assume it was propably black.
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Re: 1958
On the top, most who post tend to favor Al Knoch as the source of supply (some catalog houses carry the Knoch line + you can buy direct). Whether on not you want the extra cost date code emboss is your choice. You'll need it if you want maximum judging points.
On tires, you need to be more specific regarding your objective. If the objective is Flight Judging and 'best' score, that's one consideration path. If the objective is a 'reasonable' judging score with best handling, driveability and longevity + price, there's no question that modern service replacement radial tires are your path... -
Re: 1958 Top Options
Bob -
I think you have at least two options for the convertible top, Kee and Knoch.
I have positive experience with Knoch and spoke with the Kee people yesterday at the Corvette FunFest where they assured me they had a product that matched restoration standards.David DawdyComment
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Re: 1958
Bob------
Unless the car is white, there were only two top colors available for 1958---black or white. If the exterior color was white, then beige was added to the available top colors. It's possible that interior color influenced the availability of top colors and, if so, that might help pin down what color top the car should have. Somebody else will have to help out there. However, if the black or white tops were available with any interior color, then the only way to know what was originally installed would be to have the original top or original paperwork. Barring that and with consideration to the possibility that interior color restricted top color choice, I'd go with whatever color you like best. No one is going to be able to say it's "incorrect".
As far as the tires go, as Jack suggests you need to determine what your use of the car is going to be. For a show car and, perhaps, an occasional short driver, you probably want reproduction tires. These are available from Kelsey Tire or Coker Tire or their distributors in the original 6.70-15 tire size. They are not inexpensive, though.
For a general use street tire your options are severely limited if you want to stay with a modern tire size equivalent to the originals. However, you can't actually stray too far from original size and have them fit properly without interference in any steering regime. The problem is the equivalent to the original size is 195-75-15. Trying to find a modern day tire in that size is going to be very difficult. I don't think that any of the major tire manufacturers make it in a tire that would be suitable for your car. I think you could also use a 205-75-15, but that's just about as hard to find. Whether other sizes will fit without problem we'll have to await information provided by other C1 owners.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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Re: 1958
Armed with your VIN, if it was me, I would make a daytime call to John Kennedy in Utah - listed inside front pages of the Restorer - and seek his counsel (running changes, etc); John enjoys a good relatonship with Knoch and other manufacturers.Comment
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Re: 1958
PM sent to youComment
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Re: 1958 Sagging front
I'm not trying to change the tone of this thread but I don't know how to start a new one.
My '58 has a problem where the hood meets the panel directly under it. Also on the top of the fenders the area flattens out as it goes to the front. There is also a slight bowing out of the fenders at the top of the wheel openings. I'm hoping that if the bolts that hold the front end around the radiator are loosened and a slight amount of upward pressure is applied to the whole front end I can get that panel to come up and meet flush with the bottom of the hood? I'm thinking that the bowing will come out as well. Has anyone ever had this experience?
Thanks for the space,
JimComment
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