Kelsey Tire
Does anyone have any experience with Kelsey Tires? I am looking at their Goodyear radials for a '68. Are they good tires? I wanted a white letter tire. Thanks for any opinions and info.
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Big Tanks In the High Mountains of New Mexico -
Re: Kelsey Tire
Hi Michael,
I purchased the F70 15 Redlines for my '68 from Kelsey. I recently had the car judged at a regional and did not lose a point on the tires. It sounds to me that you are not interested in a tire for judging. Kelsey makes very good reproductions tires with the proper number of treads. Sorry that I can only speak about their F70 15 tires and not their Goodyear radials.Terry Buchanan
Webmaster / Secretary - Heart of Ohio Chapter www.ncrs.org/hoo
Corvettes Owned:
1977 Coupe
1968 Convertible 427/390 (L-36) Chapter Top Flight 2007, Regional Top Flight 2010, National Top Flight 2011
2003 Electron Blue Coupe
2019 Torch Red Grand Sport Coupe -
Re: Kelsey Tire
Yes, I have good redline bias ply tires for judging, they sit stacked in my garage since they are not good for driving. I really wanted some good driving tires, radials with white letters, like the Kelsey Goodyear radials, just not sure they are any good or worth the hefty premium over Goodyear Eagle IIs, Firestone Firehawks, or BFG Radial T/As.Big Tanks In the High Mountains of New MexicoComment
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Re: Kelsey Tire
Michael,
I have heard only good things about Kelsey tires and would expect satisfactory service from the tires you get from them. I assUme you are talking about the Polysteel radial tires. They look great, however they would still be incorrect on your car. I understand your wanting the white letter tires and would encourage you to put whatever suits YOU on YOUR car. However, if I weren't looking for correct I would be buying BFG or Eagle GT IIs for maybe half the price or less. Just my .02 worth. Chip.Comment
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Re: Kelsey Tire
Thanks Chip. Yes, I have the "correct" tires for NCRS judging, but as we all know NCRS "correct" usually means antique and inadequate for modern driving. I think you may be right, it doesn't make much sense to pay a big 120% premium for incorrect polysteel radials (somewhat outdated anyway) when the modern radials of up to date materials would probably be better riding and driving tires. I just like the small white letter Goodyear, since they look so similar to the "correct" polyglas ones, all else being equal, which it isn't. Thanks.Big Tanks In the High Mountains of New MexicoComment
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Re: Kelsey Tire
Michael,
As for the "correct" Polglass tires, were they even offered on the '68 model? I thought that started for the '69 model but I could be mistaken. Regardless, I like small white letters on a C-3. Chip.Comment
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Re: Kelsey Tire
I have heard good and bad about polyglas.
I did see that they now have a higher speed rated Mickey Thompson tire versus the BFG Radial, Firehawk, and GT IIs.
Tirerack reviews seem to like the Firehawk the best.
I am getting ready to replace the tires on my 70.
BillComment
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Re: Kelsey Tire
Fiberglass belted bias-ply tires - what Goodyear called Polyglas - were never OE on Corvettes. All the F70-15s used from '68 to '72 were two ply bias.
Then the radial era began in 1973.
If you are going to put radials on a '68-72, it doesn't make much sense to pay a premium for a "reproduction radial" from a later era since the tire deduction will be 100 percent.
Goodyear still makes one standard production V-rated radial that is a good replacement for all C3s.
DukeComment
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Re: Kelsey Tire
Thanks Joe. I can't find any on-line so I guess you are correct. Darn. Duke guided me to the Pirelli P-4000 for my former 1967 in an NCRS article from 20?? and it was just a superb tire. It's not that I go fast but the ruggedness of the sidewall and caps is a safety feature that appeals to me. Duke has spread this message so many times. If someone has a source for the RS-A 225-70 do let me know.
Last edited by Paul L.; January 7, 2011, 07:59 PM.Comment
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Re: Kelsey Tire
The tire article was spread over two issues of the The Corvette Restorer, and I think the year was 2003.
At the time there were three V-rated 225/70R-15 102V "police pursuit tires". The Firestone and General are gone, and now it looks like the last holdout from Goodyear may be history.
The 215/70ZR-15 Pirelli P4000 Super Touring will also work on all C3s, but the 225s fill out the wheelwells a little better.
DukeComment
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Re: Kelsey Tire
I had forgotten that the article was done in two parts. It certainly was informative!
The P4000 at 215/70 would probably be a little small for a C3. I have Goodyear 235/60s at the moment and with the 60s profile, they are marginal in filling the wheel wells. A 225/70 tire would be better but it really doesn't make sense to trade a 235/60 "S" tire for a 225/70 "S" tire. I'm really no further ahead in terms of safety. I get what it boils down to is a rapidly dwindling choice of tire for these old cars. I suspect that is why many are going to the 17" and 18" wheels with low profile tires. I'm not ready for that look.
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Re: Kelsey Tire
Size 215/70R-15 is about the same OD and overall width as the F70-15, so some C3 owners prefer that size, but I've always recommended 225/70s since that was the radial size that GM used beginning in 1973, and they didn't cause any interference problems on earlier C3s.
Now, if there are no high speed rated 225/70s left, my choice for a C3 would be a high speed rated 215/70.
DukeComment
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