Tire Question

[Mike M.]

My '65 Coupe was judged last Nov and got a 2nd Flight. I have been working on it trying to go up to TF when it is judged again in Nov. The car has Uniroyal radial whitewalls on it (on the car when I bought it). These incorrect tires cost me 22 Originality points and 6 Condition pts previouly. The car would look much better with red line tires which are also incorrect. My question is what kind of penalty will I face with new red line radial tires? If I buy them (if they are available) from one of the original mfg's (Goodyear, Firestone, etc) would that lessen the deduction? I plan to drive the car to this judging meet (an others) so buying correct tires/rims is not an option. Thanks for any advice.
Mike

[Kenneth B.]

Re: Tire Question

My '65 Coupe was judged last Nov and got a 2nd Flight. I have been working on it trying to go up to TF when it is judged again in Nov. The car has Uniroyal radial whitewalls on it (on the car when I bought it). These incorrect tires cost me 22 Originality points and 6 Condition pts previouly. The car would look much better with red line tires which are also incorrect. My question is what kind of penalty will I face with new red line radial tires? If I buy them (if they are available) from one of the original mfg's (Goodyear, Firestone, etc) would that lessen the deduction? I plan to drive the car to this judging meet (an others) so buying correct tires/rims is not an option. Thanks for any advice.
Mike

Please tell us why driving your Corvette to the NCRS judging with correct repo tires/rims is not a option? I have driven my Corvette with repos for many years with NO problem. Old origionals are another issue & I would not drive on them.

[Mike M.]

Re: Tire Question

I guess it is just a personal decision. The car has knock-offs on it. I plan to drive the car a lot. I really do not want to have to change the tires back and forth. Again, a personal decision. I feel I can make it to TF even with the incorrect tire deduction but wondered, as my original post stated, what the deduction might be with incorrect tires but perhaps mfg'd by an original approved mfg'r. Thanks for any advice.

[John H.]

Re: Tire Question

My '65 Coupe was judged last Nov and got a 2nd Flight. I have been working on it trying to go up to TF when it is judged again in Nov. The car has Uniroyal radial whitewalls on it (on the car when I bought it). These incorrect tires cost me 22 Originality points and 6 Condition pts previouly. The car would look much better with red line tires which are also incorrect. My question is what kind of penalty will I face with new red line radial tires? If I buy them (if they are available) from one of the original mfg's (Goodyear, Firestone, etc) would that lessen the deduction? I plan to drive the car to this judging meet (an others) so buying correct tires/rims is not an option. Thanks for any advice.
Mike

Mike -

You're already at the standard 75% originality point deduction for non-OEM radials, and it won't improve any with redlines, as they aren't correct for a '65; I'd expect the same 75% deduction, but you shouldn't get any condition deduction if they're new. Your '65 JG defines which brands and sidewall treatments were OEM, and the 8th Edition of the Corvette Judging Reference Manual defines the standard deductions for tires based on how they deviate from the standard.

[Clark K.]

Re: Tire Question

My question is what kind of penalty will I face with new red line radial tires? If I buy them (if they are available) from one of the original mfg's (Goodyear, Firestone, etc) would that lessen the deduction? I plan to drive the car to this judging meet (and others) so buying correct tires/rims is not an option. Mike

Mike, I too own a '65 model. I just, earlier this year, completed a 2-1/2 year project to get my car to Top Flight. I feel your pain but want to encourage you to stay with it.

After reading your post, I wonder if you are unaware that you cannot go to a Goodyear store to buy a reproduction Goodyear tire for a '65 car? Coker Tire and other vendors (many advertise in NCRS periodicals) supply the correct sizes and types of tires for vintage cars.

Those 6 condition points your car accrued were probably for worn/cracked/aged tires. What you need to do is to be sure that you have five brand new or like-new tires. This is because our club judges the cars as they were after they were "dealer-prepped" without any dealer or new owner changes.

To prevent any originality points deductions your tires must conform to the following (taken from page 21 of the Judging Reference Manual): "Four matching Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) tires as described in judging manual and one (1) matching, or non-matching, OEM spare tire."

Those 22 originality points are probably the standard 75% deduction for having tires that are not an original OEM brand. For a 1965 Corvette, you are only allowed: Goodyear Power Cushion, Firestone Deluxe Champion, US royal Laredo, B.F. Goodrich Silvertown 660 (or 770), or General Jet-Air II tires. If you want to recover those 22+6 deductions, you will need to replace your curent tires with those that will meet the above guidelines.

Welcome to the world of buying new stuff to replace still-good stuff, just to get that "coveted blue rosette".
-Clark

[Dave B.]

Re: Tire Question

Mike,
As John H and Clark K have expressed very well, if you have new...or like new...radials that are considered a service OEM brand radial--with correct White wall thickness for 1965 or black walls and 215/70 or 205/75 sizes, your deduction will be 14 points for originality. However, the net deduction is really 11, because most repo bias/plys will have the DOT stamp, which is a 3 point deduct.
If you drive a short distance to a judging event, the driving points will make up for all or most of the radial point loss.

[Mike M.]

Re: Tire Question

Mike,
As John H and Clark K have expressed very well, if you have new...or like new...radials that are considered a service OEM brand radial--with correct White wall thickness for 1965 or black walls and 215/70 or 205/75 sizes, your deduction will be 14 points for originality. However, the net deduction is really 11, because most repo bias/plys will have the DOT stamp, which is a 3 point deduct.
If you drive a short distance to a judging event, the driving points will make up for all or most of the radial point loss.

Dave: I do plan to drive the car (about 180 miles to the Chapter meet and 200 to the Regional) so I will gain those driving points. Tks for reminding me of that.
Mike