JJTL

Hi there everyone,

A new 1987 C4 owner from Ontario, Canada, joining you here. Just picked up our Nassau Blue (Medium Blue) C4 last week, we trailered it home since it's so cold here! -5F is not ideal weather to be loading a car, but you do what you have too.

The car is blue on blue with about 75,000 miles on the odometer. 4+3 Doug Nash manual, which I believe was required in '87 for the Z51 packaged. Overall, optioned pretty highly. The last owner only put about 2,000 miles on it in the last 3 years, so needs full servicing and tune up to bring it up to our standards. In good shape otherwise, though.

One thing I have already learned a lot from the forums here, is the availability (or lack there of!) of 255/50R16 tires. The DOT dates on the current Dunlops is 2003, so they are just too old to try and eek any further life out of them. I've been searching everywhere for BFGooderich g-Force Sport Comp-2 tires, but as many have concluded here, there are just none available. Don't want to give up on them, but seems it's also true they may no longer be produced. Hope they change their mind! Anyone heard any further updates? My sources here say they have no production date set in the system.

I'm aware of some of the Toyo Proxes options (RA1 and R888R), however, my plan is to regularly drive the car from May - Oct. Not sure how well these tires would be on the street, especially in the Spring and Fall temps. The final option is looking at 245/50R16 tires. These are not that common either, but I do have a source for some Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 tires in stock and available. The car has the 9.5" wide tires, so I understand the 245 might be right at the minimum.

If anyone has an other tire ideas, or comments on running either the RA1s, or running 245s, I am all ears!

Look forward to learning as much as I can from all of you, and thanks in advance for your help.
Josh

yakmastermax

Welcome, and while I can't help with your technical questions, congratulations on the car. These cars are quite unique, not to mention good as well.

DALE53

A quick thought on the tires. If they have no cracks they are serviceable for use on the street. If you plan high speed aggressive driving, street or track, find new tires.

JJTL

Interesting thought. The tires look much newer than I originally thought, no cracking. Lots of tread left. 19 years just feels really old, but I don't have much experience running older tires.

1bdvet

JJTL

Haha, whoops! Well I better correct the newb mistake . Don't have too many good shots yet, we got over a foot of snow last week.

KMS88Cal#16

I wouldn’t take a chance of driving on 19 year old tires on my corvette. Maybe for a cruise around your neighborhood but not on the highway. Your car will drive & brake much better with the new tires also. I like your blue over blue car. Thanks for posting pictures! Kevin

Incorvettei

I wouldn’t run on 19 year old tires either. I don’t care what they look like. They are very far past useable lifespan.

Red86Z51

I think you're going to have a lot of people disagree with you, myself included. Driving on 19 year old tires is NOT safe. Period.

A quick google search will confirm this. You've given not only bad, but reckless and dangerous advice.

wilcar

I have 245 50s on my 84 Z51 and work just fine!

69autoXr

Nice. Congrats.

I’d collect a set of four C6Z front wheels (18x9.5 et40) and pick your favorite 275/35-18 tire. The wheels are a difrect fit for the early C4.

3JsVette

Consider this. A performance improvement and lots of tire choices.
Cracked or not 19 year old tires are an unpleasant problem waiting to happen.

yakmastermax

Your car is gorgeous!
I just got a 1989 and the tires are from 2004. I replaced the two rears with brand new tires, but I am loath to replace the fronts right now because I wanted to upgrade all four corners with new 18" wheels and nice tires at once. The tires are 18 years old and cracking, but good tread.

Not sure how to proceed. If I buy new fronts right now that sorta locks me into the factory wheels for a bit, unless I get 17" wheels which I didn't really want to.

C4Hoosier

Just to clarify, are you saying they are a match for the early C4 offset and can be used without wheel spacers/adapters?

JJTL

Great to know! Thanks for the input, Greg.

Thanks for the idea, Chris! I do like those C6Z wheels.

I also love the original saw blade wheels and they are in almost perfect condition, so my hope (plan A) is to keep the original wheels. In general hoping to keep the car looking original. I do also like the later C4 17" x 9.5" saw blade wheels, I think they run a more readily available 275/40R17 tires.

Thanks for the kind words! Sounds like we are in a similar spot. I heard back from BFG/Michelin and they did say the Sport Comp2 tire is to be discontinued on March 1st. Not sure if they mean the whole series, or just the 255/50R16 size.

kael

Followup, the tires may not be cracked now, highly likely they will be a mess after 5 miles.
Rubber is grumpy, it ages worse when not in action.

JJTL

So here is the current update on my tire situation as of today. I've spent the last few days searching and contacting companies everywhere in the US and Canada for the BFGooderich g-Force Sport Comp2 tires. This was essentially the last known street tire for the early C4s with the 16"x9.5" wheels (255/50R16). Nothing available. Some shops believe they could be produced again once warmer temps come, but no production date set. However, I've been in contact with BFG/Michelin directly and they have confirmed the tire will be discontinued on March 1st, and there is no current stock. Here are the options I have come across so far:

Option 1: Coker Tire lists Michelin Pilot Sport 255/50R16 tires as an option. I think they must produce them in small batches, because they are insanely expensive at $571/per tire. Michelin Pilot Sport | 255/50ZR16

Option 2: Is to look at some of the Toyo competition autocross 255/50R16 tires. These would be the Proxes RA1 and Proxes R888R. These are technically DOT street legal, but have very soft compounds that are temperature sensitive and wear quickly. They are also quite expensive, especially the RA1s. The RA1s do have some tread on them at least. They suggest storing the tires in above freezing temperatures, not ideal for us in Canada. https://www.tirerack.com/tires/Tire...SpeedRating=V&minLoadRating=S&per formance=ALL

Option 3: Is to look at a smaller 245/50R16 tire. There are a few options out there, I already have a source for in stock Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 tires. Little disappointing to not be able to keep the factory tire size, also the 245s would be stretched a bit on the 9.5" wide wheels I have. But from the charts I've seen, it is the accepted minimum for the wheel width.

Option 4: Consider the Toyo Proxes TQ drag 255/50R16 tire. I consider this a separate option, because I was surprised to see the reviews on Tirerack to be from those using the tire as a street tire, mostly on Challengers and Hellcats. The other Toyos all had only autocross reviews. Also seems this tire is a little less temperature sensitive, and the price is a little better. Not sure about tread depth, but seem useable in wet weather as long as there is not much standing water. https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tire...autoYear=1987&autoModel=Corvette& autoModClar=

I'm up here in Canada and planning to drive the car regularly during the warmer months (May-Oct). Does anyone have any experience or feedback they can offer on the Toyo Proxes TQ tires?? I'm seriously considering this as the best option, unless I give in and go for the smaller 245s.

Josh

convas

correct a 40mm offset is close enough to factory 38mm offset to work fine

yakmastermax

My apologies if I have neglected to read some critical information but if funds and budget allow, I would upgrade wheels now not only for performance, look, and whatever else you please, but so that you can get more tire options.

I replaced my 18 year old rears yesterday with two new Nitro 555s in 285/40/17 and tomorrow I am putting on two of the same on the front.

The car already feels way better at speed.

convas

That’s what I will probably end up doing, problem is I actually like the looks of the standard wheels but if cannot get tyres no choice