Crash80

What is up with Goodyear and Firestone? Not only is it bad enough that us C-3 Vette owners have limited choices in brands by the sizes we are using but the actual choices within the tire lines is pitiful. If I go Goodyear and want a RWL tire, my choices are the Eagle GTII or the Eagle Nascar tire, which has the same tread pattern as a GTII. I would actually go with the Nascar tire if it didn't say Nascar on it, not to mention the guy at the Goodyear store said they were discontiuing that tire. My selection shrinks even more. I don't want third party marketing logos on my tires. Then there is Firestone with their Firehawk Indy 500 tire. Here we go again with the third party logo that I just don't care for, or want. I know there is BF Goodrich and Dunlop and a few others but I am just bummed that RWL segment of the tire industry is so puny these days. I remember back in the day when I could go to Goodyear and have my selection only be limited by the amount of money in my wallet. You could get an Eagle GT, GTII, GT+4, ST and probably others in RWL that I can't remember right now. Now you get two choices, soon to be one, from Goodyear and one from Firestone. Not that it will do any good, but I sent an e-mail to both Goodyear and Firestone stating my position on the rolling advertisements of the organizations that they have apparently struck deals with. I see guys on here with pictures of their Vettes with Firestone Firehawks that say exactly that, no Indy 500 BS any where to be found on the side wall. Hell, even Goodyear has a picture of a Goodyear Eagle that has Goodyear and Eagle #1 on the side wall with nothing else. That is the type of tire I want! Where are you guys scoring your tires sans the unwanted logos? Did I just miss the boat on this deal and that is all I am going to be able to get from here on out? I may be forced to get the Goodrich tires, again! I was hoping to try something different but I guess it just isn't going to work out OK, enough of my bitchin', as you were.

page62

:cry

Get a set of no-name tires like I have "Grand Am -- Radial GT". They're actually very good tires! I have no problems in the wet. And they look good without saying NASCAR or INDY 500 :rolleyes: I think they can be obtained thru 1 or 2 places here in town.

MEGALADON

Next best thing to do is get some custom wheels :)
I am also limited to tire choice for the rear 315/35 :bs
but I guess not many cars run with a 17/11. Only one
I know of are ZR1, and GRAND SPORTS. :skep:

Crash80

I know you like your "Grand Am Radials" and they have treated you right, I am just bummed that the major players in the tire industry have peared the choices down to the point that there are no choices. I may be forced to get a set of the "Grand Am Radials" before it is all said and done. I just got the most unhelpful response possible from Goodyear concerning my e-mail...at least there worthless response was quick...gotta give 'em that. Customer service for a tire they no longer make is second to none!

Corvette_fetish

I think you've lost me here a bit. You say:
" If I go Goodyear and want a RWL tire, my choices are the Eagle GTII or the Eagle Nascar tire, which has the same tread pattern as a GTII. I would actually go with the Nascar tire if it didn't say Nascar on it, not to mention the guy at the Goodyear store said they were discontiuing that tire. My selection shrinks even more. "
If the NASCAR tire has the same tread pattern as the Eagle GTII then you can go with the NASCAR tire without it saying "NASCAR" on it by buying the Eagle GTII, right? If it's the same tire with different RWL text and graphics, then pick the one without the third party marketing logo.

Yes, our choices are sadly limited, but it appears all the big tire manufacturers make at least one RWL performance tire for our cars. BF Goodrich and Dunlop don't have third party logos, so buy one of those. I have BF Goodrich Radial T/As on the front, and Dunlop GT Qualifiers on the rear (until I burn the tread off). Then you have the Goodyear Eagle GTII that you mentioned. There are three right there. I think even Hoosier makes a RWL street tire too, but don't hold me to that. If one of those does the job well, how many choices do you need? The market sets the availability for this kind of stuff, and contemporary cars don't look good with RWLs on their tires. Only our types of cars from that era look appropriate with RWL tires. It's like those old sedans that have those old time WIDE white walls. You don't find those tires in the showroom at your everyday neighborhood tire store. It's because only a hand full of hardly driven vintage cars use them, not Honda Accords. So our choices are limited. That's life. Sucks, but what are you going to do?

Richieg1g

The real culprit is the gradual change in tire size for performance tires. 14" and 15" wheels used to the only choice but now most "high performance" cars have 17" or larger wheels. There is a better choice in 16" but those will also fade into the past as time goes by.
I like my 15" wheels on the '69 coupe but may have to get 16" in order to get anything with an "H" speed rating. Forget any higher speed rating.

'69 Black SBC coupe
'02 Mag. Red coupe

LiveandLetDrive

If you actually care about the performance of your tires, your RWL options are nil. I have Kumho and Pirelli tires (RYS raised yellow scorpion?) I am very happy with them, but may not be the look you want. Oh well, tires are consumeable. If you drive it like you should you shouldn't have to deal with those tires more than a year :D

-Chris

Edit: Kumho Ecsta STXs are H-rated, Pirelli Scorpion Zeros are V rated, off the top of my head.


[Modified by LiveandLetDrive, 11:52 AM 4/27/2004]

Crash80

Corvette Fetish,

After reading what I wrote there, I can see where I lost you. the part that I did not mention is that actual script used on the sidewall writing is slightly different between the two. The Nascar tire has a slight slant to the letters and the size of the letters is bigger. So while the GTII and Nascar tire are essentially the same tire, they look a bit different from each other. And, I am just weird enough to prefer the scripting of the Nascar tire minus the "Nascar plug" that is on them.

I understand that our choices are limited as the trend to go with bigger rim sizes and all black walls is driving the market at this point in history...but it is still frustrating. I guess I just remember back when I had more choices within the Goodyear and Firestone lines, as well as BF Goodrich. I typed this and posted it on the forum so I wouldn't scream and **** off my co-workers, just to get it off my chest. I am all better now. I will probably end up with a set of BF Goodrich tires...again.

LemansBlue68

It's hard to argue with success. BFG Radial T/A's have been around a long time. They're no longer the performance leader that they used to be because of the advances in tire and wheel technology, but IMO they say "Muscle Car" all over them. These will be my next tires for my C3. I've had a bunch in the past, never with any problem....

...Unlike many other tires, Firestone as being the worst offender, that I've had problems with nearly every OEM set that I've ever had on any of my cars. You'd think they'd get it right after the infamous Firestone 500's (which I too had the pleasure of experiencing WRT belt separations) and the Explorer :bs . Never again if I have a choice in the matter.

Richieg1g

I drive the '69 at HPDE days at such tracks as Thunderhill Park and Laguna Seca in CA. With speeds approaching 130 on the straights, I look for at least an "H" rated tire. I have one set of Firestone PV41 pursuit vehicle tires with a "V" rating mounted on the original Rallye rims and another set of Firestone SS20 tires mounted on custom rims. The SS20 are actually more sticky than the PV41 tires but are only "S" rated so it's a toss-up as to which I use on the car.
Both of those tires are now out of production so the next time I need tires it will be a search and find mission.

79-L-82

:iagree:
I'm with you, brother!
It's :bs
Oh, well, whatya gonna do?

The Dude

You need yourself a set of Pos-A-Traction Torque Twisters in RWL, man. Period correct stuff.

Crash80

The Firestone SS20 tires were on my radar as well but it looks to be discontinued as well. ....my search continues!

Wrencher

Now you're talkin'!

Seriously, the RWL tire is sort of out of style right now. For the money, it's hard to beat the BFG T/A's, but I also like the Firestones for real aggresive driving. Funny, they can't make a normal street tire to save their a**, but the race tires are more consistant through multiple heat cycles, and don't overheat (meaning no traction) as readily as the Goodyears.

For real performance, it's BW tires right now...

Hans


[Modified by Wrencher, 9:09 AM 4/27/2004]

Corvette_fetish

I like the speed ratings on those tires. How do they actually handle/grip? I have BF Goodrich Radial T/As on the front now. Do you know how they would compare, as far as handling characteristics go, to the Pirellis, well and even the Kumhos too?

Twin_Turbo

Okay since I'm probably the dumbest around here let me be the one to ask.
What doesn RWL stand for?

stpman

Raised White Letter

Neo Fender

For tire manufacturers, the bling bling is in the 22" dubs.

I'm sorry I had to say that. :rolleyes:

Neo Fender

My '79 has the older, ROWL SS20s. I think that the Indy 500s have replaced the SS20s and have the same tread pattern.

Crash80

....and that is where it all goes to hell! The tire says "Indy 500" :U as does the Goodyear Nascar tire! :U :U