I have gotten to the point that I am looking at tires to complete the project. It needs an exhaust system too. I would like R-W-L on it to be more period correct (1980 El Camino) and as I search the various tires, I really only see B F Goodrich, Cooper and Good Year. I vowed in 1980 that I would never ever again own a Good Year tire when they did not stand behind the tires that came on my car, stating I was cornering too hard and they would not replace them. I left the shop then and bought Tiger Paws. So I would be interested in more recent stories of tires to look at, and tires to avoid. Goodrich tires seem to have a problem with the letter staying white. Feel free to state your choice and reasons. My current tire size is 235-60 x 15.

I would also like to hear pros and cons on different dimension front and rear tires. I am considering 255-60 x 15 on the rear

 

I've run BFG's but have never run into the RWL issue and currently running Coopers with the RWL's turned in. Both seem to be fine tires and I'd recommend either. I don't think Goodyear still makes a tire in the 15" range for our cars, there are replica's available through Coker. I believe Mickey Thompson makes a RWL tire in your sizes also.

 

Thanks Eric, it seems the options narrow quickly! 40 year old cars are considered old haha...It doesn't seem that long ago that all tires were RWL and as you did, the choice was in or out! I would buy from Coker, but never Good Year. I expect to not be doing many burnouts or high speed 4 wheel slides any more so maybe it is not so critical, more for how it looks not how it performs.

 

I know what you mean about BFG letters not staying white. I have tried everything I have read about or could think of on my Radial T/As and they always come out the same shade of brownish-gray.

 

I've run BFGs since they first came out in the early 70s. Their TireBird race car that ran Trans Am with shaved BFG street tires was one of the most effective marketing investments ever. To this day, those of us who grew up in that timeframe won't run anything else on our musclecars. I realize that's not logical. I rank it right up there with Oldsmobile's Rocket V8 marketing.

 

When I think of the decisions I made in the 60s regarding the purchasing of tires for the various vehicles I owned ('67 4-4-2, '68 VW Super Beetle, '65 Dodge Dart, motorcycles) the only options were generally a different brand of bias-ply tire or researching/reading up on the various type of cords (nylon, polyester, rayon, etc.) and the number/styling of the cords. On cars I generally averaged about 15K miles before it was time for new tires. When steel-belted radials became available it was the absolute talk-of-the-town. I remember the first set I purchased and put on my '72 4-4-2 - BFG T/A. I couldn't believe you could barely see any tread wear after 15K miles. Fast forward 50 years later. When I purchased my current '71 CS it had a set of new radials on it (2018) and they are a set of BFG T/A. Honestly, I wish the car didn't have a new set of radial tires, because I really want to put a set of single red-stripe bias ply tires on the car. Man, a new set of single red-stripe tires is expensive. Holy fart knockers!

 

BF Goodrich Radial T/As and Cooper Cobras are both great in my opinion. Have had both on my car and currently Cobra 235 60 15s on rear, love them.

I would say wet dry traction are on par, but Radial T/As look better. They fill up a wheel well more thoroughly, in turn they are heavier and more expensive.

( In my case I enjoy occasional track time, Cobras have a rep for being track friendly, so far so good. That plus the weight savings seals the deal for me)

Interesting, looks like Good Year has been going off the rails for quite some time, so to speak...

Had 255 60 15s on the rear of a g body Cutlass. Great fit as long as backspacing is ideal. As far as fronts go I prefer stock spec width. Wider tires make the front end work harder...

I am not a fan of RWL, too flashy for me. I always turn them to inside. But they do suit some cars well, like your era of El Camino.

 

Wait! When did Coker take over the BFG Silvertown redline radials and drive the price through the roof?! Last time I checked, they were pretty reasonable. Apparently not any more.

 

I have BFGs on my car and don't have any issues with the letters turning brown. I read on the forum a while back that BFG had an issue for a while and it had been resolved.

Anyway, my car currently has 245-60 on 15x7 SSIII wheels. Many years ago I ran 255-60s on back and either 235-60s or 245-60s up front, but the inability to rotate tires resulted in going to the same size all around. Back then I would have what looked like slicks on back because I couldn't rotate the tires.

 

Joe, I want redline bias-ply not radial.

 

OK, but even the redline radials that used to be about $100 are now $260 at Coker. WTF?

 

Agree. It's insane!

 

Apparently, because go find them somewhere else! I was just looking at Coker's website and a lot of their tires are rather pricey.

 

Coker was purchased by their very own management team in December of 2018. Some guy by the name of Wade Kawasaki has been heading it up. I began looking at their tires early last year and almost took a dump when I sw their prices.

 

I also have ran both. I would say the Cooper Cobra tires have a more modern tread than the BFG tires and are cheaper. Both give the classic look you are going for and offer acceptable performance.

 

My dad put "RAIN TIRES" on his '59 Chevrolet Kingswood when we lived in Maryland and experienced the almost daily gully washers. They were sticky even. I recall a hot day when you could actually see black streaks on the dry pavement. I remember Dad talking about them being butyl rubber. I think the brand was Atlas Bucron which were sold at Standard and Chevron nationwide. They worked in the wet, but they were not much good on hot dry pavement!

While I have been holed up since March due to politics, I have noticed everything is about 25% more now including shipping, even at Walmart! Do I suppose the prices will drop ever again? Absolutely not.

 

Thanks! It seems to be a coin toss between them so availability and cost will probably make the choice. I will probably never go more than to keep them from taking a set, but I want it to look right. 60's to '87 cars look odd to me with radials and 17" rims. Ride height look is critical to me. The factory set the stance and so many today change it for a look. My Dad's 68 442 had bias ply G70 x 14. 15's change it, 60 or 50 series change it, Even wider period wheels make it look wrong. IMHO but as I tell so many; when you pay the bills you get a voice! To each his own!

 

The rim size nor the width of the tire change the stance, if you get the right tire diameter neither matter.

 

I looked at Diamond Backs and there just as expensive

 

It is not resolved. Bought my Raised Brown Letter tires last year. Another forum far more active than this one recently had a thread on the topic confirming it to still be an issue that BFG is aware of, and doesn’t seem to care to fix. Sad given how stupid expensive they are these days.

 

Well, if you're going for an authentic period-correct look, redlines were pretty much done after the sixties anyway.

 

Correct, after the sixties the redlines were slowly faded out. But I prefer the redlines over the RWL tires. It was right about that time when the transition was occurring - somewhere between 1969 - 1972 when all of the manufacturers were moving to the RWL. I could go either redlines or RWL, but my preference is still for the redlines - old school nuance I guess.

 

The bigger issue, no matter the tire cost, is tire life span. The tires we place on our classics would typically "age out" before tread wear dictates replacement. A lot of things impact aged tire deterioration. Car mfgs recommend 6 year life spans while tire mfgs like to recommend 10 years. I have read that the average of the two, at 8 years, is a smart benchmark.

Tire age longevity is something I had never considered until I was getting my Nova ready for the Hot Rod Power Tour in 2013. I happened upon and article that spoke of tire safety...might have been in Hot Rod Magazine...So, I checked my good tread tires and found they were 10 years old. I picked up a set of BFGs at 10% over cost from a friend of mine and they are still on the car. Next year, I will likely, replace them. No sense taking a chance on old tires in Texas heat.

 

Even through Discount, tires aren't cheap.

https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tires/cooper-cobra-radial-g


https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tires/bfgoodrich-radial-t-a

 

That has not been an issue for me.

 

I've consistently installed my tires with the letters in as well. Last time, the tire shop manager asked if I'd like the letters blacked out.

He had a black, rubbery compound in a bottle with a ball applicator. Now no one sees the dirty lettering on the inside of my tires.

 

I have used most of these including Coker, Diamondback, BFG, Goodyear Polyglass reproductions, etc. There is another, and I submit, better option. Buy Mickey Thompson’s direct from JEGs orSummit. Because they buy in such quantity, they sell MTs to the public cheaper than Discount Tire can buy them. Discount does not (or did not) even list them. MTs are made by Cooper. And it is true that BFGs have a widespread issue with their raised letters staying white. Just run a Goggle search.

 

I had the BFGs on my '68 & had the brownish letter problem on 2 of them. I never liked the "look" of their white letters anyway. I bit the bullet this past spring( lock-down boredom

??) & bought a set of redlines from Diamondback classics. They had a free shipping promo going on back in March but yes they were pricey!!! I love the look of redlines but then again my car is a '68 so they "fit"

 

Now that rite thar is funny!

 

I hadn't considered it until your post but, seems I remember an old tire shop I frequented, back in the day, that offered something like that. The applicator was much like what is used for applying PVC pipe adhesive. Dabbed it on, then after a few minutes wiped off the residue.

 

What does anybody think about redlines on a '69 4-4-2 with SS I's? When I bought my last set of tires, i opted for T/As but now I'm tired of trying to get the letters white. My recollection and opinion is that redlines were not available on '69s and therefore look out of place (although they look great on '68s). Who agrees or disagrees?

 

I'm gonna disagree...

 

Why not just turn the BFGs so blackwall is outboard?

 

Because the redlines look better?

 

Eh, I'm cheap.

 

Time to rotate front to back. Oops, to late!

 

I like the redlines. The bias plys drive terrible but it gives a cool throwback feel to the car.



Stock SS1’s and stock tire size

 

Of course, they don't have to be bias ply redlines.

 

Answers my question. Thanks, Joe.

 

Not sure if these are any good. Permanent-Tire-Letter-Goodyear-Eagle-F1-White-Stickers. Not a fan of RWL. Even the Eagle GT that came new on my 84 H/O or Red line tires.
I did like the red line that came on the rim itself!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Permanent-T...UAAOSweFhetwKl


Here is whats on my baby 17''. Would like a red line on the rims. Kumho tire, good in rain and stick like glue around turns in dry road. Almost took out my mail box on a set of Goodyear on wet road. Slide DiMaggio.