Thanks in advance to any information you guys can provide. I purchased a '69 Cutlass S last year which originally had the 14x6 SSII's. In the trunk was a fifth SSII with a Firestone F78x14 "Deluxe Champion" tire that looks to me like it could possibly be the original spare. The wheel has obviously been mounted on the car at some point in it's life (evidence on hub mounting surface) but it doesn't look like a trim ring was ever put on it. This wheel has a little surface rash which likely happened as stuff was put in the trunk over the years but it's visibly in better condition than the other wheels. I checked the '69 CSM and it shows the Cutlass S could have gotten F78x14 tires.
Anyway, if this thing isn't original it looks like it dates back to at least the Nixon administration! There is an alphanumeric code on the back which was obviously a changeable part of the original mold. It reads "R000914L". Is this a date code? I'm guessing the 14 may be the diameter but maybe that's just a coincidence. Is the 9 possibly for the year ('69)? Maybe month 9 (Sept.) day 14??

 

That's definitely a 14x6 SSII in Argent, which would be correct for a 1969. The original trim rings for these wheels used four clips that snapped over the outer edge of the rim, like wheel weights, so they would not have scratched the paint the way the friction finger style rings do. If the date code of the tire is Sept 1969, that would be after the start of the 1970 model year production. Dual white stripe tires were available from Chevy in 1970-71, but I'm not aware of any such offering by Olds.

 

there is a date code by the valve stem on the wheel, got a picture? when during the '69 model year was your car built? date on the body tag?
I have never seen a key to decode the "stamping/mold" numbers on a pre-1971 Firestone tire
- this is a pre-'71 calendar year Firestone DELUXE CHAMPION fiberglass belted SUP-R-BELT dual white wall stripe tire

the twin white stripe tire was the "norm" for non-performance white wall tires for the 1970 model year, but a F78-14 at Oldsmobile would be for a 6 cylinder a-body car (G78-14 for a V8)

most manufacturers offered a fiberglass belted tire late during the 1969 model year - could this be it for a late '69 Oldsmobile? (1969 would've used a 14x6.0" wheel with F78-14 tire)

 

what's the first stamping here? M1/9 ??? ( 4 14 would be April 14 .... )

 

The OP has a 1969, not a 70. F78x14 'glass belted were RPO P80, an $80.05 option that year. Base tires were 7.75x14 with six or V8. 14x6 SSII wheels were only 1968-69.
Nice find on the 1970 brochure with the double stripe tires. I even have that SPECS booklet. DOH!

 

I don't have any of the '69 SPECS - what month is that?

my rambling was directed at - that tire is normal for 1970 - what did the late '69 model year introduced white stripe fiberglass tire look like? at $80 I'm sure few were OPTIONED

here's Pontiac's fiberglass-belted tire intro brochure late-April 1969

 

is there a wheel weight on the back-side - somebody should be able to ID it as OE or not

 

That's a cool piece of literature. The 69 SPECS book I posted is the Aug 1968 printing.

 

Thanks for the useful info. The number to the left of the valve stem is a 4. My original question was more around the tire than the wheel. I know it's a '69 wheel and no way to prove it's original to this car but I'm curious if that's an original tire. If it's true pre-'71 Firestones don't have date codes, that would at least make it a pre-'71 tire. The CSM shows fiberglass belted F78x14 as a possibility but doesn't mention Firestone, Deluxe Champion or dual white stripe.

 

The 1969 Product Information Manual (Assembly Manual) shows part numbers for all four factory tire vendors in the F78-14 whitewall, but it does not note if that's a single or dual stripe.

 

The 1969 Olds Dealer Showroom Album lists a triple stripe whitewall available

for most cars. Option PQ9. I've not seen a '69 with those tires. Triple white stripe tires were available on the 1970 98 and Toro cars. Triple white stripes were also available on the 1971 Toro. I saw plenty of original spares on the 70 and 71 "A" body cars with the double stripe whitewall.

 

Interesting. The 1969 Inspectors Guide shows RPO PQ9 as only offered in 7.75x14 except on wagons. Flattops got 8.25x14 and Vistas got 8.55x14. Of course, these were polyester cord, not fiberglass belted. Interestingly the Inspectors Guide also shows PQ9 available on the 442.

 

I seem to think that this is a November 1968 tire... which would make sense as an original for my 12/26/1968 build date....

what do you all think?... all 5 wheels have been on the car and I doubt I can tell which was the spare. The other 4 had the double stripes like the ones above (not original). My car is a PL5 car. If this is a Nov 68 it would help confirm it as original. Of course, Dad was never a firestone guy.... so I cannot rule out that he burnt them off and put on goodyears after the fact!... wish you were here to tell us Dad!

Just been thinking about which tires to put on when she is done and this post caught my eye. Let me know if I am reading this code wrong!


L = 68
E = November

 

yes, you are reading the date correct (1968 / November) - the 3-4 digits is the plant location "02" & represents the Goodyear plant in Los Angeles, CA

at first, I thought the CA location didn't make sense for a car built in MI - but I wonder if the car scene in SoCal also was responsible for the "birth" of RWL ????

are all 5 wheels the same date? Please add these pics to the "my father's Oldsmobile" thread .....