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1968 What tires do you use on your GT-CS?

Ruppstang

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May 22, 2009
Messages
3,032
What Tires do you use on your GT-CS? White wall, Black Wall, Raised white letter, size ,P-metric or reproduction-buis. My HCS was originally equipped with 6.95 white side walls. I am not sure I want that look.
Thanks for your thoughts. Marty
 

PFSlim

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Feb 9, 2004
Messages
1,546
Location
Weatherby Lake, MO
BFGoodrich Radial T/A's.

Paul
 

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Mosesatm

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Jan 18, 2005
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Are you concerned with keeping the stock rear tire height for speedometer purposes?

Here is a photo of my car next to Bill's.

His car has 17" wheels and tires while I'm running 15" Vintage Wheel Shelby-type wheels and Firestone tires. I think the Firestones ride much better than the TAs.

If I remember correctly my front tires are 215-65R15.
 

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robert campbell

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Apr 10, 2007
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I am running Firestone Firehawks on both my cars. P225 75R 14's on the GT/CS. The 67 Fastback P295 50 15 inch on the back and P235 60 14's on the front, but he wheel opens are cut way open and it is on the deck. I used to run the T/A's and they looked good, but the Firestones seem to ride better and are definitely more sticky on dry roads than T/A’s.

With me the trick is to get the tires under the fender without the car to high. Personally I like my cars lower than stock.

I think the back fit of wheels is first thing to consider. Stock wheels are not “dished and allow a bigger tire without rubbing. I like the Torque Thrust and American Racing wheels in the 15 or 16 inch. The Shelby ten spoke like on Arlie’s car is a great choice and is also very flat with most of the wheel back. Crager’s are offset out and in the “over the counter not special ordered wheel” and can cause problems.The Magnum 500 is another good choice.

Stay away from 14 inch rims. Very few tire selections in that small a rim anymore. I have them on my GT/CS and they will go soon.

I think your first decision is to decide if you want a custom look via custom wheels. Then select that and tires are kinda a matter of preference. I do not like white walls on a Mustang, but that is me. I like raised white letters if it is a known performance premium tire (T/A's, Firestone, Goodyear) and not some cheapo brand. I have the black sides out on my White GT/CS and rasied white lettters out on the black Fastback.

Rob
 

di81977

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Joined
Jan 15, 2006
Messages
438
I have T/A's, with the black side out. I put less than 500 summer miles a year on the car, ride and bad weather performance are not deciding factor.

Street - 215-60-14 front, 235-60-14 rear
Racing - 245-50-16 drag radials

Also, tire diameter can effect your axle ratio (if that matters to you).
 

robert campbell

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Apr 10, 2007
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I have T/A's, with the black side out. I put less than 500 summer miles a year on the car, ride and bad weather performance are not deciding factor.

Street - 215-60-14 front, 235-60-14 rear
Racing - 245-50-16 drag radials

Also, tire diameter can effect your axle ratio (if that matters to you).

What are you running for wheels? That is a lot of rear tire to go under the fender.

Rob
 
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Ruppstang

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May 22, 2009
Messages
3,032
Thanks for all of your thoughts. Arlie,Tim and Paul those are beautiful pictures. I really like it shelby look but I will be showing in the MCA driven concours class and will use the stock chrome styled steel wheels. I like the raised white letter look, but that will cost me points as well. The car is way to sporty to run white wall so I think I use black walls. That just leaves manufacture and size. I think P215 is as large as I can go with out deductions. I was considering Traction TAs, I am interested in the model of Firestone mentioned. Thanks again Marty
 

Mosesatm

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Jan 18, 2005
Messages
9,009
Thanks for all of your thoughts. Arlie,Tim and Paul those are beautiful pictures. I really like it shelby look but I will be showing in the MCA driven concours class and will use the stock chrome styled steel wheels. I like the raised white letter look, but that will cost me points as well. The car is way to sporty to run white wall so I think I use black walls. That just leaves manufacture and size. I think P215 is as large as I can go with out deductions. I was considering Traction TAs, I am interested in the model of Firestone mentioned. Thanks again Marty

The Firestones are Indy 500.

If you want to buy tires made in American you can go with Cooper Cobras. I put those on my blue GT/CS.
 

di81977

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Jan 15, 2006
Messages
438
If you are thinking about concours, check out Diamond Back (much better than Coker I hear). They also recommend not going bigger than 215-70-14.
 
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Ruppstang

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May 22, 2009
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If you are thinking about concours, check out Diamond Back (much better than Coker I hear). They also recommend not going bigger than 215-70-14.

Do you have contact information? Thanks Marty
 

di81977

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Jan 15, 2006
Messages
438
Check these out:

Coker 68 Mustang recommendations
http://store.coker.com/search.php?tire_model=Mustang&tire_year=1968&tire_make=FORD

Diamondback site
http://www.dbtires.com/tires.html

You can also search the internet for reproduction Goodyear Polyglas and Firestone Wide Ovals. Plenty available. Here is an example:
http://www.rickscamaros.com/product...=Froogle-_-Wheels+&+Tires+-+Tires-_-GPT-1-_-X

I was with Bob Teets a couple weeks back doing some drag racing and noticed he has the Goodyear Polyglas repos on his HCS 428CJ.
 
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Ruppstang

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May 22, 2009
Messages
3,032
Check these out:

Coker 68 Mustang recommendations
http://store.coker.com/search.php?tire_model=Mustang&tire_year=1968&tire_make=FORD

Diamondback site
http://www.dbtires.com/tires.html

You can also search the internet for reproduction Goodyear Polyglas and Firestone Wide Ovals. Plenty available. Here is an example:
http://www.rickscamaros.com/product...=Froogle-_-Wheels+&+Tires+-+Tires-_-GPT-1-_-X

I was with Bob Teets a couple weeks back doing some drag racing and noticed he has the Goodyear Polyglas repos on his HCS 428CJ.

Thanks for the Information it was very helpful. If you see Bob say hi from Marty. Thanks Again
 

RedGTvert

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Joined
Apr 17, 2006
Messages
262
If you are thinking about concours, check out Diamond Back (much better than Coker I hear). They also recommend not going bigger than 215-70-14.

If you are going Concours, depending on which division you choose, Radials may get point deductions.

As far as Coker versus Diamond Back, I have never used Diamond Back brand, but have been using Coker tires for over 10 years and have never had a problem with them.

I just recently bought a new set for my '67, and found Summit and Jegs cheaper for the Coker tires. Summit came out a bit cheaper since their shipping was less than Jegs.

Bottom line, Summit was $35.00 a tire cheaper with shipping then buying the same tires directly from Coker.
 

GT/CS S Code

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Dec 26, 2007
Messages
912
Location
Victoria, B.C., Canada
T/A's for us too ...

We opted for the T/A's as well. I took off the old mags (15") which I didn't like the looks of and restored an original set of the 14" GT chrome rims since our GT/CS was a factory GT option car by the Marti. I also opted for the "stealth" look and put them black side out. (Just my personal preference) They've been great tires so far, but again our car is strickly a summer driver and probably has less than 1000 miles driven since these tires were installed. The only problem we've had to date is that the rear tires sometimes loose traction when the gas is applied ...., but I think that this is a common operator related problem with the big block, 4 speed cars!
:wink:
 

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franklinair

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Mar 1, 2007
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I went the other way; 15" Shelby wheels with 15 X 215 X 70 Radial T/A's (RWL's). I like the look & ride. But I'm not looking for MCA Concourse.

Neil
 
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Ruppstang

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May 22, 2009
Messages
3,032
I went the other way; 15" Shelby wheels with 15 X 215 X 70 Radial T/A's (RWL's). I like the look & ride. But I'm not looking for MCA Concourse.

Neil

Neil I love that wheel tire combo. I will go that way some day when I quit showing the HCS in the concours class.
Does anyone know where to find good used or NOS trim rings
Thanks Marty
 

franklinair

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Joined
Mar 1, 2007
Messages
4,740
That's a tough one. The new repo's are not accurate. As I recall, the originals have a 'recess' at the outer flange area. Also, the originals' inner 2" +/- flat portion has a somewhat burnished surface as compared to the new repro's being shiny.
Good luck on your quest.

Neil

PS: I got the idea of the wheel/tire combination from 'tworings' C/S when I met them & saw their car last year in CA.
 
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