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Originality / Re: Original tires
« on: November 04, 2013, 12:23:44 AM »
For years now this has been a very controversial question. Many have believed that only the F70 x 14" Wide Treads were available for the 1969 Camaro SS. I remembered seeing the Polyglas tires on brand new 1969 Chevelles when my Dad and I were out car shopping for me. But in today’s Camaro hobby, hearsay does not get it. Over the past three years I have broken the code on this issue. I have had the pleasure of inspecting several original SS Camaros with build dates starting in April 1969 and later. In April, GM revised it’s option list for the 1969 Camaro adding “Belted RWL Tires” to their option list. One very nice Z10 L35 that I certified still had the original spare in the trunk of the car on the original dated wheel. I recorded the serial number and code and sent it to John Kelsey of Kelsey Tire who makes the Goodyear reproduction tires. John got back stating that the tire was manufactured in April of 1969 at the Gadston, AL plant. The build date of this car was April 1969. Since that Z10 car there have been others adding to this data. So, for anyone stating that a 1969 Camaro cannot have Polyglas tires is false. If you have a 1969 Camaro SS built from April 1969 through November 1969, The Polyglas “no size” RWL tires are correct and accepted in concours judging. John Kelsey and others also added that tire shortages during 1969 Camaro production could have got you the Polyglas tires even if the car was not ordered with the belted tire RPO code. Plant workers that I interviewed many years ago also stated this too. We accept the Polyglas RWL tires in “Legend” concours judging at the Camaro Nationals as long as the car was built in April of 1969 or later.