Author Topic: Firestone vs. Goodyear Poly-glas tires  (Read 14672 times)

camaroman1969

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Firestone vs. Goodyear Poly-glas tires
« on: November 13, 2013, 03:12:04 AM »
Hi Guys!!!  Question:  Is anyone out there running "Firestone Sport Car 200" tires??  If anyone is, do they wander like the Goodyears do??  I'm just trying to get some feedback on these (firestones) before I go and dive into a different set-up on my front end, that has been suggested in previous CRG members replies.  Just want to say "thanks" for everyone's input on this matter.
Don

jeff68

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Re: Firestone vs. Goodyear Poly-glas tires
« Reply #1 on: November 13, 2013, 09:14:22 PM »
Don-
Did you ever get a chance to check your current alignment specs?  I'd hate to see you change tires when all you needed to do was 'dial-in' the alignment.
68 L30/M20 Convertible, Ash Gold
N10, F41, N34, Z21, ZJ9, Z87, D55, G80, P01, U17

lakeholme

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Re: Firestone vs. Goodyear Poly-glas tires
« Reply #2 on: November 13, 2013, 09:36:31 PM »
Don-
Did you ever get a chance to check your current alignment specs?  I'd hate to see you change tires when all you needed to do was 'dial-in' the alignment.
X2!  Considering adjusting  the alignment would cost less than one of those tires...
Phillip, HNR & NCR-AACA, Senior Master, Team Captain, Admin.,
Spring Southeastern Nationals chair, AACA National Director

camaroman1969

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Re: Firestone vs. Goodyear Poly-glas tires
« Reply #3 on: November 13, 2013, 11:15:46 PM »
Jeff, Hey..hi there!  No, I did not check car's alignment.  I put the girl to bed for the season and its all zipped up in one of those "Car Jackets" I recently bought.  But yes, this will be on my hit list for the spring.  Car wants to fly but
there is to much wander at "high speeds".  I will post my findings and result here for everyone to see and chime in if they would like too.  Thanks to all of you for your helpful comments and advice...Don
Don-
Did you ever get a chance to check your current alignment specs?  I'd hate to see you change tires when all you needed to do was 'dial-in' the alignment.

jeff68

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Re: Firestone vs. Goodyear Poly-glas tires
« Reply #4 on: November 14, 2013, 12:02:00 AM »
I put the girl to bed for the season...
I hear ya.  They salted the roads here yesterday morning - I couldn't believe it.  This weekend is supposed to be in the 50's and I wanted to go for one last cruise.  Oh well.

Let us know what you find - and make sure to settle the suspension before checking the alignment.  You could actually loosen all the bolts now, bounce it up & down several times, then let it sit for the off season before tightening the bolts.
68 L30/M20 Convertible, Ash Gold
N10, F41, N34, Z21, ZJ9, Z87, D55, G80, P01, U17

camaroman1969

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Re: Firestone vs. Goodyear Poly-glas tires
« Reply #5 on: November 15, 2013, 01:02:54 AM »
Jeff, Where would you set the alignment at on my car ?  Alot of guys suggesting   1/8 toe in.  What are your final thoughts on this issue??  Don
I put the girl to bed for the season...
I hear ya.  They salted the roads here yesterday morning - I couldn't believe it.  This weekend is supposed to be in the 50's and I wanted to go for one last cruise.  Oh well.

Let us know what you find - and make sure to settle the suspension before checking the alignment.  You could actually loosen all the bolts now, bounce it up & down several times, then let it sit for the off season before tightening the bolts.

Mike S

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Re: Firestone vs. Goodyear Poly-glas tires
« Reply #6 on: November 15, 2013, 02:42:44 AM »
 I assume your car is a '69. Looking at a Chilton's for 67-72 Camaro, the toe-in specs for 67-72 are 1/8" - 1/4"

Mike
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jeff68

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Re: Firestone vs. Goodyear Poly-glas tires
« Reply #7 on: November 15, 2013, 03:00:17 PM »
Jeff, Where would you set the alignment at on my car ?  Alot of guys suggesting   1/8 toe in.  What are your final thoughts on this issue??  Don
I would set it the same as my 68 with F70-14 Polyglas tires:  1/8" toe-in and 0 to .25 degrees negative camber, trying to keep camber on both sides as close as possible.
68 L30/M20 Convertible, Ash Gold
N10, F41, N34, Z21, ZJ9, Z87, D55, G80, P01, U17

x77-69z28

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Re: Firestone vs. Goodyear Poly-glas tires
« Reply #8 on: November 15, 2013, 04:48:01 PM »
I have the repro Firestone sports car 200 tires on my car. They ride like shit!
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camaroman1969

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Re: Firestone vs. Goodyear Poly-glas tires
« Reply #9 on: November 20, 2013, 01:48:29 AM »
I find this interesting..your the first to chime in on those tires.  I wonder if anyone has issues with the Firestone "Wide-O-Oval" tires.  I see alot of these on 69 Camaros. Does your car "wander" like mine, left to right, right to left?  Anyone out there having similiar issues with these tires please voice your facts.  thanks!  Don
I have the repro Firestone sports car 200 tires on my car. They ride like shit!

69Z28-RS

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Re: Firestone vs. Goodyear Poly-glas tires
« Reply #10 on: November 20, 2013, 04:05:27 AM »
the 'original' Firestone Wide Oval tires were very bad, from almost every aspect..  they were supplied factory on my wife's '70 Mach I.. and they sucked big time.   rode poorly, and wore out in 10K miles.. and looked like crap too.   But that may have been related to Ford's preference for recommending a VERY LOW pressure for tires on their cars, to get a 'better ride'.   IMO, low pressure causes more tire problems and premature wear than any other practice...
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hgger69

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Re: Firestone vs. Goodyear Poly-glas tires
« Reply #11 on: November 20, 2013, 07:32:52 AM »
I find this interesting..your the first to chime in on those tires.  I wonder if anyone has issues with the Firestone "Wide-O-Oval" tires.  I see alot of these on 69 Camaros. Does your car "wander" like mine, left to right, right to left?  Anyone out there having similiar issues with these tires please voice your facts.  thanks!  Don
I have the repro Firestone sports car 200 tires on my car. They ride like shit!
I had a set of re-pro Firestone Wide Ovals F70-14 on my 69 a year or to and then changed to NOS Good Year Polyglas H70-14 in rear and Polyglas F70-14 in front. My car is dropped 2" all around and I think the Firestones were a little more instable...but the NOS rear Polyglas maybee stabilizes the car up a bit?
Regards,
Hakan from Sweden
1969 Camaro X44, hugger orange, 427 ZL-1 tribute, TH350, 4:10 12 bolt Posi, RPO Z87, black/white houndstooth, 14" steel wheels & dog dish, 02D built
www.hakansmotorsida.com

doomer

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Re: Firestone vs. Goodyear Poly-glas tires
« Reply #12 on: November 23, 2013, 06:48:34 PM »
Had the Sport Car 200s on mine, and wow, what a terrible ride. Pulled me all over the road. Ruts=bad news.

I know you are shooting for originality, but I put T/As on her, and it felt like I had replace the entire suspension. Night and day.

Shane

VINCE Z28

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Re: Firestone vs. Goodyear Poly-glas tires
« Reply #13 on: November 23, 2013, 08:44:07 PM »
Put a set of F W O's on a 69 chevelle SS 396, car wandered, told the new owner save these for the show and get some radials for go....
" He who knows naught, knows not that he knows naught"  It's not you...  It's just the way my brain is wired.

KERR

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Re: Firestone vs. Goodyear Poly-glas tires
« Reply #14 on: December 20, 2013, 04:07:46 PM »
Not camaro related,   but on my 67 corvette,  we tried everything to get it more stable / not as scary and wondering...    I finally gave up and put on a set of those cooker radials.   solved all my problems.  

I will admit that i miss it a little bit,  the scary as can be feeling..   But at the same time its so nice to put on the brakes and stop straight,  hammer the trottle and it goes straight for the most part,  be able to let go of the wheel on the road and it cross to the other side...    

I do still have two bia ply red lines,   If i had two more wheels i think i would swap them out  every now and then just to play..   when it was bia plys 1-3 was use less,   it was slow as crap but a BLAST,     rolling along some one tell you to get on it.  Floor it in 2nd or 3ed,  and it kills the tires..    

With the radials,  it doesnt even spinn in first now,   I mean it will, if you use the clutch,   but from a roll it just goes..

 this is a few weeks ago,   but it will give you idea of how nice radials are, 

55 mph, 

http://youtu.be/v6ctPB69YZA
 
im holding the steering wheel and cell phone, 

http://youtu.be/KyGvFEoX94E