Finally received a set of new Firestone GR70 x 14 Wide Oval Radial tires

[rackerm]

Finally Firestone to started producing their new Wide Oval Radials. I have had my order for five GR70 x 14s in with Coker Tires for nine months, just waiting for them to start shipping. Got them mounted on the original 73 aluminum slot wheels today and on the car they went. Took it out for a drive and the ride great a little softer than my T/A Radials, but the handling for a classic reproduction radial tire is just fine.

 

[waterlife]

Lookin very good??

 

[turtle5353]

Nice. How much do those run?

 

[mach71351c]

Very cool!

 

[Bentworker]

Looking good!

 

[rackerm]

Nice. How much do those run?

They are very pricey. Coker tire lists them for $250 each. They told me they only received 3 sets from Firestone (early production run) and did not expect further shipments until the end of September. They are meant to look like the standard muscle car bias ply tires, but in radial form. My car originally came with the GR78 x 14 Radial option. Decent GR78s size tires are not available and I did not want to go with the usual B F Goodrich T/As.

 

[eddyw]

Looking very good. ::thumb::

 

[JD79]

Show winner! Fantastic car! I love the wheel/tire combination

 

[turtle5353]

Nice. How much do those run?

They are very pricey. Coker tire lists them for $250 each. They told me they only received 3 sets from Firestone (early production run) and did not expect further shipments until the end of September. They are meant to look like the standard muscle car bias ply tires, but in radial form. My car originally came with the GR78 x 14 Radial option. Decent GR78s size tires are not available and I did not want to go with the usual B F Goodrich T/As.

The car I just finished restoring for a guy had E70x14's on it. He really wanted to go back to stock appearing. At the time I couldn't find anything, even from Coker other than original bias-ply. His tires are very small and skinny compared to those. They look great!  Im sure if they would of had them he would of bought them. We did end up finding some 14' white line tires that were same size. My buddy owns a tire shop and did some digging and found a set from one of his suppliers. We still paid around $100 a piece for these little bastards!! lol!!





quick picture upload

 

[timachone]

I love the tire/rim-combination on your car, your car looks beautiful with them, absolutely perfect :bravo:

 

[timachone]

Nice. How much do those run?

They are very pricey. Coker tire lists them for $250 each. They told me they only received 3 sets from Firestone (early production run) and did not expect further shipments until the end of September. They are meant to look like the standard muscle car bias ply tires, but in radial form. My car originally came with the GR78 x 14 Radial option. Decent GR78s size tires are not available and I did not want to go with the usual B F Goodrich T/As.

The car I just finished restoring for a guy had E70x14's on it. He really wanted to go back to stock appearing. At the time I couldn't find anything, even from Coker other than original bias-ply. His tires are very small and skinny compared to those. They look great!  Im sure if they would of had them he would of bought them. We did end up finding some 14' white line tires that were same size. My buddy owns a tire shop and did some digging and found a set from one of his suppliers. We still paid around $100 a piece for these little bastards!! lol!!





quick picture upload

But Kevin, I have to say that these wheels are looking very cool on this plain Mach 1 with the dog dish caps.

I will too go with 215/70R14 with RWL and dog dish caps but without chrome rings, for an police interceptor look. I thin that will look good on a Glod Glow Mach 1 with black stripes and 3/4 vinyl roof...

I love what you have done with the yellow Mach 1 - fantastic build!

 

[rackerm]

Nice. How much do those run?

They are very pricey. Coker tire lists them for $250 each. They told me they only received 3 sets from Firestone (early production run) and did not expect further shipments until the end of September. They are meant to look like the standard muscle car bias ply tires, but in radial form. My car originally came with the GR78 x 14 Radial option. Decent GR78s size tires are not available and I did not want to go with the usual B F Goodrich T/As.

The car I just finished restoring for a guy had E70x14's on it. He really wanted to go back to stock appearing. At the time I couldn't find anything, even from Coker other than original bias-ply. His tires are very small and skinny compared to those. They look great!  Im sure if they would of had them he would of bought them. We did end up finding some 14' white line tires that were same size. My buddy owns a tire shop and did some digging and found a set from one of his suppliers. We still paid around $100 a piece for these little bastards!! lol!!





quick picture upload

Those white lines look very correct for the car. Are they Radial or Bias Ply? The Firestone Radials only come in FR70 and GR70 x 14s or 15s as well as FR60 x 15. ER series is a very common size. Hopefully they will be adding sizes over time.

 

[turtle5353]

They are very pricey. Coker tire lists them for $250 each. They told me they only received 3 sets from Firestone (early production run) and did not expect further shipments until the end of September. They are meant to look like the standard muscle car bias ply tires, but in radial form. My car originally came with the GR78 x 14 Radial option. Decent GR78s size tires are not available and I did not want to go with the usual B F Goodrich T/As.

The car I just finished restoring for a guy had E70x14's on it. He really wanted to go back to stock appearing. At the time I couldn't find anything, even from Coker other than original bias-ply. His tires are very small and skinny compared to those. They look great!  Im sure if they would of had them he would of bought them. We did end up finding some 14' white line tires that were same size. My buddy owns a tire shop and did some digging and found a set from one of his suppliers. We still paid around $100 a piece for these little bastards!! lol!!





quick picture upload

Those white lines look very correct for the car. Are they Radial or Bias Ply? The Firestone Radials only come in FR70 and GR70 x 14s or 15s as well as FR60 x 15. ER series is a very common size. Hopefully they will be adding sizes over time.

I cant remember the brand, but yes they are radials. They were actually a lesser known tire company that we stumbled upon. Couldn't get anything even close from the big name guys.

 

[rackerm]

They are very pricey. Coker tire lists them for $250 each. They told me they only received 3 sets from Firestone (early production run) and did not expect further shipments until the end of September. They are meant to look like the standard muscle car bias ply tires, but in radial form. My car originally came with the GR78 x 14 Radial option. Decent GR78s size tires are not available and I did not want to go with the usual B F Goodrich T/As.

The car I just finished restoring for a guy had E70x14's on it. He really wanted to go back to stock appearing. At the time I couldn't find anything, even from Coker other than original bias-ply. His tires are very small and skinny compared to those. They look great!  Im sure if they would of had them he would of bought them. We did end up finding some 14' white line tires that were same size. My buddy owns a tire shop and did some digging and found a set from one of his suppliers. We still paid around $100 a piece for these little bastards!! lol!!





quick picture upload

But Kevin, I have to say that these wheels are looking very cool on this plain Mach 1 with the dog dish caps.

I will too go with 215/70R14 with RWL and dog dish caps but without chrome rings, for an police interceptor look. I thin that will look good on a Glod Glow Mach 1 with black stripes and 3/4 vinyl roof...

I love what you have done with the yellow Mach 1 - fantastic build!

You mean something like this.....

 

[timachone]

Exactly, Rich lollerz ::thumb:: ::thumb:: ::thumb:: ::thumb:: :coolphotos: :goodpost: :thankyouyellow:

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Those do look good more like new.

Just a little info from the past. The original Firestone Wide Oval tires had a bad name here. They would blow out all the time. When I ordered my Mach 1 I did specify Goodyear Brand name tires and shows on the window sticker that way.

 

[will e]

I love the look of those firestones! Thanks for sharing with pictures.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I noticed in the picture of your trunk that you have two torsion springs on your trunk. Did you put the extra one on? I would think that the trunk really jumps up when you open it. The Ford manual says mustang has one and cougar has two. I have one and it is in the center slot as far as tension and it has plenty of lift to hold the trunk open.

What trunk spatter paint did you use? It looks like the lighter color. I have not been able to find anything near what the original was.

 

[rackerm]

I noticed in the picture of your trunk that you have two torsion springs on your trunk. Did you put the extra one on? I would think that the trunk really jumps up when you open it. The Ford manual says mustang has one and cougar has two. I have one and it is in the center slot as far as tension and it has plenty of lift to hold the trunk open.

What trunk spatter paint did you use? It looks like the lighter color. I have not been able to find anything near what the original was.

David,

I added the second torsion bar because my trunk lid was slightly torqued when closed and made it difficult to align the trunk lid seems with the top of the quarter panels. When I had one I had the single bar in the middle slot like you. With the two bars I use the lower slot (less torque) on both and the trunk aligns perfectly when closed. It opens about the same as it did with one bar in the middle slot.

I painted my trunk floor and inside quarters with chassis black and then a few coats of Eastwood Gray/White Spatter paint. I think the black not only protected the metal but it also toned down the spatter paint. I think it turned out very close to the original. Keep in mind the spatter paint is not water proof and they say to satin clear coat it, but I have not done that yet.

Rich