CPC Norwood

215/65/15 This is great news!

Kelsey Tire has them.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

hope gatorbacks are next!

Drew

iTrader: (58)

I could live a thousand years and I'd never desire to own another Goodyear tire. They always seem expensive, and they never stick to the road. I can honestly say they're the worst tires I've ever owned.

Jason E

For $325 a piece? Happy to see them in production, but lets be real here...they aren't THAT in demand.

I too want Gatorbacks, but there is no way in hell I'd pay $325 each if they were in production.

puma1552

iTrader: (1)

Eagle GTs were one ugly tire, I gotta say.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

They were cool back in the day but yes I agree 325 each is a bit much

ZZ3 Z28

Back in the day, I owned a set of Princetons on a '68 Impala and those tires were a thousand times worse than any Eagle GT could ever be.

jmd

iTrader: (4)

I've had at least 12 non-round Goodyears. And others that sucked too. Some were finally taken back and warranted out for others. Except for a car-shows-only car where originality is judged, the Eagle GT is pointless.

scottmoyer

but at that price, and the fact that tire manufacturers are recommending replacements at about 6 years, that's a lot of money to spend for displays and shows only. I was never impressed with the driveability of Good Year tires. BFG is a much better tire.

Jason E

Personally, in our 245/50 size, its hard to find a really good tire. I've purchased in the past 18 months BFG G Force Sports on my IROC, and Firestone Firehawk WideOvals on my 88 TA. Both suck compared to the OLD BFG Comp TAs on my 86 and Eagle GSCs on my Z28. The problem is, no one makes a nice, stiff sidewall anymore. It seems like these newer tires sacrifice initial turn-in response for a better ride.

Each of those tires were the best I could find when I bought them I can't even get the 235/60/15s for my 86 anymore, outside of a sh!tty Radial TA

puma1552

iTrader: (1)

I love crappy Radial TAs

Drew

iTrader: (58)

No joke... I've never had a set of Goodyear anythings that drove as nice and performed as well as dirt cheap Radial T/A's. Goodyear tires are awesome, they make lame performance cars feel super powerful. They are so low on traction and weather so bad that they usually will burn out for blocks. But then they also can't grip the road if it's even remotely damp. Even my L03 auto 2.73 geared convertible can turn it's Eagle GT tires with ease, and that's a 3600lb 170hp slug.

puma1552

iTrader: (1)

My LO3 auto 2.73 slug coupe can turn the radial though...but only on concrete--asphalt? No way.

But on a serious note for a cruiser tire, the Radial T/A is a great tire if your demands are low. Mine have served me well for their life...great treadwear too if you aren't on it too much.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

My 2.8 5spd S10 would turn the Radial T/A on the passengers side (peg leg) with a vicious clutch dump, or heel/toe power braking... But in normal driving I never had much trouble with traction. Maybe a short squawk on a hard 1-2 shift. I had a set on my 83 Camaro LG4/700R, later they were on the S10, two of them made it on my 3.1L 91 Firebird, and I had another set on my 84 Camaro 2.8/5spd. That set is now on my buddy's 83 Monte Carlo, so yeah long life is right. None of them were under much stress, but they all worked better then the Goodyears I've had. Gatorbacks, GSCs, Eagles, RS-As, doesn't matter, every Goodyear tire I've owned was trash. Even the Wranglers Ford put on the family's Explorer under the Wilderness AT recall were dry rotted and weather checked after a couple years. The Goodyears I've got on the back of the Mustang right now seem to be holding up ok, but if they hadn't have been free and the car wasn't a beater I wouldn't be running them. The 2.3L will spin them even before the turbocharger starts to boost, and they're a 225 16!!! My brother in law's 91 5.0 LX convertible had 245/50 RS-As on it too, even with an auto it'd do violently wicked burnouts in 1st gear. LOL

Someone just needs to make a fake cap that looks like a Gatorback that you can slip on at car shows or something.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

I would like to see the gatorback/GSC/BFG/Firestone made with a compound more like a drag radial uses.. I'm saying they are just used as a show/restoration tire for the most part now anyway.
I dig my Goodyears, they have some issues but so do all tires. (I havent had any probs with mine)
GSCs were waaay better than the gatorbacks and still had "the look".
The old BFG comp T/As were a good lookn tire but all of ours would dry rot a crack fast! Same with the cool looking 92 hawk tire, dry rot and cracking.
These days I will give up a lil wet weather performance for a tire that has "the look" because to be honest, my car has only been out in crappy weather a few times in the last several years.
most tires today def dont have "the look" in my eyes anyway.
All of my cars/trucks (no matter what tire they have) can spin their tires in the rain if you want them to. Who takes a dry summer perfomance tire tested in the rain seriously anyway???
I think that has to do with the crappy oil filled asphalt roads these days. I sure miss all crete roads that IL used to have..

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Which ones do you like better, the G Force Sports or Firehawks? Personally, I've had a couple of sets of BFG KDWs and I loved them. Phenomenal performance tires. In the 16" size they were replaced by the G Force Sports, so I tried a set, and really, that tire can't even hold a candle to the old KDWs. Not even remotely in the same league. People are buying that crappy ***, POS tire because we have few other choices. BFG really let folks like us down by discontinuing the KDW and replacing it with the mediocre G Force Sport, and I sent them an angry email telling them as much.

Back on topic. I wish they'd make Gatorbacks again, especially if they did it with modern compounds. I'd be in for a couple of sets if they weren't priced too outrageously.

Jason E

Charlie,

Both suck, IMO, but I would do G Force Sports over the Firehawks. I think the Firehawks are a better LOOKING tire, and they are quieter...but who cares about quiet?

Both have strong traction on launch (and yes, I do drive hard enough to tell ). However, this could be production variances between IROC vs. WS6 suspension, but the IROC has better transient response, which I attribute to the stiffer sidewall of the G Force Sport. I'm confident in this because frankly, my non-WS6 86 with balloon-sized 60 series Comp TAs has better transient response than both cars!! I will be sad to give those tires up, however they are probably at least 10 years old, and dry cracking is already happening on them

Transient response is huge to me when talking about handling. I like a tire that turns NOW. My wife had Comp TAs on her GTP as OEM tires...I switched them out for Eagle GTs (not the "heritage" style, obviously), and those suck for sidewalls, too....

chazman

iTrader: (4)

This tire comes in our size, seems to get good reviews and is reasonably priced. Anyone with first hand knowledge on it?



http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....omCompare1=yes

Jason E

I tend to shy away from second-tier-brand tires. In my experience when using cheap tires on trade-ins, you typically get what you pay for.

scottmoyer

I like the G Force Sport. It's a much better tire than the Dunlop SP5000 that used to be on the IROC-Z. The G Force Sport grips the road fantastically and allows the car to corner without the rear coming around. I like 'em.

ndg1979

My 82 WS6 Trans Am still sports its 29 year old original set of Eagle GTs (215/65R15 TPC Spec 1042s). I bought the car in 95% original condition back in June and have been researching which stinking tire I'd like to put on it.

I've read above which ones folks don't like and have had to settle with. $325 for re-issue GTs is just beyond insane!

Can I ask if there would be anything that could be recommended for my T/A?? BFG Radial T/As? Firestone Firehawks? Cooper Cobras? Which tires seem to have decent treadwear?

Your suggestions please. Thanks.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

Given those choices? Radial T/As by a safe margin. Generally Firestone makes a really good tire, but the choices they offer in a 15" size are on the cheesier side. Cooper Cobras have always been a step down from a name brand tire. Compare the specs and the Radial T/A carries a really reasonable tread wear rating (400) an A traction rating, and B temp rating. They're soft enough to stick well, but hard enough to last awhile.

82tarecaro

iTrader: (4)

The Radial TA looks period correct too. It looks like it belongs! It's like having a Motley Crue cassette in your car.

TTA 1387

I'd have to disagree. Brand new Eagle GT's, Gatorback's, and GSC's were pretty good tires. They stuck pretty good on acceleration and in the corners. Once they started getting miles on them, that went away fairly quickly.

I could still stick a 1.8x short time on my 10K miles GSC's in the WS6. But after that it was a crap shoot.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

I've driven a lot of tires until they were showing cords, and I've pushed some to destruction. Goodyear tires are the only name brand tires I've disposed of with lots of tread still remaining. We'll just have to agree to disagree. lol

82tarecaro

iTrader: (4)

I had Eagle GT's blow out on me. They were not very good tires. Hopefully the repros have some improvements.

puma1552

iTrader: (1)

FWIW guys, the BFG Radial T/A is on the way out too; many popular sizes are already discontinued and have been thankfully picked up by Coker Tire. When I looked a couple months back, prices were reasonable, but that isn't to say they too haven't gone up to asinine prices, or will very shortly (too lazy to look now).

That said, I'm just thankful that we can get the original tires we want, even at asinine prices.

David M

Wow, I just got rid of my 11 year old Eagle GTs on the '84. They were period correct and it was fun while it lasted. No way I'm paying $325 each to go that route again. I went up to 235/60-15's this go-round with the aforementioned Cooper Cobras. We'll see how they do.

jmd

iTrader: (4)

I got about 25k on each of two sets of BFG Radial T/As. Not sure if the treadwear rating on them is different now.. Go for the Radial T/A while it's available; maybe buy 5?

69-er

I guess that screws my investment of a set of four original GT's I bought back in the early 90's. They are too old and hard to be seriously used on a driver, but was hoping back then I would use them whenever I restored my 83.

Jason E

That's the problem with old tires...they're simply too hard to really use. I have a set of Gatorbacks that are the original off my IROC...they have about 13k miles on them, as the second owner supposedly never used them. They look like new, but are hard as rocks. I admit to doing a stupid-high speed on them when I first got the car, out of sheer excitement...then thought about the stupidity of what I'd just done

I'm saving them for an extra set of IROC wheels to install for shows...

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Still have my original ~10K mile Garorbacks too. Check on ebay, old Gatorbacks are becoming worth some money. I did lose a little on center steering feel on my IROC with the new F1s compared to Gatorbacks.

My offer still stands to Corky Coker. I'll let you use my Gatorbacks as patterns in exchange for a new set.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Im not sure but Kelsey may have a goodyear repop contract..
Wonder who makes the tires?? Ill have to do some checking.

kmcn47

i like eagle gts, my moms 95 has eagles wth yellow letters and nascar logos on them, i'd love those for my car

Jason E

Same here...people can say what they want about Gatorbacks not giving the best acceleration traction, but the damn steering feel and response was incredible with them, even at 22 years old...

chazman

iTrader: (4)

I really loved my Gatorbacks, (moreso when new obviously). If they were still available, I would have bought them in a heartbeat.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

*sigh* Still going on this?

Jason E

Sorry to tell you, I don't see any sign of "this" stopping

Drew

iTrader: (58)

LOL It just seems a little off to be talking about how Gatorbacks are such great tires (in a thread about Eagle GTs) when you're basing the performance (personal impression) on a dried out 22 year old tire. Not only is it off topic, but it's silly. The discussion is no longer about reproduction Eagle GTs, it's now about whether Gatorbacks were ever good tires. Personally I think you need to stop buying cheap tires, and maybe you'd find something that would perform better (in your opinion). Either that or you might have a predisposition for dried out performance tires.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Oh, I don't know....the GY F1s were THE most expensive tire for our cars available when I bought them, so they were anything but cheap, and although they totally outperform my 20 year old Gatorbacks, they wouldn't outperform new ones. Well, I don't think anyway.

For example, (beyond the aforementioned steering feel), I can break loose my F1s from a roll when I punch it while in 2nd. I coudn't do that with my Gatorbacks until the got pretty old, (like over 10 years old).


Plus...I like how those Gatorbacks look.

puma1552

iTrader: (1)

I think the thing to want here is for the aftermarket repops to be technologically new at the core, with an identical to the original outward appearance. Much like how the PolyGlas GT tires and redline bias-ply tires of yesteryear look 100% original, but underneath are modern radials.

That's what you guys should be hoping for. Eagle GTs/Gatorbacks with today's technology under the skin. A 20 year old tire may have been good 20 years ago, but pretty much any tire made today should be capable of taking a steaming dump on them, just for the sake of technology's advancement over 20 years.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

Ok than, how about name brand equivalent from a manufacturer OTHER then Goodyear.

I'm sorry, but Goodyear is the only name brand tire I know of that actually makes the off brands look like a good tire. Does anyone else remember when the Goodyear RS-A had over 200 negative reviews on Tirerack.com? I just checked they're up to 2552 reviews, and most of them are negative. LOL

RS-As are just a typical middle of the road Goodyear tire that came OEM on MANY cars. Everything from econo-cars to performance cars. Surely a step down from the mighty GSC or Gatorback, but still a high end Goodyear tire (over $200 each). Even the better reviews say bad things about them.

I had a set on my Formula when I got it. They were like new, LOTS of tread. I was working the 3pm-midnight shift. One night I got off work and about a mile from work I hit the brakes and the car slid 20 feet through an intersection and almost jumped a curb. I was doing a maximum of 30mph and the roads were completely clear, with maybe a little dew on the roads. I switched to BFGoodrich Comp T/As and never had another problem with it. Incidentally, my friend's girlfriend traded the car in on a Cavalier because she put it in the median twice on a 45 mile trip. 4 lane divided interstate, with less then an inch of snow.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

That's exactly the idea. If such a tire existed and came in somewhere below a rape-worthy price, I'd buy 2 sets (that's EIGHT tires), immediately.

MI ROC-Z

Honestly, I could see putting some $325 original reproduction tires on a 69 copo camaro, but on my 89 IROC, or any other third gen camaro, who gives a damn! There are much better ways to spend $1200, and much better looking/performing tires out there too!

Drew

iTrader: (58)

I was reading an article in one of the classic collector car magazines, it was about reproduction bias ply tires and how they compared to modern radials. They did before and after back to back drives to see what difference it made. The writer pointed out that many classic muscle cars show up to cruise nights and car shows with no name raised white letter tires, and that they look more appropriate with accurate rubber. His position was that the right tires made a huge impact on the look of the car and didn't sacrifice much in the way of driving.

But now in our case, VR50 or ZR50s don't look all that much different then modern tires. Tread pattern maybe, but they were black sidewall tires. It's not worth it to many vintage car owners, why is it worth it at all to late model owners? I've never had anyone walk up and say "nice car, but it really needs Gatorbacks to look right".

chazman

iTrader: (4)

True, but when I had the Gatorbacks on my IROC, people used to comment on them all the time. Like I've said, if they were still available, I'd buy them.

Maybe it's time for a poll.

86WS6

iTrader: (1)

My 86 came with the Gatorbacks. At 25K miles in 2005 the left front separated and blew out the sidewall sitting parked in the garage. I sold the other three, and put a new set of Kumbo's on the car. Those are old now, and I am going with the Michelin Pilot Sport which is a great tire, far superior to anything that came OEM on these cars. The tires are the only thing on the car that is not stock, however if I never own another set of Goodyears it will be too soon.

86WS6

iTrader: (1)

http://www.michelinman.com/tire-sele...t/tire-details

Jason E

According to their own website, there is no 245/50/16 available...

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

The Comp TAs were more than 2x the cost of the G Force Sports. It's kind of a poor comparison. I had BFG KDWs on the GTA before going to the G Force Sports, and I like the G Force tires as much as the more expensive KDWs. In fact, I'm a huge G Force Sport fanboy. I have them on my IROC, GTA, Comp G (2nd set) and had a couple sets of them on my Corvette. Outstanding straight line traction, and handling as good as any other tire I've used on any of those cars.