Speedway tires

[mgb]

Bob, the build date was 1/26/68.  Do you know the measurement of the 2 letter sizes?

Mike

[Coralsnake]

You would probably be okay either way, but I have notes on several cars from that time frame with the big letters

[TLea]

1/26 was one of my favorite build dates (1622) That date would have large letter tires

[mgb]

....and 1622 is looking real good in my garage. 

Mike

[TLea]

....and 1622 is looking real good in my garage. 

Mike

well I can tell you just about anything you'd want to know about it (except the last 5 years)

[mgb]

Thanks Tim, I knew that you would share your information and I do have some info about the last 5 yrs.  The car now has 71,995 miles on it I think there was 71,775 when you sold it.  Does that seem right?

Talk to you soon.

Mike

[Bob Gaines]

Bob, the build date was 1/26/68.  Do you know the measurement of the 2 letter sizes?

Mike

3/4"  + 1 inch .Bob

[TLea]

mileage sounds correct so the obvious question would be why are you replacing tires that 20 miles ago were perfect?

[mgb]

It's more like 200+ miles and I suspect that all those miles were on the 1/4 mile track not far from his man cave.  The car has never been plated (tagged) since you  owned it.  I'm not sure if you know the previous owner but he has a collection of more than 40 cars, each as nice as 1622, and he likes to take them out once and a while.  The back tires are not as fresh as the front and I want the car back to the condition it was in when you had it.  The letters on the tires you had on the car are 1 1/4 inch and I have been asking whether those are the large or small letters.  To get the car as pristine as I can I will install 4 new tires, BTW the rear tires are not bald, just more used than the fronts. Does that make sense, it does to me.

Mike

[TLea]

Got it. The tires on the car (large letters) are correct. That car would do well in the 1/4. It was the best running Shelby I ever had

[smallhurst]

Hi guys,

From the Kelsey website:

Speedway small and large  letters were used as follows:


SOME SHELBY NOTES
As a running production change on the 1969 model, Shelby went to the Boss 302 front spindles and heavy duty rear springs which required them to use F60 tires. However there wasn’t a single car cutoff where the smaller tires stopped and the larger tires began. And a handful of cars with the upgraded spindles and rear springs came through with the smaller tires in order that Shelby was able to use up what he still had in inventory.

#0001 - #1887 non Hertz cars with E70 tires
#1888 - #1930  First batch of cars solid to Hertz using upgraded suspension but with E70 tires.
#1931 - #1966 non Hertz cars built with upgraded suspension and F60 tires.
#1967 - #2073 2nd batch of cars sold to Hertz using upgraded suspension but with E70 tires.
#2074 - #3295  non Hertz cars with F60 tires.
#2303 & #2378 two Hertz cars built with upgraded suspension and F60 tires.

The large letter is about 1.1" tall with the small letters being about .75" tall.

As for the tires getting messed up during mounting, can you please let me know what it was.  I have had several people get their tires mounted with no problems.  I will be happy to pass any information along John Kelsey.

Any questions that anyone has about these tires, please contact me.  My cell is 816-654-3400.

Rusty Small

[Bob Gaines]

Hi guys,

From the Kelsey website:

Speedway small and large  letters were used as follows:


SOME SHELBY NOTES
As a running production change on the 1969 model, Shelby went to the Boss 302 front spindles and heavy duty rear springs which required them to use F60 tires. However there wasn’t a single car cutoff where the smaller tires stopped and the larger tires began. And a handful of cars with the upgraded spindles and rear springs came through with the smaller tires in order that Shelby was able to use up what he still had in inventory.

#0001 - #1887 non Hertz cars with E70 tires
#1888 - #1930  First batch of cars solid to Hertz using upgraded suspension but with E70 tires.
#1931 - #1966 non Hertz cars built with upgraded suspension and F60 tires.
#1967 - #2073 2nd batch of cars sold to Hertz using upgraded suspension but with E70 tires.
#2074 - #3295  non Hertz cars with F60 tires.
#2303 & #2378 two Hertz cars built with upgraded suspension and F60 tires.

The large letter is about 1.1" tall with the small letters being about .75" tall.

As for the tires getting messed up during mounting, can you please let me know what it was.  I have had several people get their tires mounted with no problems.  I will be happy to pass any information along John Kelsey.

Any questions that anyone has about these tires, please contact me.  My cell is 816-654-3400.

Rusty Small

Rusty ,you have your information confused. The information you posted was for 1969 production that is why F 60 15 is included. This topic is about 1968 production. Another thing is that the information as it relates to 69 production is not E 70 15 speedway tires but the E 70 15 polyglas blackwall tires . There was no large letter or small letter Speedway used in 1969 Shelby production. The Speedway tire was discontinued in later 68 and the new E70 15 polyglas blackwall tire was introduced at the same time as the KR and used to the end of production . They were the same size E 70 15 but a different tire line -speedway vs polyglas. I believe John is working on a reissue of the E 70 15 polyglas blackwall tire as of the last time we spoke. Bob

[mikeljgt500kr]

Hi guys,


As for the tires getting messed up during mounting, can you please let me know what it was.  I have had several people get their tires mounted with no problems.  I will be happy to pass any information along John Kelsey.

Any questions that anyone has about these tires, please contact me.  My cell is 816-654-3400.

Rusty Small

OK, here are pictures of my Kelseys, I bought them mid last year. I use them as show tires and for judging.  You can see the stripe that runs from the bead out, the tire mounting goop ran over the sidewall as I drove out of the shop.  The area is like a deep scar, where the smooth rubber has become rough, almost like it was sanded with a coarse substance, etched into the sidewall.  You will also notice the seam or mold mark on the sidewall about an inch or two down from the tread, that also is unsightly.  When I took them back to Discount tire, they said they had never seen that kind of etching, and indeed I have had them mount my Diamondback, and Coker reproduction Firestones and BFGs without any of this happening.  Not sure what chemical they were using, but it etched your tires and no others.  Thanks for listening.

[papa scoops]

I don't know the buil date, ford or ao, but our 68 gt 500 convertible car #2757, had the larger lettered tires when new. still have photos, somewhere. phred

[smallhurst]

Rusty ,you have your information confused. The information you posted was for 1969 production that is why F 60 15 is included. This topic is about 1968 production. Another thing is that the information as it relates to 69 production is not E 70 15 speedway tires but the E 70 15 polyglas blackwall tires . There was no large letter or small letter Speedway used in 1969 Shelby production. The Speedway tire was discontinued in later 68 and the new E70 15 polyglas blackwall tire was introduced at the same time as the KR and used to the end of production . They were the same size E 70 15 but a different tire line -speedway vs polyglas. I believe John is working on a reissue of the E 70 15 polyglas blackwall tire as of the last time we spoke. Bob

Thank you for putting me on the right path!!!

A friend of mine found some E70-15 Polyglas a couple of years ago and was going to put them on a Z/28.  I told him wrong tire and to steer them to Shelby owners!!!!

I am much more versed in many other lines of Musclecars, but I am quite willing to become a student of the Shelby!!!!