Re: Original Goodyear Poly glas tires
 

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/hmmm.gif--There was an article 12/68 in Hi Performance Cars mag covering the test of a New'69 Baldwin Motion Chevelle wearing Goodyears--They said the tires were part of the RPO-F41 Suspension package-----------

Re: Original Goodyear Poly glas tires
 

Just looking through the 1969 Chevrolet Press kits & Communication kits/filmstrips.
They mention the Polyglas tire and Fiberglass belted Wider tires,but no Goodyear Polyglas white lettered pix or reference.
Only the Goodyear Wide Tread reference & pix as stated earlier on SS cars.

Re: Original Goodyear Poly glas tires
 

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/blush.gif---Checked the article photos Rick--The tires are Goodyear wide treads----- https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif--%$#&^(*Wisea$$) https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/wink.gif

Re: Original Goodyear Poly glas tires
 

We've talked about this before. GENERALLY speaking, fiberglass belted WHITE LETTER tires were NOT available in model year 1969 on Camaros and Chevelles. There is much evidence to support this including lack of the option listed on order sheets, no known period or advertising photos of belted tires, etc. Also of interest is that the early 1970 Chevelle ads show non belted tires even though the belted tires were the only white letter tire available on the 70 Chevelle and Camaro. That supports the lack of belted tire use on 69 Chevelles and Camaros.

In my opinion, belted white letter tires should not be considered correct on any 69 Chevelle or Camaro unless you have documentation to prove otherwise for YOUR car. I've talked to Camaro judges who say that the Polyglas white letter without the size in white letter are judged as OK for 69 Camaros - an error, I believe. There are, however, several build sheets of COPO cars that list belted white letter tires and that is certainly believable by me, but that doesn't mean that these tires were generally available for 69 Camaros and Chevelles. They were not.

The preponderance of the incorrect application of Polyglas on 69 Camaros and Chevelles has snowballed by folks not doing the research and relying on the catalogs stating they are correct for 196X to 197X and looking at other RESTORED cars. It is one of my pet peeves to see a beautifully restored COPO with wrong Polyglas on it.

The small "Wide Oval" lettered Firestones were NOT belted and are not reproduced. They are correct for 1969. The larger "Wide Oval" lettered Firestones ARE belted and were available begining in the 1970 model year. They are reproduced but are NOT correct for 69. The tread pattern on these two tires is different.

The Uniroyals were not belted in 1969, but were in 1970. The white letters did not differ on the belted vs. non-belted tire, but there is black lettering on the tire to indicate it is belted.

Goodyear should read "Wide Tread" in white letters and not "Polyglas" (unless you have one of the couple of COPOs that indicate PL5 RPO). Don't confuse the "Custom Wide Tread" black lettering that is on the Polyglas tires with the "Wide Tread" white letted, non-belted tires. The tread pattern on these two tires is different.

Forget all of the above if you aren't talking WHITE LETTER for 69. Belted red stripe and white stripe were available and sold on Camaros and Chevelles.

Polyglas is Goodyears trademark of fiberglass belted. It is a contraction of Polyester (the cord material) and Fiberglass (the belt material). Other terms used interchangebly include "glass belted", "belted", "FG belted" and others.

Even the car magazines got it wrong (often) in 69 describing "those great Polyglas Goodyears" when the photos clearly showed Wide Treads!!

Finally, Chevy was one of the last to offer WHITE LETTER belted tires for the muscle cars. Polyglas was launched by Goodyear in mid 68 and the other makers followed very quickly. Most everyone - even AMC - offered belted white letter tires on muscle and pony cars in model year 1969.

Dave

Re: Original Goodyear Poly glas tires
 

Great post Dave... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif

Re: Original Goodyear Poly glas tires
 

This is an idiot question, but what is the difference between a belted and non-belted tire? What is the significance of fiberglass vs. other materials used in the tires?

Re: Original Goodyear Poly glas tires
 

[ QUOTE ]
This is an idiot question, but what is the difference between a belted and non-belted tire? What is the significance of fiberglass vs. other materials used in the tires?

[/ QUOTE ]
Not an idiot question at all as I was wondering the same thing.
I've been looking for some 15" polyglass white letter repops but all I see listed are 14"s. Are they making them in 15?

Re: Original Goodyear Poly glas tires
 

Thanks, Joe.
Marlin, Gary: Bias ply tires have "plies" or cords running from bead to bead on an angle or bias (not at a right angle to the bead as in a radial). Belted tires have a "belt" (picture a wide, flat belt running radially around the tread of the tire) over the cord plies and under the tread. Do a Google search for "tire construction" and see what pops up.

Belted tires first used fiberglass belts, then steel belts became prevelant in the mid 70's on radials. There is a real mix out there nowadays. Incidentally, to the best of my knowledge, there has never been a steel belted bias ply!

Kelsey, the distributor of vintage Goodyears, has F70x15 Polyglas and Wide Tread and F60x15 Polyglas (and E70x15 for the Z - the E70s for the Z28 weather Goodyear or Firestone, were not belted. Hard to figure, I know). In the Firestone brand, add G70x15.

And Gary, the Vette guys say the Polyglas is wrong for ANY Vette through 72. You need Wide Teads to be correct. But if you must have Polyglas, and you don't want repros, I have a set of original 1972 (I think) dated F70-15 Polyglas that are very good to mint.

That's enough, I'm tired (couldn't resist).
Dave

Re: Original Goodyear Poly glas tires
 

Agree, very informative summary from mmrec. I worked for Goodyear for a couple of years during the early 70s when the Polyglas tires were making their entrance (during the time when Goodyear stores were selling everything including appliances). Most Polyglas tires at the early stage of release were certainly not RWL versions but primarily were black or W/S.

There is alot of misinformation out there as mmrec points out very well. Polyglas became a key ingredient on many Goodyear tires even though they weren't the RWL version that said Polyglas.

As I recall the benefit of fiberglas was in layman's terms to give you more miles from your tire. The two fiberglas belts along with the two polyester (some later used Rayon) gave the tire more stability/rigidity allowing the tread less squirm on the road = more miles per tire. Most mfg's at this stage used a 2/2 design of 2 ply fiberglas and 2 ply polyester. The polyester still gave the tire some give for purposes of riding comfort. An all polyester tire would give an even better ride but less miles per tire. I do remember that the fiberglas belted tires had ongoing problems with "cupping". You had to keep them balanced. Many drivers would come back after owning the tire for awhile and would have the cupping problem and would expect an adjustment for a new tire.....no adjustment would be given for this issue.

Believe you can still get the 15" Polyglas repro tires from Kelsey Tire.

Re: Original Goodyear Poly glas tires
 

FG belted RWL tires are on the April rev of 1969 Camaro Dealer ordering info. That means from about May until the end of production those tires were available.

That spans about 70,000 cars and you know how everyone of them was built. Amazing!!

Re: Original Goodyear Poly glas tires
 

Thanks Bill. I guess that ,once again, blows the absolutes that people look for with this stuff. Thanks goodness I was only half way through dismounting all my polyglas. LOL

Re: Original Goodyear Poly glas tires
 

If there were 70,000+ Camaros running around in 1969 that could have potentially had polyglas tires, how come no one can seem to produce photo evidence of one wearing them prior to 1970? https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/dunno.gif

Re: Original Goodyear Poly glas tires
 

Most of the factory promo materials were of course early production vehicles, which may explain the lack of published photos with the PGs

Re: Original Goodyear Poly glas tires
 

Our COPO Chevelle came with the PL5 option tires and they were the white lettered Uniroyals. I still have the original spare.

Re: Original Goodyear Poly glas tires
 

I'm not talking PR photos, I'd be happy with a vintage snapshot taken in some proud new owner's driveway, at the dragstrip, dealership, in the showroom, on the backlot, anywhere. If polyglas tires were installed on all these Camaros in '69...someone oughta have a picture of at least one of 'em wouldn't ya say? https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/hmmm.gif

Re: Original Goodyear Poly glas tires
 

[ QUOTE ]
someone oughta have a picture of at least one of 'em wouldn't ya say?

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe none of those 70,000 have registered yet https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif
I'm putting wide whites on all my crap https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/cool.gif

Re: Original Goodyear Poly glas tires
 

[ QUOTE ]
Gary, the Vette guys say the Polyglas is wrong for ANY Vette through 72. You need Wide Teads to be correct. But if you must have Polyglas, and you don't want repros, I have a set of original 1972 (I think) dated F70-15 Polyglas that are very good to mint.
That's enough, I'm tired (couldn't resist).
Dave

[/ QUOTE ]
I was looking for a set of these for a friends car, Dave. I'll pass the info about your tires along and if he is interested I'll let you know. I just spent the last few hours cleaning and installing the white stripe Goodyear Wide Treads that were included with the car when I bought it. After a quick road test of these ill handling beasts I think I'll be in the market for a nice set of 60 series radials https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/tongue.gif. I can appreciate originality and will toss the Wide Treads on if I have it judged.

Re: Original Goodyear Poly glas tires
 

I know of at least 6 cars built with PL4 tires, all later cars, starting end of May / June timeframe.

How many pics have we seen of original cars with the original tires? No surprise that you wouldn't find pics of a late production subset of that........
No published production totals on PL4. But they were the most expensive tire option available in 69.

Re: Original Goodyear Poly glas tires
 

I'm not sure if William is taking a swipe at me or not. Regardless, I learn everyday how much I DON'T know. That is part of the quest for knowledge and how we ALL learn. I overlooked the April price sheet revision.

No doubt there are more than the couple of cars with build sheets out there with belted RWL, but because of the lack of documentation (photos, etc.), the late date of the option being available and it's cost, I'll stick to my opinion of GENERALLY, belted RWLs are incorrect for MOST 69 Chevelles and Camaros. Certainly incorrect for any with builds prior to May, right William?

Dave

Re: Original Goodyear Poly glas tires
 

[ QUOTE ]
I know of at least 6 cars built with PL4 tires, all later cars, starting end of May / June timeframe.

How many pics have we seen of original cars with the original tires? No surprise that you wouldn't find pics of a late production subset of that........
No published production totals on PL4. But they were the most expensive tire option available in 69.

[/ QUOTE ]

PL4 doen't mean Polyglas though, just means white lettered belted tires, which could be Uniroyals or Firestones. And yes, its surprising to me that no one has ever seen or found a single photograph or solid evidence of a 69 camaro with original polyglas tires on it when they were supposedly available from April until the end of production. I think there are plenty of pics out there of original cars with original tires...just none with Polyglases. I still don't believe there was ever a Goodyear polyglas used on a camaro in 69.

Re: Original Goodyear Poly glas tires
 

My understanding was that PL5 was the standard white lettered (ss/copo)tire in 1969 and PL4 was the optional Polyglas. I have never seen a polyglas on a 69 car but mention is made on the released ZL1 documents regarding car #68 being so equipped. Were there any 15 inch polyglas tires available for 9737 equipped cars or Z28's, and what was the code. You would think, cars designed with handling in mind would have the polyglas tires available.

BTW, this is a great informative thread... keep up the great work https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/smile.gif

Re: Original Goodyear Poly glas tires
 

I just think that if polyglas tires were supposedly available on every 69 Camaro built after May of '69 then they shouldn't be that terribly hard to photo document.

Nearly every other RPO available on a 69 Camaro has been photo documented in a vintage pic at some point on this site or another, with the exception of these polyglas RWL tires. I just think if they were installed in any #'s at all, someone oughta remember their Camaro having them or have the pics to back it up.

I hear where you're coming from Kurt, and understand that not every 69 Camaro got photographed when it was new, but plenty did, which is why we have concrete evidence that some wore Uniroyals, some wore Firestones etc. but none of a Camaro wearing polyglas tires. If it weren't for original pics to document these restored cars and their individuality, they might as well all be wearing Goodyears if you go by the build sheet. JMO
Now...somebody dig out that '69 photo of your Camaro with it's original polyglas tires and we'll all go https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...emlins/eek.gif

Re: Original Goodyear Poly glas tires
 

'406TOM' hooked me up with a "OLD" tire he had.
Perfect.
https://www.yenko.net/photos/data/500...DETREAD_GT.jpg

Stored upright for photo.

Jim https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/flag.gif

Re: Original Goodyear Poly glas tires
 

Don't look at Pacecars, except for some of the very late ones, for an original picture of a polyglas tire, especially ones that were at the track. Those were all built in February or 69 well before the April 1 announcement of the polyglas availability. If a pacecar came with polyglas from the factory, it would have had to have been a very late April or early May car.

I have them on mine,(see signature link) but I only have them because I stole them on Ebay for about 150 bucks for 5 of them. I don't have any documentation on my car (04L) that would indicate what kind of tires came on it originally though. They just look more vintage on the car than the old BFG Radial TA's it had on it, although they drive like crap.

Re: Original Goodyear Poly glas tires
 

All I have is the remains (50%) of the TANK Sheet- Chassis Broadcast Copy found on top of my gas tank.
Tire detail below
https://www.yenko.net/photos/data/500/TIRE_info.jpg

Mark the tires on your car look good. I just switched to some Firestone radials after 20 years of Bias ply redlines and the car is Fun to drive (Safer)!
I put the GYR-WT-GT in as a spare because, It looks great.
I have no vintage pics of MY car and have no information as to what was installed from the factory. If I recall others have indicated that the "Z" wall code was for a White letter tire, just what brand would depends on a lot of factors?
A lot of the advertising for PACE cars shows the GoodYear Wide Tread GT. I realize that all production cars would not be the same.

Hey didn't Steve from the east coast have some great vintage pics of a pace car he has? Maybe a tire shot.

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/dunno.gif
Jim