NOS tires with dry rot

[Rainer]

I've got an NOS Firestone Wide Oval tire with some dry rot cracking similar to the spare in the photo (Note crack on sidewall about 1.5 in. from tread). Any opinions on what this does to the value of the tire? Is it essentially worthless? Appreciate any opinions

[RamAirDave]

I would think it isnt worth too much, except maybe as a spare. Might not look too bad cleaned up and sitting in the trunk.

Driving on it will be horrendous, and dont think it would score well on a judging sheet on a car.

[MosportGreen66]

if it could be used as a show spare then I think you're fine... as long as it never touches the ground you're in good shape!

-Dan

[Keith Tedford]

Check every day cars on the street and more than enough are running tires that don't look any better. Makes you cringe. I have a set of Uniroyals that are good for pictures but wouldn't use them for anything else.

[Jeff Murphy]

Is it RWL? Post a pic. I bet there are a few people here that might be interested...

[Salvatore]

Don't know about the rest of the tire but it may not be that bad. Depends how deep.

[TimG]

I would think in a judging situation, it may score better than a correct reproduction tire if the judges are feeling good.
I've seen cases where a tire like that really should receive a small deduction, but the owner went through the trouble of finding and paying for originals and they are rewarded.
If I were the judge, I'd be generous with an original like that because I like seeing them on a car.

P.S. But I wouldn't drive 100 yards on one like that, I found out the hard way when I tore up an original that looked great.

[Rainer]

Here are a couple pics. Its an F 70 14 with a date code of 185 (18th week of 75).

[budnate]

hey silly 2 cent remark, hard to tell but is it a crack? or slight lip from a rubber overlay like from a recap???

dont know about you guys but in Bellingham when I was kid we had a huge recap place right in old downtown, more than half of the city ran his stuff it was top notch and if you ever got a bum one he slapped a new one on while you stood there, he even had those sticky sawdust? type snow tires that gripped like a cheeta in the winter even on a old pile.

[Rainer]

Hey Bud - Definitely a crack, as its a new tire. It had a Firestone decal affixed to the tread. Appreciate the idea, though