Original Tire Question & other

[MNHoosier]

I have not completely made a final decision on my vehicle. As such, I am still looking around.

I have stumbled upon a '78 which has the wide tire option, 255's. I'm relatively sure that the standard tire (225's) on vettes, was for the most part, the Goodyear Polysteel. However, what about the wide tire? Was it also the Goodyear Polysteel or were they Goodyear GT Radial raised white outline?

Also, I have been told that the '78 silver or silver 2-tone paint jobs were not very good as opposed to other colors and later years. Is this correct?

Thanks guys for all your feedback on the salt question. I'm glad it started a good friendly discussion.

 

[Guy]

You can find that info by clicking on the Specifications tab or http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/specs/1978.html


Guy

 

[MNHoosier]

Believe me, that's the first place I looked. I want to find out which brand of tire was used. The spec page only gives me the size.

 

[Yoda]

Tires..

The "wide" tires of 78 ~ 82 were the 255/60/15 Goodyear GT Radials, also known as "Gator Backs" and yes the standard tire (225's) on vettes, was the Goodyear Polysteel.

The 78 ~ 81 bulit at St. Louis were all laq. paint, and if taken care of can still be made to shine pretty good. Laq. is getting harder and harder to find because of EPA rules.. but some states still alow it's use.. I have three quarts of 84L for Rare and some day, I'll get here a new coat.

BudD

 

[MNHoosier]

Bud, Thanks.

The car I'm looking at is not in my easily drivable area and so I'm trying to dertemine the autheniticy from afar. I hadn't seen the GT's on any of the Vettes I've been looking at.

 

[Guy]

MNHoosier,

I found the NCRS Technical Information Manual & Judging Guides a wealth of info down to the correct radiator cap. Just another suggestion you may have thought about.

Guy

 

[78SilvAnniv]

78SA paint

Hi Hoosier,
My 78 had original paint in rapidly deteriorating condition so we had her painted last year in WA state. I don't recall the type of paint used, but I do know I was much happier with this privately done paint job than I was with the factory paint.

Factory had a base coat of silver with the darker color and pin stripping laid over the top. There were definite edges where the darker paint ended, allowing the raised paint to 'catch' on things and chip off.

Private paint was all done custom, in that I mean no pin stripping kits were used. The base coat of silver was laid with the darker color masked and painted on, then the pinstripping was masked and painted on, with a final step of several layers of clear over everything. The end result is a smooth finish with no paint edges.

Another bonus, I like the precision points the pinstripping comes to, compared to the factory's blunted points of pinstripping 'tape'.
Silver