Wheels / Tires: Tire MFG Date

[Yatipope]

Old tire Manufacturer Date. I am looking forward to getting my recently acquired 59 SilverHawk on the road in a couple more weeks I hope and looking at replacing the tires that have been on the car for probably 30+ years. Still hold air believe it or not because it was stored indoors. Still the dry rot is noticeable. Any guess when these tires were manufactured using these DOT codes? Also I want white sidewalls but wonder if anyone has experience dealing with the white sidewall attachment rings? Thinking sbou

[64LarkLover]

Are the tire sizes listed as 205X75X15, as an example, or the old format starting with the letter F or G?

[StudeRich]

Your code COULD BE the 43rd. Week of 2000, just the old system before 2000, OR before that when only the Factory Code was used. either way the cracking is not good.

That's really Odd, another newer Poster just asked about buying those Porta-Walls just the other Day !

They were a 1950's thing to save $, on a Radial Tire they will wear into the sidewall from the constant "Flexing" as the tire rolls.
Also they were designed when most Tires had Tubes, so there is more chance of leakage on a Tubeless Radial.

I would be amazed if you can find one made in this Century !

Narrow White Wall New Radials can be found reasonably, made in China or Korea in P205/75R15, P205/70R15, P215/75R15, and P215/70R15 that fit well.

[Mark L]

437 could be 43rd week of 1977, 1987, or 1997. It's definitely time for new tires.

[StudeRich]

Yep, that is what they are, '77,'87 or '97, I did not see that what looked like a slash was actually a 7.

[JoeHall]

I dunno about the date code but, looking at the rubber dry rot in your pics, I wouldn't drive the car around the block with those tires on it. When time for tires, I prefer to remove the tires & wheels, and take the to the tire shop, rather than taking the whole car in. If forced to take the car in, I'd at least remove the hubcaps and keep them at home, and reinstall them myself. I have not took a Stude into a tire shop since a kid placed the lift outriggers under the edge of the front fenders to lift the GT. That was decades ago, never again.

While at it, if your car still has oem wheel, now is a good time to install new modern wheels, 6" wide and 3.75" backspace. Can get them several places, including Summit. Do a search in our archives here for more details.