News:

SAAC Member Badges are NOW available. Make your request through saac.memberlodge.com to validate membership.

Main Menu

Help Identifying Goodyear Tire

Started by Rickmustang, February 25, 2023, 02:38:18 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Rickmustang

This is my spare. The date looks like 1966. It looks like a Blue Dot, but the dot is not blue. Can someone help identify this tire? Thanks.
1965 G.T. 350
1967 Fairlane GT - 390 4-speed
1970 Mach 1 - 428CJ 4-speed/AC
1971 Mach 1 - 429CJ auto/AC
2005 Ford GT

Rickmustang

1965 G.T. 350
1967 Fairlane GT - 390 4-speed
1970 Mach 1 - 428CJ 4-speed/AC
1971 Mach 1 - 429CJ auto/AC
2005 Ford GT

Hov

On the photos you posted, from the top, the 3rd photo it looks like it says BLUE STREAK and on photo #4 it says Replaces 6.70 - 15 . I do not remember those statements on the original Blue Dots I have had unless all the ones I had were produced in early / mid 1965 vs. if this one was produced later?  I can offer that my first Blue Dot was found out in a farm field in the mid west . It had a hard life, one of the first owners of a 65 GT350 used up the rear Blue Dots then rotated them to the front and wore out the last two. The four Blue Dots were then mounted on a hay trailer until their useable life was gone, then thrown around his field and sat for years outside. When we talked on the phone, he mentioned he saw one of them the other day and he would look for it again. Turns out one was ok, the other three had shreaded sidewalls and were just plain gone. He refused any money for the one tire, but I was just happy to have an original Blue Dot, he thought it would take $10 for shipping , so being the big spender I sent him $25. When the tire arrived I was quite happy with the side wall but the tread was thin. The actual Blue Dot was lifting off, 50% attached, 50% off. With a little coaxing, the whole Blue Dot came off and I was left with what your pictured showed. I found some rubber adhesive, used alcohol to clean both rubber mounting surfaces came up with an angled wedge to make a flat surface for a clamp. Later, I hand mounted the Blue Dot and it was great spare for shows. Sorry for the run on reply, but I think your Blue Dot was once there.               

Rickmustang

Thanks Mark. I do have a reproduction to compare to, and they are the same except for the weird backwards Blue Streak, and missing the blue dot (but the circle for it is there so it likely got scrubbed off). You telling me your blue dot was coming off helps explain things. And my reproduction does say Replaces 6.70 - 15. This tire has had a hard life too, but not as hard as the ones you mentioned. The date code is 14th week of 1966 I believe. I think I will try and make a blue dot to put back on and call it a day. Probably better than a reproduction....
1965 G.T. 350
1967 Fairlane GT - 390 4-speed
1970 Mach 1 - 428CJ 4-speed/AC
1971 Mach 1 - 429CJ auto/AC
2005 Ford GT

Side-Oilers

#4
Why/how would the "Blue Streak" debossing possibly happen? 

At first, I thought you'd accidentally posted a mirror-image photo (it happens.) But, your reply directly above suggests it's that way on the tire.

I am eagerly awaiting some expert comments on this.
Current:
2006 FGT, Tungsten. Whipple, HRE 20s, Ohlin coil-overs. Top Speed Certified 210.7 mph.

Kirkham Cobra 427.  482-inch aluminum side-oiler. Tremec 5-spd.

Previous:
1968 GT500KR #2575 (1982-2022)
1970 Ranchero GT 429
1969 LTD Country Squire 429
1963 T-Bird Sport Roadster
1957 T-Bird E-model

Bob Gaines

Quote from: Rickmustang on February 26, 2023, 01:06:05 PM
Thanks Mark. I do have a reproduction to compare to, and they are the same except for the weird backwards Blue Streak, and missing the blue dot (but the circle for it is there so it likely got scrubbed off). You telling me your blue dot was coming off helps explain things. And my reproduction does say Replaces 6.70 - 15. This tire has had a hard life too, but not as hard as the ones you mentioned. The date code is 14th week of 1966 I believe. I think I will try and make a blue dot to put back on and call it a day. Probably better than a reproduction....
The reissue tires that John Kelsey got Goodyear to produce again are on another level above anything in the typical reproduction parts market. They are pretty spot on in outside appearance with the exception of the legal DOT mumbo jumbo that has to be on them.  You can even get rid of that modern printing if you do a little outside the box thinking  ;) . I actually lobbied for the Blue Dot and Bluestreak tires to be made with John Kelsey when he was only making the 69 F60X15 no size and the 67 Speedway large letters tires. I had just finished convincing him that he needed to make the speedway small letter tires and thought it was a good idea that he make the other 3 remaining Shelby tires which lastly was the 68 blackwall. I helped him with some of the details on all those tires. Anyway John had the actual Goodyear blueprints for all of those tires including the blueprints for the blue dots. There were 3 or 4 different possibilities if I remember right.  I can only assume the different blueprints which were not marked prototype represented what was in production one time or another. The blueprints didn't give any details of a order they were produced in.  . After supplying him with examples he decided to go with the most common to have reissued. Given the date code on your tire it must be a example of the last version produced used on some carry over cars. 
Bob Gaines,Shelby Enthusiast, Shelby Collector , Shelby Concours judge SAAC,MCA,Mid America Shelby

Side-Oilers

Bob...can you shed any light on why "Blue Streak" is debossed in a mirror image on Rickmustang's tire?
Current:
2006 FGT, Tungsten. Whipple, HRE 20s, Ohlin coil-overs. Top Speed Certified 210.7 mph.

Kirkham Cobra 427.  482-inch aluminum side-oiler. Tremec 5-spd.

Previous:
1968 GT500KR #2575 (1982-2022)
1970 Ranchero GT 429
1969 LTD Country Squire 429
1963 T-Bird Sport Roadster
1957 T-Bird E-model

Bob Gaines

Quote from: Side-Oilers on February 26, 2023, 11:22:30 PM
Bob...can you shed any light on why "Blue Streak" is debossed in a mirror image on Rickmustang's tire?
Sorry I can't. As odd as that is I don't remember seeing or John mentioning it when we discussed the blueprints. 
Bob Gaines,Shelby Enthusiast, Shelby Collector , Shelby Concours judge SAAC,MCA,Mid America Shelby

Coralsnake

Is it possible another tire sat on top of it for a prolonged period of time?

Rickmustang

It's been on my package shelf for 20 years. It was purchased by the person I bought the car from mounted on a Crager. I have no history beyond that. Thanks for all the insights!
1965 G.T. 350
1967 Fairlane GT - 390 4-speed
1970 Mach 1 - 428CJ 4-speed/AC
1971 Mach 1 - 429CJ auto/AC
2005 Ford GT

Bob Gaines

Quote from: Coralsnake on February 27, 2023, 07:58:47 AM
Is it possible another tire sat on top of it for a prolonged period of time?
A hot branding iron would make a impression like that but would more typically be marked "BLEM" when they did it. Very odd.
Bob Gaines,Shelby Enthusiast, Shelby Collector , Shelby Concours judge SAAC,MCA,Mid America Shelby