View Poll Results: If Goodyear offered Gatorbacks for our cars would you buy them?
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If they still offered 245/50/16 Gatorbacks, would you buy them?
12-12-2019, 06:03 AM
#701
Senior Member
Re: If they still offered 245/50/16 Gatorbacks, would you buy them?
While they don't hold up too today tire performance standards, back in the mid 80's when these came out, there was nothing that compared to the looks of the Gatorbacks from a profile & tread perspective imo. Was such a departure from what we saw year after year on factory cars. I think 84 corvette was the first year & used the 255's? Not sure on that..
Anyway, I like the tire for its factory vintage look & for the nostalgic memories I personally have of seeing these tires on brand spankin new Irocs & Trans am's at the dealers. they just have the look that belongs on the cars that came with them. But I can understand entirely why some could care less about them. I have these tires on both my GTA & Iroc & while I wouldn't dive the cars across the state, it doesn't bother me at all to cruise around town with them. I am just not going to jump on the highway at 70mph & head out of town.
If they were weather checked & cracking I probably wouldn't leave my driveway......
The one in the picture above looks pretty nice & I think is an unusual, but awesome find. Obviously stored in a good location for many years.
Anyway, I like the tire for its factory vintage look & for the nostalgic memories I personally have of seeing these tires on brand spankin new Irocs & Trans am's at the dealers. they just have the look that belongs on the cars that came with them. But I can understand entirely why some could care less about them. I have these tires on both my GTA & Iroc & while I wouldn't dive the cars across the state, it doesn't bother me at all to cruise around town with them. I am just not going to jump on the highway at 70mph & head out of town.
If they were weather checked & cracking I probably wouldn't leave my driveway......The one in the picture above looks pretty nice & I think is an unusual, but awesome find. Obviously stored in a good location for many years.
Last edited by F-body-fan; 12-12-2019 at 06:07 AM.
12-12-2019, 01:48 PM
#703
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Re: If they still offered 245/50/16 Gatorbacks, would you buy them?
12-12-2019, 02:05 PM
#704
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Re: If they still offered 245/50/16 Gatorbacks, would you buy them?
That sucks! I think someone posted in this thread or another (I tried searching) some other tire company pretty much copied the Gatorback tread almost exactly... Looks like they might make 255 50R16 for the Corvettes too... No 245 though... weird...
12-13-2019, 05:43 AM
#705
Senior Member
Re: If they still offered 245/50/16 Gatorbacks, would you buy them?
Anybody have any insight as to what tire mfg is making the 15" Eagles? Maybe its possible the mold for those tires was still "laying around" where other sizes had already been destroyed? Thats an arrogant guess at best as I have no idea what goes into this process.
I would imagine though, all of these molds (or whatever they are called) would have to be made from scratch? If Goodyear still had some of them & relinquished them to whomever they worked out the reproduction deal with, is it possible that has something to do with it? It is hard to believe there is more tire demand for the fox body cars over the F bodies.
What size tire did the Buick GN's run?
I would imagine though, all of these molds (or whatever they are called) would have to be made from scratch? If Goodyear still had some of them & relinquished them to whomever they worked out the reproduction deal with, is it possible that has something to do with it? It is hard to believe there is more tire demand for the fox body cars over the F bodies.
What size tire did the Buick GN's run?
12-13-2019, 10:33 AM
#706
Re: If they still offered 245/50/16 Gatorbacks, would you buy them?
The market for anything Mustang has always been strong. If you don't know that already, you haven't been paying attention. The following 2 users liked this post by Drew:
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12-13-2019, 12:38 PM
#707
Senior Member
Re: If they still offered 245/50/16 Gatorbacks, would you buy them?
I get that & agree, what I was referring too was fox bodies that are all stock & would be wearing eagle gator back shoes. Around here, very, very few of this era mustangs are stock, always seem to be modded & aftermarket wheels. I hardly ever see them in stock form in the 79-93? bodystyle. Could be just in my neck of the woods I suppose.
12-21-2019, 05:40 AM
#709
Senior Member
Re: If they still offered 245/50/16 Gatorbacks, would you buy them?
12-21-2019, 08:31 PM
#710
Re: If they still offered 245/50/16 Gatorbacks, would you buy them?
I went the other way... Had a buddy that had an 86 convertible. Couldn't stand the clunky Fox convertibles, or the lack of GO! of the 86 5.0, so I bought a 86 notchback beater to mess with. The damn thing won't leave! I've got a couple guys that have been talking about coming to get it for a few years now, but when you tell people to bring their trailer... Don't, it's a trap. Get an axe.
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12-21-2019, 11:41 PM
#711
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Re: If they still offered 245/50/16 Gatorbacks, would you buy them?
I think I'm done with Fox bodies for a while. Bought an '87, LX notch on a whim this last summer. When I got it, it wasn't what I expected or as represented. I knew immediately I was going to sell it. I'm glad it's gone.
12-22-2019, 06:45 AM
#712
Senior Member
Re: If they still offered 245/50/16 Gatorbacks, would you buy them?
My 87 Iroc sat for about 7 years. Stored correctly, but not driven. this was somewhere from 95-2005 ish before I drove it again. I thought for sure I was
going to be less than impressed with the ride quality, but it was quite the opposite. Was just as I remembered it. I did drive an 88 automatic GT vert a few years back that is owned by a good friends father. that car was a bit loose feeling & not real impressive from a performance stand point. Not at all how I remembered the EFI GT's. While stick cars are a little more fun to drive, I think a manual in a fox body is a must..
going to be less than impressed with the ride quality, but it was quite the opposite. Was just as I remembered it. I did drive an 88 automatic GT vert a few years back that is owned by a good friends father. that car was a bit loose feeling & not real impressive from a performance stand point. Not at all how I remembered the EFI GT's. While stick cars are a little more fun to drive, I think a manual in a fox body is a must..
12-22-2019, 01:59 PM
#713
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Car: 1986 trans am
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Re: If they still offered 245/50/16 Gatorbacks, would you buy them?
My 87 Iroc sat for about 7 years. Stored correctly, but not driven. this was somewhere from 95-2005 ish before I drove it again. I thought for sure I was
going to be less than impressed with the ride quality, but it was quite the opposite. Was just as I remembered it. I did drive an 88 automatic GT vert a few years back that is owned by a good friends father. that car was a bit loose feeling & not real impressive from a performance stand point. Not at all how I remembered the EFI GT's. While stick cars are a little more fun to drive, I think a manual in a fox body is a must..
going to be less than impressed with the ride quality, but it was quite the opposite. Was just as I remembered it. I did drive an 88 automatic GT vert a few years back that is owned by a good friends father. that car was a bit loose feeling & not real impressive from a performance stand point. Not at all how I remembered the EFI GT's. While stick cars are a little more fun to drive, I think a manual in a fox body is a must..
12-22-2019, 02:01 PM
#714
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Re: If they still offered 245/50/16 Gatorbacks, would you buy them?
why? i would love a bare bones lx 5.0/5 speed
12-22-2019, 07:07 PM
#716
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Re: If they still offered 245/50/16 Gatorbacks, would you buy them?
strange,i thought the grand nationals had 16" crosslace rims
01-21-2020, 08:30 AM
#718
Re: If they still offered 245/50/16 Gatorbacks, would you buy them?
Yeah, the tech, if he were competent, would not have totally ripped the sidewalls out of the Eagles when putting on the Dunlops, but he prob'ly did me a favor.
02-15-2022, 02:09 PM
#719
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Re: If they still offered 245/50/16 Gatorbacks, would you buy them?
Looks like Kelsey released another Goodyear modern performance tire, size 225/60R16, for $395/each. Perfect for a 2003 Monte Carlo SS restoration project!
Kind of strange that there is more of a market for this than a Gatorback for an F-Body...
Kind of strange that there is more of a market for this than a Gatorback for an F-Body...
02-16-2022, 05:46 PM
#720
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Re: If they still offered 245/50/16 Gatorbacks, would you buy them?
02-17-2022, 08:07 AM
#721
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Location: Doghouse ······································ Car: 1989 Formula 350 Vert Engine: 350 L98 Transmission: 700R4 Axle/Gears: B&W 3.27
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Re: If they still offered 245/50/16 Gatorbacks, would you buy them?
Apparently someone who works for Kelsey was restoring a 2003 Monte Carlo.
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02-17-2022, 05:03 PM
#722
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Re: If they still offered 245/50/16 Gatorbacks, would you buy them?
Ugh.....
02-17-2022, 11:59 PM
#723
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Re: If they still offered 245/50/16 Gatorbacks, would you buy them?
02-18-2022, 08:50 AM
#724
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Re: If they still offered 245/50/16 Gatorbacks, would you buy them?
I'll tell you what upsets me. For years I've been told that the 225/60/15 Gatorbacks could be produced by hand, since they were 15" tires. Our 245/50/16 Gatorbacks required special multi-piece molds, because they were 16".
Now they release these bull$h!t 16" tires that no one cares about - while we are still waiting for our Gators.
Now they release these bull$h!t 16" tires that no one cares about - while we are still waiting for our Gators.
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02-18-2022, 12:56 PM
#725
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Re: If they still offered 245/50/16 Gatorbacks, would you buy them?
post has 70,000 views, and less than 1000 votes, we are not going to encourage the tire manufacturer to bring these back at this rate!!
02-18-2022, 05:28 PM
#726
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Car: 1989-92 FORMULA350 305 92 Hawkclone
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Re: If they still offered 245/50/16 Gatorbacks, would you buy them?
I'd bet most of those views are from me checking this post for any decent updates
Last edited by TTOP350; 02-18-2022 at 07:53 PM.
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02-19-2022, 09:49 AM
#728
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Re: If they still offered 245/50/16 Gatorbacks, would you buy them?
Ha ha!!! Maybe if you guys give me a buck for each view, I'll have enough money to go buy a few sets.
02-19-2022, 10:03 AM
#729
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Re: If they still offered 245/50/16 Gatorbacks, would you buy them?
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02-19-2022, 03:03 PM
#731
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Re: If they still offered 245/50/16 Gatorbacks, would you buy them?
I'd buy 6 tires for one car asap , 2 tires wouldn't make it a weekend 😉
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02-19-2022, 07:45 PM
#732
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Re: If they still offered 245/50/16 Gatorbacks, would you buy them?
What a bunch of jerks. Who the hell is gonna restore one of those cars that needs those tires? We have a customer at our shop that has been waiting 4 years for a rear quarter to be produced for a 2006 Monte Carlo.
02-20-2022, 05:33 PM
#733
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Re: If they still offered 245/50/16 Gatorbacks, would you buy them?
This new reproduction tire frustrates me. Not only are they still a relatively modern tire, but they didn't even sell many of the darn things to begin with. Even fewer people want them now I'm sure.
02-22-2022, 12:28 AM
#734
Senior Member
Re: If they still offered 245/50/16 Gatorbacks, would you buy them?
I'd say it's more like they're ignoring the market for the 16" Gatorbacks. Why, I don't know.
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92GTA (04-15-2022)
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