What years where ZR Tires used/made?
#1
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What years where ZR Tires used/made?
I am curious what year cars came with the eagle ZR's & if anyone knows what years these tires where made. I have some that I believe are early run 1989's tires. 4th week of 89, or could they be 4th week of 1999? I am not sure when they were discontinued, but I know they had a pretty short run & I thought they were long gone by 1999?
Can anyone clear this up for me?
I do recall wanting one pair of eagle VR's for my Iroc back in 1992ish at the Good year dealership & was disappointed to learn they were no longer available & had to buy ZR's. Ended up buying a full set of ZR's back then & they are still on that car today.
Also, how many total miles do you think these tires could last, with zero abuse & good alignment?
Can anyone clear this up for me?
I do recall wanting one pair of eagle VR's for my Iroc back in 1992ish at the Good year dealership & was disappointed to learn they were no longer available & had to buy ZR's. Ended up buying a full set of ZR's back then & they are still on that car today.
Also, how many total miles do you think these tires could last, with zero abuse & good alignment?
Last edited by F-body-fan; 09-13-2015 at 06:48 AM.
#3
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Re: What years where ZR Tires used/made?
I am just researching what years the tires were on the 3rd generation cars & what years the ZR's where made in general for originality purposes.
The tire in the picture is on a low mile 1989 GTA Survivor I recently purchased. Yes they are more than shot, dried up, cracked & virtually no tread left on them I wouldn't trust them around the block
Ironically though, the tires I mention on the Iroc from 1992 (in my avitar) are still in great shape. No cracks or splits. They are over 20 years old. While rubber does dry up, I think it has a lot to do with were the car sits too.
BTW, I used to have a 1982 Recaro T/A Wish I had that car back! I owned it from 1987-1988. I recall having the word recaro burned backwards in my back one day when I jumped in it shirtless after it was sitting in the sun all afternoon hanging out with some friends. Great memories with that car.
Last edited by F-body-fan; 09-13-2015 at 07:14 AM.
#4
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Re: What years where ZR Tires used/made?
82tarecaro, I need to apologize. I re-read my first post & I sure did word it like I was going to see how many miles I could get out of them. Sorry about that, that wasn't my intention.
The reason I asked is because these tires have about 50K miles on them & they are smoked near bald, but worn pretty evenly. I was just surprised that there could be that many miles on them. I had a set of eagle GT's that I got 42K out of many years ago & I thought that was pretty good. I suppose it just depend on how you drive & what kind of roads.
When I bought the car, the owner said they were original tires, I didn't really believe that at first. But now that I have the car home I found the date code appears to all be the 4th week of 1989 & there are no other wheel weight marks on the rims. They never even rotated the tires by the looks of it. The fronts are in horrible shape, rears still have a little tread on them. Nothing road worthy, but there still on the car.
The reason I asked is because these tires have about 50K miles on them & they are smoked near bald, but worn pretty evenly. I was just surprised that there could be that many miles on them. I had a set of eagle GT's that I got 42K out of many years ago & I thought that was pretty good. I suppose it just depend on how you drive & what kind of roads.
When I bought the car, the owner said they were original tires, I didn't really believe that at first. But now that I have the car home I found the date code appears to all be the 4th week of 1989 & there are no other wheel weight marks on the rims. They never even rotated the tires by the looks of it. The fronts are in horrible shape, rears still have a little tread on them. Nothing road worthy, but there still on the car.
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Car: 92 & 91 Z28 1LEs, 87 IROC-Z, 90 ZR1
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Axle/Gears: 3.45, 3.42, 3.73, 3.27
Re: What years where ZR Tires used/made?
If my memory is correct, the VRs were available from 84 (on the 15th TA) though 1988. The ZRs were on them from 89 to 92.
I tried to buy a new set of 245/50/16s in either VR/ZR flavor in 1996 and I was told they were discontinued in that size. The gatorbacks have sporadically lived on in different sizes (a 17" on more modern mustangs) and recently released as a 15" for fox body mustangs, but they have yet to reproduce them. We were told that Kelsey tire was working on them a few years ago and there are a bunch of people (myself included) who are anxiously awaiting the release so we can buy a few sets
I tried to buy a new set of 245/50/16s in either VR/ZR flavor in 1996 and I was told they were discontinued in that size. The gatorbacks have sporadically lived on in different sizes (a 17" on more modern mustangs) and recently released as a 15" for fox body mustangs, but they have yet to reproduce them. We were told that Kelsey tire was working on them a few years ago and there are a bunch of people (myself included) who are anxiously awaiting the release so we can buy a few sets
#6
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Re: What years where ZR Tires used/made?
So that probably would confirm that the tires I have pictured above is from the 4th week of 1989 then if they were long gone by 1999. I am still blown away that these tires have never been off the rims. In fact, I am not so sure the wheels ever came off the car until I bought it unless its had a brake job. lol. The rotors are rust free where the wheels contact & there is a purple paint line across one of them. Not sure how to read dates or mfg on these to confirm though.
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Re: What years where ZR Tires used/made?
So that probably would confirm that the tires I have pictured above is from the 4th week of 1989 then if they were long gone by 1999. I am still blown away that these tires have never been off the rims. In fact, I am not so sure the wheels ever came off the car until I bought it unless its had a brake job. lol. The rotors are rust free where the wheels contact & there is a purple paint line across one of them. Not sure how to read dates or mfg on these to confirm though.
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Car: 92 & 91 Z28 1LEs, 87 IROC-Z, 90 ZR1
Engine: L98, LT5
Transmission: 700R4, 6-speed
Axle/Gears: 3.45, 3.42, 3.73, 3.27
Re: What years where ZR Tires used/made?
So that probably would confirm that the tires I have pictured above is from the 4th week of 1989 then if they were long gone by 1999. I am still blown away that these tires have never been off the rims. In fact, I am not so sure the wheels ever came off the car until I bought it unless its had a brake job. lol. The rotors are rust free where the wheels contact & there is a purple paint line across one of them. Not sure how to read dates or mfg on these to confirm though.
#9
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Re: What years where ZR Tires used/made?
Those do look amazing! I think though your date code should be the 18th week of 1989 So maybe April of 1989. If these are your original tires, was your car built mid year, or at least after April of 89?
#11
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Re: What years where ZR Tires used/made?
Holy cow, that's one clean machine!!! Looking at your picts I do have one lug with the red dot, its faded out, but there. The car I have has 50K on it. Which I felt is really high miles to have original tires. BUT, I bought it from a gal who has owned it since 1991 & I think she was very easy on the car. Its full of small scratches from storage & fingernail marks under the door handles, but a decent survivor with all original stuff on it. Not all that clean underneath as it was driven like a regular car for those 50K miles. Then went into storage (her garage) in 1995
I REALLY questioned getting 50K out of original gatorbacks, but I called a local goodyear dealer this morning & he said you sure could, but it would need spot on alignment you would need to drive it like its a buick century, not a trans am. I always guessed these where 35K mile tires.....
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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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Car: 87 Formula T-Top, 87 Formula HT
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Re: What years where ZR Tires used/made?
IIRC,
85-88 VR rating
89-92 ZR rating
I am trying to remember why I have a W rating in my head too... might be something else I am thinking of.
John
85-88 VR rating
89-92 ZR rating
I am trying to remember why I have a W rating in my head too... might be something else I am thinking of.
John
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Re: What years where ZR Tires used/made?
82tarecaro, I need to apologize. I re-read my first post & I sure did word it like I was going to see how many miles I could get out of them. Sorry about that, that wasn't my intention.
The reason I asked is because these tires have about 50K miles on them & they are smoked near bald, but worn pretty evenly. I was just surprised that there could be that many miles on them. I had a set of eagle GT's that I got 42K out of many years ago & I thought that was pretty good. I suppose it just depend on how you drive & what kind of roads.
When I bought the car, the owner said they were original tires, I didn't really believe that at first. But now that I have the car home I found the date code appears to all be the 4th week of 1989 & there are no other wheel weight marks on the rims. They never even rotated the tires by the looks of it. The fronts are in horrible shape, rears still have a little tread on them. Nothing road worthy, but there still on the car.
The reason I asked is because these tires have about 50K miles on them & they are smoked near bald, but worn pretty evenly. I was just surprised that there could be that many miles on them. I had a set of eagle GT's that I got 42K out of many years ago & I thought that was pretty good. I suppose it just depend on how you drive & what kind of roads.
When I bought the car, the owner said they were original tires, I didn't really believe that at first. But now that I have the car home I found the date code appears to all be the 4th week of 1989 & there are no other wheel weight marks on the rims. They never even rotated the tires by the looks of it. The fronts are in horrible shape, rears still have a little tread on them. Nothing road worthy, but there still on the car.
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#17
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Re: What years where ZR Tires used/made?
#18
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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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Car: 87 Formula T-Top, 87 Formula HT
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Re: What years where ZR Tires used/made?
The Sway bar end-link bushings are Blue... Why? Most of the original bushings I have seen have been Yellow or Black. Never seen blue.
John
John
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Car: 92 & 91 Z28 1LEs, 87 IROC-Z, 90 ZR1
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Axle/Gears: 3.45, 3.42, 3.73, 3.27
Re: What years where ZR Tires used/made?
the originals were blue but the bushings were starting to crack so I replaced them with blue moogs, they were the closest to stock I could find. I'll get some pics of the original ones.
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Car: 87 Formula T-Top, 87 Formula HT
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Re: What years where ZR Tires used/made?
#24
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Re: What years where ZR Tires used/made?
I also need to go look at the Iroc in my avitar. its in storage, but that car still wears the tires I bought in the early 90's that I mentioned in the first post. I think it was 1992 or 1993.
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Car: 87 Formula T-Top, 87 Formula HT
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Re: What years where ZR Tires used/made?
John, I have one pair of 245/50/16 VR's & ZR's in storage. I looked at the ZR's & one of them is dated 224 So that should be 22nd week of 1994 correct? Kinda funny, I always thought they were a matched set. Turns out the other one is 4 years older. Too funny. I bought them at a swap meet about 8 years ago, never checked the dates until this thread.
I also need to go look at the Iroc in my avitar. its in storage, but that car still wears the tires I bought in the early 90's that I mentioned in the first post. I think it was 1992 or 1993.
I also need to go look at the Iroc in my avitar. its in storage, but that car still wears the tires I bought in the early 90's that I mentioned in the first post. I think it was 1992 or 1993.
The question of whether or not it was a 1989 or 1999, I am more than reasonably sure they are 1989 tires...
Since we are talking 3rd gens here, the tires from the factory would have been VR (85)86-88 and ZR from 89-92.
I will note that some of the early 1989 Model Year cars had VR tires..
John
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Car: 1989-92 FORMULA350 305 92 Hawkclone
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Re: What years where ZR Tires used/made?
I have been using the blue moog myself.
Last edited by TTOP350; 09-17-2015 at 01:40 PM.
#27
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Re: What years where ZR Tires used/made?
I would agree that yes indeed that ZR tires were possibly made post 1992, as the Mustang and possibly even the early 4th gens (I do not know) may have still been using the Gatorback ZR tires. However my 1995 Formula Convertible had/came with Goodyear GS-C tires which were "Z" rated tires, so I will make the assumption that either 1993 or 1994 model year may have been the changeover, as Tires are chosen to be pretty specific to how the manufacturer wants the car to handle & ride. So by 1995 I am reasonably sure that the ZR was gone and had been replaced by the GS-C as both tires would have filled this niche.
The question of whether or not it was a 1989 or 1999, I am more than reasonably sure they are 1989 tires...
Since we are talking 3rd gens here, the tires from the factory would have been VR (85)86-88 and ZR from 89-92.
I will note that some of the early 1989 Model Year cars had VR tires..
John
The question of whether or not it was a 1989 or 1999, I am more than reasonably sure they are 1989 tires...
Since we are talking 3rd gens here, the tires from the factory would have been VR (85)86-88 and ZR from 89-92.
I will note that some of the early 1989 Model Year cars had VR tires..
John
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Car: 87 Formula T-Top, 87 Formula HT
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Re: What years where ZR Tires used/made?
Do you feel the tire mfg's discontinue a tire model or size if the vehicle mfg's stop use of the tire? (like in this case) I had always figured tires were discontinued when sales drop, but that was just my assumption. Not everyone ponied up for a fresh set of gatorbacks for replacements, so I supposes sales drop fast when they are no longer used in production.
Regardless, Goodyear would have had 2 tires within the same niche, from past experience, they probably stopped production of the ZR and went to the GS-C (which is also a Z rated tire). Rather than hold onto both lines. The GS-C was a better compound for a performance tire, it was quite sticky when new...
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