Kelsey FR70-14 Goodyear Polyglas Radial Tires

[schlett7nu1]

I purchased a set of the new Kelsey FR70-14 Goodyear Polyglas Radial tires for my 70 Challenger convertible. I've always run bias-ply tires on the car to get the period correct look. With the bias-ply tires the ride was poor. I felt every road flaw. I think I could feel a cricket I ran over. I saw the new radials on display at SEMA. It took a long time after SEMA for the tires to successfully complete testing and finally be commercially available. I was a little concerned about the tread and side wall design. Both features visually departed from the bias-ply version. I recently put 20 miles on the car with the new radials. It's a completely different car in terms of handling and ride quality. No surprise when comparing any radial to a bias-ply. I'm very happy with the tires. The tread and side wall design have grown on me. Not cheap but I love the tires.  I paid $1141.50 for a set of 4 shipping included. I then paid another $120 to have all 4 mounted and balanced. Thankfully, I was able to sell the 4 bias-ply tires that I removed to help offset some of the cost of the new radial tires. The bias-ply tires had very few miles on them and they were dated 2017. As I understand it the tread design was similar to the bias-ply Police H-rated Polyglas tires (130 mph) of the day. Kelsey only produces these as 14". 15" are not available. My car came with the 14" optional Road Wheels. These tires also give the appearance of filling the wheel well better similarly to what the 15" wheel does. The 14" wheel with bias-ply tires generally look small in the wheel well.

[Marty]

Hopefully, by the time my Barracuda is done, maybe a 15-inch radial tire will be available. I have all new 15' Rallye wheels and I can't justify going to 14". I love the look of that tire and have been hoping for the Good Year release.  I'll go with the Firestones if need be, but I'll wait and see. Thanks for the review.

[JH27N0B]

Thanks for the report and pictures.  I had plans to buy a set for my convertible this month but due to everything hitting the fan the last couple months I've postponed that.  My car has Eagle STs that have to be 25 years old so I really need to replace them!!
Who did you buy from, Rusty Smalls?  Even though my pay is reduced, my side business grounded, and I owe the IRS, I may break down and buy a set soon anyway!

[anlauto]

Thanks for posting pictures, they don't look "as bad" as I thought they would....I think if I had a customer wanting radials, I would suggest them, but they will need to make a 15" version..

[schlett7nu1]

I bought the tires in October 2019.  They were the first production tires available. I was only able to mount them just before the COV19 struck.  Like everyone else I likely would have waited on the big dollar purchase if the virus had already struck.  I'm now hearing about it from my wife. Contact Rusty Smalls for info on price and availability of the new tires.  He's a member of this forum.

[benlavigne]

Thanks for the review, and the pictures, I must admit that I hated the look of the tires by themselves on a display, especially right next to a bias-ply version... but they do look much better mounted on a wheel on your car...

Ben

[JS29]

 

[JH27N0B]

I got mine last week!  I ordered from Rusty Smalls who is smallhurst here on the board, and it worked out well.  I paid on a Wednesday and UPS had them at my door the following Monday! My previous purchases from Rusty I was able to meet him at local events he was attending, but he offered free shipping so everything worked out fine having them shipped.
I took my old wheels and tires 2 at a time to a local tire shop to get them installed, and by Friday my car was ready to go wearing its new shoes!  I am excited to have my old Eagle STs gone, I was really nervous in recent years driving my car on 25+ year old tires and restricted my driving to staying off highways as I worried about one failing at speed.
The tires came wrapped up and the area where the tire contacts the bead was compressed to about a 2 or 3 inch gap, and the tire place had trouble getting 2 of my tires to seat.  If you buy tires that come like this, the shop said to unwrap them a few days before bringing them in to mount, to allow that area to expand back out a little to how the tire was molded.

[7E-Bodies]

Wait, what? Free shipping??? You're killing me Smalls! @smallhurst talk to me. My car is 14"

Kevin

[smallhurst]

Give me a call—- 816-654-34zerozero

[Mrbill426]

Looks great 

I purchased a set of the new Kelsey FR70-14 Goodyear Polyglas Radial tires for my 70 Challenger convertible. I've always run bias-ply tires on the car to get the period correct look. With the bias-ply tires the ride was poor. I felt every road flaw. I think I could feel a cricket I ran over. I saw the new radials on display at SEMA. It took a long time after SEMA for the tires to successfully complete testing and finally be commercially available. I was a little concerned about the tread and side wall design. Both features visually departed from the bias-ply version. I recently put 20 miles on the car with the new radials. It's a completely different car in terms of handling and ride quality. No surprise when comparing any radial to a bias-ply. I'm very happy with the tires. The tread and side wall design have grown on me. Not cheap but I love the tires.  I paid $1141.50 for a set of 4 shipping included. I then paid another $120 to have all 4 mounted and balanced. Thankfully, I was able to sell the 4 bias-ply tires that I removed to help offset some of the cost of the new radial tires. The bias-ply tires had very few miles on them and they were dated 2017. As I understand it the tread design was similar to the bias-ply Police H-rated Polyglas tires (130 mph) of the day. Kelsey only produces these as 14". 15" are not available. My car came with the 14" optional Road Wheels. These tires also give the appearance of filling the wheel well better similarly to what the 15" wheel does. The 14" wheel with bias-ply tires generally look small in the wheel well.