Can anyone date tyres?

NickDunning

NickDunning

Active Member
Folks
When my 2000 was at the Crich bash I had two parties mention to me that the tyres - which I thought were only a few years old, and certainly look it - are archaic...

If anyone has knowledge and can take a look at my Michelin ZX's please do...if they are that old I'll look at replacing them before I attempt 400 mile plus weekends again!

dnytyre.jpg


dnytyre2.jpg


Thanks
Nick
 
Nick,

with the pics you posted it's not possible.

I think that i can see something in the right of the upper picture, but i need a close up like the bottom one to be able to distinguish any numbers.
Actually what you 're looking for is a 3 digit number. The first two digits is the week and the last one the year of manufacture.
For example, 235 means 23rd week of 1995, or 1985 or 1975!
Usually you don't find tyres more than 20 years old!
What i am not sure is if your tyres were bult before this system was introduced!

cheers,

Demetris
 
Maybe it's because they don't make Michelin X /ZX any more ?
I don't know
I've got a Firestone Cavallino on my spare - now that is ancient
 
DaveHerns said:
Maybe it's because they don't make Michelin X /ZX any more ?
I don't know
I've got a Firestone Cavallino on my spare - now that is ancient
Click to expand...
My 2200 auto came still wearing her original tyres when I got her - 17k on the clock - Perelli Centauratos. I took them off before driving the car on the road though!

I was fairly sure the previous owner of my 2000 told me he'd put new tyres on - and they look really good..but they may be far older than I'd thought!

Cheers
Nick
 
Demetris said:
Nick,

with the pics you posted it's not possible.

I think that i can see something in the right of the upper picture, but i need a close up like the bottom one to be able to distinguish any numbers.
Actually what you 're looking for is a 3 digit number. The first two digits is the week and the last one the year of manufacture.
For example, 235 means 23rd week of 1995, or 1985 or 1975!
Usually you don't find tyres more than 20 years old!
What i am not sure is if your tyres were bult before this system was introduced!

cheers,

Demetris
Click to expand...
Thanks Demetris
I cannot see a number like this, even looking at the original photo blown up. But will go and have a look at the car shortly.
I also have the original Centauratos from my 2200 in the same garage and they should have a date on them (they should, in theory, be late 1974).

Thankyou!
Cheers
Nick
 
You do need to be carefull with old tyres, I was a passenger in an mgb roadster, at about 90 on the motorway one of the rear tyres broke up, luckily the driver managed to wrestle it over to the hard shoulder, but the tyre had made a real mess of the rear wing.
 
webmaster said:
You do need to be carefull with old tyres, I was a passenger in an mgb roadster, at about 90 on the motorway one of the rear tyres broke up, luckily the driver managed to wrestle it over to the hard shoulder, but the tyre had made a real mess of the rear wing.
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This was my concern as well.

There was a fatal accident recently which recieved a lot of coverage in the classic car press involving an MGB - a 'new old stock' tyre exploded at high speed killing the driver of the car.

Really and truly we shouldn't be driving on anything older than five years.

The fact that I may well have driven the 400 mile round trip to Crich, and many other drives, on motorway, fully loaded, on possibly 40 year old tyres, is scary!
 
i think those tyres are from about 1986-1992....we need the 3 or 4 digit number which is heat stamped onto 1 side of the tyre..it may be on the inside wall of the tyre..
 
jay said:
i think those tyres are from about 1986-1992....we need the 3 or 4 digit number which is heat stamped onto 1 side of the tyre..it may be on the inside wall of the tyre..
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That would make sense Jay. As soon as I get to go up to where the car is, armed with a camera, I'll find the date...if it's there.
 
Crap car 3 - the little 216 VDP you saw at Turweston, Nick - came with its original tyres from 1989. Lots of tread left, but close examination shows lots of small cracks in the bottom of the treads. These tyres had the date stamp as described. Before Turweston I swapped the Vitesse alloys onto it which have new tyres - and wider - and it about halved the steering effort, so you can be fairly sure the sidewalls were in deep trouble as well.

I'm deeply suspicious of old tyres and also of "Budget" brands.

Chris
 
chrisyork said:
Crap car 3 - the little 216 VDP you saw at Turweston, Nick - came with its original tyres from 1989. Lots of tread left, but close examination shows lots of small cracks in the bottom of the treads. These tyres had the date stamp as described. Before Turweston I swapped the Vitesse alloys onto it which have new tyres - and wider - and it about halved the steering effort, so you can be fairly sure the sidewalls were in deep trouble as well.

I'm deeply suspicious of old tyres and also of "Budget" brands.

Chris
Click to expand...
Thanks Chris.
The VDP is a cracker...really nice car.
Scary about the tyres. Much as though I'd like to take my 2200 to a show with the original tyres on it, I won't (kept the rims as well)
Cheers
Nick
 
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