Snow tire and mud flap recommendation for 575 HP 1965 GTO
 

Not entirely kidding!

I live in Spokane. For those of you who aren't familiar with Spokane, just assume it is somewhere in Canada. For the purposes of this thread, that will be sufficient. Besides, I listen to a ton of Rush and Gordon Lightfoot anyway.

I have a 1965 GTO with a mild 505. Our driveway is gravel/dirt, about 1/4 mile long, and any time from October through May the driveway is usually pretty muddy. Even when it's not, it's hard not to kick rocks up on the quarter panels driving down the driveway.

In addition, winter is fairly long. I'm looking at my car now, it's running great, the heater works fine, choke works great, there's no reason I can't take this thing out except for .... I'm scared of either hitting some black ice and wrecking it, or kicking a bunch of gravel and mud all over it.

Anybody here run mud flaps on an old hot rod? Better yet, anybody run snow tires? Sounds crazy, but 225/75R15 snow tires aren't that expensive and I am seriously considering it!

Being from Minnesota... even if my classic car was a beater i wouldn't do it, especially if they put salt down on the roads like they do here. Keep it parked on those crappy road days!

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Sort of related. Years ago we used a product that you could spray a clear film onto the area behind the rear wheels. When you did your burn outs and it got coated with the sticky rubber it made it easier to clean off and helped protect the paint.

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They don't! They use some other stuff that isn't corrosive. I'm really not worried about rust, just paint chips and slick roads!

Even less related, I heard you can spray Pam or Mazola on Holley gaskets to make it easier to do jet changes. I changed my jets last night but I keep forgetting to pick up some cooking spray.

As an even less related side note, those blue Holley gaskets seem to last forever and seal great.

they are trying to use less salt due to bridge damage and water pollution, but we still have plenty of it here. I am sure some clip on style flaps will help, but of course will not eliminate rock chips. Combined with a decent ice tire like a blizzak and a couple bags of sand in the trunk for weight, you will be all set!

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Thanks! I like the weight idea. I just want to cruise and take it easy, doesn't seem cost-efficient to do burnouts with the Blizzaks!!!

Go all the way
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unEZ...ature=emb_logo

Clay

If your worried at all leave it in the garage!Would not be worth it to me.JMO,Tom

[QUOTE="QUICK-SILVER";6084001]Go all the way
[url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unEZIbn_sIw&feature=emb_logo[/url]

Clay[/QUOTE]

[B][SIZE="5"]Murica![/SIZE][/B]

I dunno, man. I got my car out of resto jail in like 2009, and I've only put 1500 miles on it since. I need to start driving this thing! I had a bunch of issues with engines that I won't go into here, had two kids since then, etc. But my car is running good, I've got the time, and the only thing stopping me is the weather!

I used to drive this thing every day in Maryland for five years, I mean that's what they were made for. Maybe I better at least talk to the insurance company first.

If it was a collector type car, park it. If not find a way to drive it! I'm with you. Driving is enjoying! This I park: http://www.vaultcars.com/1932-packard

They don't melt. If you drive on some mag chloride or salt, just wash it promptly, including the underside.

Now to that actual question, Blizzack's are probably the king of snow tires as far as I've read, but honestly any snow specific tire is probably going to be pretty decent. One of the best tires I've personally used in the snow was the BFG KDWS that came on my 2007 Mustang GT from the factory. For a performance all season tire it was quite capable in the snow.

For mud-flaps, I would look at Rally Armor. They make a cut to fit mudflap which is probably the direction you'd need to go.

http://www.rallyarmor.com/index.php/...flaps-c-60_116

They're not terribly expensive and I think you can get one without their logo. You'll obviously need a drill holes in the 1/4 panel wheel wells, but that's kind of the game if you're needing mudflaps as it is.

I have an IA2 block, all kinds of repop stuff on the car, aftermarket stuff under the hood. It's got a nice paint job and lots of shiny new reproduction stuff on it, but I built it to drive, not to show. I can't see anything wrong with drilling holes in the wheel wells if it gets me out more.

Thanks for the tip on Rally Armor. I have blizzaks for my truck and my wife's car. The only thing I don't like about them is only about 1/2 of the tire is the multi-cell compound, but for a car like this I can't imagine wearing out a set of snow tires.

Considering you've only put like 1500 miles on it so far, probably not. You'll have to replace the tires due to age before you have to replace them due to wear, I would think.

Yep. My Firestone Firehawks are 10 years old and due for replacement, tread looks perfect. Kind of sad, especially considering they don't make that tire anymore.

Are you talking mud flap or the splash guards partial sets? I have ran cars with the plain splash guards in the winter. Might call it a mud flap but it does not stick out as much. Has the notch to fit up into the fender.

My Dad took my high school ride into town to get snow tires on it back when I was in high school. We were expecting something like you’re talking about, some type of all season tire. It came back with new back tires mounted up on our mags, but they were studded mud tires with tread like what you would see on a Army Jeep. Later that winter/spring my brother and I drove to a college to take a prep test and realized checking in neither of us had an I.d. to take the test. We rushed back home and noticed we only had seven minutes to get back to the college to take the test. It was 15 miles away. We made it back for the test. Still find it amusing that some of the fastest driving I have ever done was with those crazy looking mud tires on the back of the car. :)

The z rated fire hawk summer tire? Best performance tire I ever owned, and great in the rain. Was very disappointed when they discontinued that tire!

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Years ago, I saw a guy with a 69 GTO that had steel mudflaps that were mounted in the back of his wheel wells, stuck out a few inches, and followed the curve all the way down. Didn’t look too bad - I think that could be your solution.

Besides the sand bags, don't forget to pack an old coffee can with a foil blanket, 2 Hershey bars, and a candle. Also, a set of extra long jumper cables, a tow strap, and clevis or two.

If you decide to put a hitch on that thing to tow your pre-80's snowmobile, don't forget an a spare drive belt, spark plugs, and an extra windshield/duck tape to replace/repair the one that breaks when you roll it the first time. It gets damn cold without the windshield!