Muscle car tires

Didn't want to hijack the tire age thread below, so I'll start one. How old of tires would you feel safe driving on in a 60's muscle car? Car is stored in a DARK garage, it is either in the garage or on the road, no sitting out. Garage is not climate controlled, but seldom gets below 50 deg or above 90 deg.
 
I would be doing a careful examination for cracks in the sidewalls, and treads. Also a any obvious evidence of rot, tread separation, etc. That said, I have a number of tires of that era that are second purposed for implement tires. Holding up well even though far beyond any arbitrary expiration dates.
 
A huge part of the answer to your question lies in how fast and how far you are driving this car. If you reach speeds +85ish mph I would want newer rubber on the road. Same goes for how far you travel, if it's just tooling around local not an issue, going on 500 mile trip, back to new rubber. FWIW.
 
Replace them. I had a high dollar set of sears tires sit in my shop about 15 years. Loaned them to a guy to move a boat 35 miles. They did not make. They had not seen the sunlight in years. I took them off the front of my drag car so they did not have many miles on them.
 
Sooo, you are saying the tires I put on my 71 Cutlass in 91 are not road ready even though it sets in the garage all the time? Yea, I know, I need to get new ones.
 

I just have not had any tire trouble due to age. 72 454 Chevelle has a lot of weight on the front tires. I need to check the date on them. They aren't new. And they get used. the car gets poor gas mileage, and my motto is "if you're going to spend the fuel, spin the tires".

I just don't worry about cracks in tires, that's just hard surface rubber. It's the integrity of the cord that counts and steel belt radial cord does not rot easily.

Every person has a different tolerance for risk. And different perceived risks.
 

Side wall weather checking needs to be looked at and if it's bad replace the tires, other wise for short cruises or local driving without getting real fast I'd run them.
For long trips or extended interstate speeds it's best to replace them.
Repairing a fender or quarter panel on a classic car because of a exploding old tire isn't worth the risk let alone the possibility of wrecking the car.
 

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