How to ID Original Wide Oval Tires vs Reproduction

[musclecar fan]

Does anyone know how to determine if a set of F70x14 Firestone Wide Oval tires are original or reproduction? Any particular codes or sure way to tell?

Thanks

[Mr70]

If your looking at one,relay the DOT.

[GRB]

I don't believe the original Wide Oval or Wide Boot would have date coded DOT numbers. A newer tire would have have date codes imprinted on the sidewall. Also, the manufacturer's name should be molded onto the sidewall, so a reproduction would have to remove Goodyear or Firestone from the original mold. I'm not talking about the cosmetic name but the small print found near the bead, of course.

[Mr70]

That's true to a point,as beginning with 1968 production,the Dept.Of Transportation mandated all tires sold brand new in the USA,have plant/mold and date manufactured on them.
Earlier versions of these tires did not have to show a DOT as you said.
Notice it states USA too,as I have seen a few original 1970 vehicles sold new in Canada & Mexico w/tires that don't have a DOT..
1969 into 70 production appears to be the dividing line so far.

[firstgenaddict]

If it is a small letter wide oval then it is not a repro as they are not reproduced...

Here is an example of the small letter tire

[GRB]

I believe both Gdy and Firstone changed the size of the lettering at some time.

[musclecar fan]

All 4 of theh tires have a DOT raised letter mold and CYLD F2K515 stamped into the rubber next to it. What do these codes mean? Thanks

[Mr70]

New world modern day current reproduction tires.

[GRB]

The 515 more than likely means they were produced the 51st week of 2005. I'm not sure what the mfgs did after 1999. So it could mean the tires were built the 51st week of 1995.

[Mr70]

On top of that,specifically that's a McCreary plant & date code and they currently carry the contract to reproduce The Wide Oval today.
They didn't back in the day,and only started doing so around early 1990's.