They're definitely safer. No doubt about that. The question is how would three otherwise identical cars be scored in an important show...one with a set of original take offs, one with a set of repops, and one with another brand of stock size tires? I don't know the answer. As the owner of a brand new set of 1987 dated stamped Eagle GTs in the stock size, still in the BFG wrappers and as soft as the Radial TAs I'm having mounted as I type this, I'd like to know.
And for any car worthy enough to spend $1300 on factory replica tires, it's probably not driven enough to worry about old hockey pucks. I'd put tires with the proper date code on for shows only. I have those too. I could lay a patch a block long with them on.