old school looking tires that grip

[DAMatt]

Have really searched before posting.

My car has the awesome looking BFG 295/50 & 245/60 combo. I think only thing that would look better would be radials that look like bias ply in the same sizes... so about a G60 in the front, and a N50 in the rear(correct me if I'm wrong about the equivalent). But to my knowledge, only thing that comes close is the Goodyear Polyglass L60 which is like a 275/60, and I don't know why but I do not like the look of.

Back to my BFGs, they look terrific, but they are 7 years old now, and my main complaint is that even at stock power levels, grip just isn't there! I have QA1 double adjustables set to zero, and there is absolutely zero weight transfer when departing. Even if I don't load the converter, just from idle it spins, and spins.
Funny part is that I realized I have a traction control system that works way better/faster than say a 2000-2010 car: Say I mash the throttle in 1st, car starts to slip because of the low grip, trans immediately shifts into 2nd, and I immediately bog down, any break of traction dissapears! Yeey, I guess...

I am searching for tires that offer real grip on the street, but an also sustain highway speeds, AND look cool. I am ready to sacrifice tread life. Were it not for the look cool part, the ET streets would have been my choice. The Sportsman Pro comes close, being a drag tire with vintage tread pattern, but there isn't one in my desired dimmension (295/50R15 or equivalent). I am sometimes rubbing as is, so something like a 325/50 / 29 X 12.5 wouldn't even fit.

So a 26-27 inch tire that grips good for launches, has a vintage tread pattern, and has high speed handling capability on the highway. And I don't care about tread life. For me the best looking pattern is either the Goodyear Polyglass, or the Coker Pro Trac. One more thing, it would be cool to have the same tire in the front too, only narrower.

Till now I couldn't find something that meets the above criteria. Anybody seen different?

 

[BSB67]

I posted something similar awhile back. My conclusion at the time was I had to decide which was the priority, the look, or the traction. I picked traction.

 

[R413]

Well it looks like you need to start in the tire manufacturing business. There just isn’t a tire like that made in this world.

And for the worst traction possible, gets you some radial T/A tires!

 

[33 IMP]

Well it looks like you need to start in the tire manufacturing business. There just isn’t a tire like that made in this world.

And for the worst traction possible, gets you some radial T/A tires!

Gets you some OLD t/a radial tires.

 

[33 IMP]

Hoosier quick time. (NOT the "pro" version)
295/60x15, if you can use the extra height. Vintage look tread, good drag traction. 2 out of 3 ain't bad. (275/60x15 if the 295 are too tall.)
Hoosier also makes Pro-Street radials, with matching fronts. 29x12.5x15 is the smallest rear, 10.2 tread, 29.1 tall.

 

[DAMatt]

Thanks for all the pointers. I think I got a lead... what do you guys think of the M&H Muscle Car Drag tire? N50-15, comes with front size too, vintage looking tread.

M&H says medium compound, recommended for both for street and track. Seems to tick all the boxes, one last thing worries me - being a bias ply, how deadly is it at highway speeds? I'm 38 so radials were the norm before I got my license. I have a set of F60-15 polyglass tires that I keep for show, but have only driven thrm around town, never on the highway. By everything I read online, as soon as you go fast with these, you most certainly crash and burn. How did the 16 year olds with 400hp+ cars survive in the 60s with bias plies?

I've got a question, do 29x12.5 tires fit the factory wheel well? I will not tub, will not move springs etc. I am lowered 1" on ESPO leafs.

 

[Ron H]

How did the 16 year olds with 400hp+ cars survive in the 60s with bias plies?

Ya knew when to fold them and when to hold them..

 

[Dennis H]

Easily roasted, but safe tire for street. Adequate in the rain under 70. Cooper Cobra.

 

[33 IMP]

Thanks for all the pointers. I think I got a lead... what do you guys think of the M&H Muscle Car Drag tire? N50-15, comes with front size too, vintage looking tread.

M&H says medium compound, recommended for both for street and track. Seems to tick all the boxes, one last thing worries me - being a bias ply, how deadly is it at highway speeds? I'm 38 so radials were the norm before I got my license. I have a set of F60-15 polyglass tires that I keep for show, but have only driven thrm around town, never on the highway. By everything I read online, as soon as you go fast with these, you most certainly crash and burn. How did the 16 year olds with 400hp+ cars survive in the 60s with bias plies?

I've got a question, do 29x12.5 tires fit the factory wheel well? I will not tub, will not move springs etc. I am lowered 1" on ESPO leafs.

Assuming a 68 charger, I think (THINK!!) that a 12.5x29 (again Assuming the 12.5 is section width, not tread width) will fit, on an 8-8.5 rim, with EXACTLY the right backspace. A ten inch rim will make getting the wheel in the right place much harder, and will increase the section width compared to an 8" wheel.
As for a bias tire on the street? Wouldn't scare me a bit, been using bias tires on hi performance cars for decades, but none of my fast cars made any pretentions about going fast around corners. Keep em hard enough, you might not notice the difference.

 

[RemCharger]

. How did the 16 year olds with 400hp+ cars survive in the 60s with bias plies?

Let's be honest. Lots of them didn't.

 

[not so famous bob]

Thanks for all the pointers. I think I got a lead... what do you guys think of the M&H Muscle Car Drag tire? N50-15, comes with front size too, vintage looking tread.

M&H says medium compound, recommended for both for street and track. Seems to tick all the boxes, one last thing worries me - being a bias ply, how deadly is it at highway speeds? I'm 38 so radials were the norm before I got my license. I have a set of F60-15 polyglass tires that I keep for show, but have only driven thrm around town, never on the highway. By everything I read online, as soon as you go fast with these, you most certainly crash and burn. How did the 16 year olds with 400hp+ cars survive in the 60s with bias plies?

I've got a question, do 29x12.5 tires fit the factory wheel well? I will not tub, will not move springs etc. I am lowered 1" on ESPO leafs.

I tried those back when I built my 406 sbc gmc , they werent worth a quack , wouldnt even put the full tread on the ground at way low air pressures, on 10'' rims , which they suggested back then ...jfyi

hoosier quick times , 295 60 d15 tire of choice for the street for me now , the 505 will fish tail , but its moving doing it !!

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

What about the Nitto 555r II’s for the rear and the regular 555’s for front. The II’s have a stiffer sidewall than the regular 555r and still drag radial tread. Decent in rain.
If you can go 17, your options open up a lot. Then it’s 200 tread wear NT05 and they stick!

 

[moparedtn]

Let's be honest. Lots of them didn't.

Best I can recall, the 16 year olds didn't have the truly fast cars - more like the 307/powerglide type stuff
on which to learn (cheap cars and in those days, there wasn't a lot of rich daddies buying Junior a fast car).
At least in my neck of the woods, you started with something like a 318 Dart or 307 Nova or some such
and worked your way up eventually to something decent once affordable.
By then, you'd have either developed a healthy respect for cars - or you'd have wrecked one, sometimes
spectacularly.

These days though? Way too many human young squirrels are getting ahold of scary fast cars too soon
in life, seems like - and acting the fool with them, with the expected results.
Makes this fella's ghost happy though:


(By the way, wife and I had Fred out last Friday evening and took the twisties out to the country for
dinner at a small diner out in the sticks. I'm doing my usual "hey, the old boy handles these curves
pretty good" bit on the 15 (!!) year old BFG's, because I know it's a short ride back to the house if
I lose one....even did an imprompto little burnout (other customers demanded it ) when leaving
later on, letting off when Fred started the sideways thing (no shoulders on these roads, only ditches).
So...moral to the story?
Nothing wrong on the street with either the BFG's or the Coopers in 15" - slight nod to Coopers in the
rain is all.
Racing is a whole other matter...

 

[DAMatt]

I tried those back when I built my 406 sbc gmc , they werent worth a quack , wouldnt even put the full tread on the ground at way low air pressures, on 10'' rims , which they suggested back then ...jfyi

hoosier quick times , 295 60 d15 tire of choice for the street for me now , the 505 will fish tail , but its moving doing it !!

Could you give a bit more details? From the presentation it seemed like exactly what I was looking for, vintage thread, and grip.
Same for the Cooper Cobras / MT Sportsman ST, as I understand only marginally better grip, don't look as cool as the BFGs.
What size were they? When did you buy them? Do you think they did not use a drag tire compound? You said it didn't put the whole thread down, is that your critique, or is it also the lack of traction? And did you use tubes or not?

What about the Nitto 555r II’s for the rear and the regular 555’s for front. The II’s have a stiffer sidewall than the regular 555r and still drag radial tread. Decent in rain.
If you can go 17, your options open up a lot. Then it’s 200 tread wear NT05 and they stick!

ET Streets, 555s have the grip, but look too pro-mod, and the Coker Pro Trac is exactly what I am looking for, but no grip.
Even though I understand the appeal of large rims with skinny tires on classic muscle cars, it's really not my cup of tea, 15s are the way to go for me.

Assuming a 68 charger, I think (THINK!!) that a 12.5x29 (again Assuming the 12.5 is section width, not tread width) will fit, on an 8-8.5 rim, with EXACTLY the right backspace. A ten inch rim will make getting the wheel in the right place much harder, and will increase the section width compared to an 8" wheel.
As for a bias tire on the street? Wouldn't scare me a bit, been using bias tires on hi performance cars for decades, but none of my fast cars made any pretentions about going fast around corners. Keep em hard enough, you might not notice the difference.

Isn't 12.5 a 325 width? If so, what about pairing it wit an 8/8.5" rim? It's tough, because sometimes 12.5 is listed as a 325, sometimes as a 295. Same thing with the N50... Sometimes I rub even with the 295/50R15s, and they are 26s. Wouldn't a 29" hurt more?


SO I am willing to sacrifice tread life, I am even willing to sacrifice rain-ability, but I want something that looks Day 2 in '68, and grip levels nearing a drag radial, at least. Not looking for the ***-up stance, so wheels would have to tuck inside the fender.

 

[Rusty knuckles]

I've got no direct experience but I'm looking pretty hard at some Hoosier TDR vintage tires for similar looks. They might fit your criteria.

 

[33 IMP]

The 12.5 is similar to a 315, but yeah, that a bunch of tire. I have a 10.5 slick, with a similar section width on a 8.5"rim on my 62, but it is seldom street driven.
Kern Dog has a 325 on the back of his charger I believe, on 18"wheels
(but width is width, wheel diameter has no effect, other than looks), but he had to do some mods to the inner wheel house to keep them from rubbing.
So, I come back to an original recommendation. Hoosier Quick Time.
If the 295 60s are too tall, 275/60x15s are what I would use. Under an inch narrower than your 295 50s, 27" tall, vintage looks, and WORLDS better traction than any T/A radial. If your 295s rub, I bet the 275s wont.
Also, just a note, off topic. I have some 315/60x15 et street radial pro, drag radials, on 12" rims, and they seem WAY bigger than my 10.5 slicks on an 8.5 rim, even though the section is supposed to be similar. It's not!

 

[Cranky]

Let's be honest. Lots of them didn't.

Same thing happening today and has been happening since the 60's and before. Lots of them are plain stooopid when it comes to car control and knowing the limits. Not many take any of the high performance driving classes available these days because they feel they already know how to control a car. Just ask the ones that are no longer with us.....if you could ask them just before that moment of lights out.

 

[INTMD8]

Rather expensive but I love the Avon CR6ZZ. Vintage dot road race tire. Radials, 70 treadwear. On the street they feel -almost- as good as a drag radial but do not throw rocks up on the paint.

 

[33 IMP]

Rather expensive but I love the Avon CR6ZZ. Vintage dot road race tire. Radials, 70 treadwear. On the street they feel -almost- as good as a drag radial but do not throw rocks up on the paint.

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Love, LOVE, the wheel/tire combo! Redlines by Diamondback?

 

[INTMD8]

Thank you. Yes I sent them to Diamondback for the redlines.