I believe I have the ability to show you plenty of tire slide on Hoosiers...
WST
----- Original Message -----
From: <S800Racer@aol.com>
To: <brian@uunet.ca>; <SadekCH@nswc.navy.mil>; <franks@mail.teleport.com>;
<emanteno@attglobal.net>; <vintage-race@autox.team.net>
Cc: <dave.franks@state.or.us>
Sent: Wednesday, July 26, 2000 7:11 PM
Subject: Re: Tires for small-bore cars.
>
> In a message dated 7/26/00 1:22:40 PM, brian@uunet.ca writes:
>
> << But we should be limiting the tires, I've finally come to agree,
> to sizes and tread types more in line with what was available in the
> day. Dunlop makes tires to suit virtually every car, but they often don't
> perform as well as other options, and they often wear quickly if you buy
> the soft compound. but they do stress the suspension less than a lot of
> more modern choices. >>
>
> I agree and believe there are many good reasons to limit the tires.
For
> one thing it is more period authentic. While some may argue that Hoosiers
> are representative of the period, I have to disagree. As an example, the
> 1970 set-up notes from a friend's Mini indicated 40 psi tire pressure! (&
> yes, he did know what he was doing - he was the D-sedan national champ
that
> year.) Hoosiers are not the same as what was used 30 years ago. I ran
the
> Hoosiers (A70-13 TD's) for several years on my car (Honda S800). They're
> inexpensive, long lasting and stick like glue. They stick so good that I
> occasionally put the car up on two wheels when I made an aggessive turn-in
> for medium speed left-hand corners. I really did not like that feeling.
> I tried the Dunlops this year (4.50M-13). The performance was fine
but
> they cost twice as much as the Hoosier and didn't last half as long.
Right
> now, I'm using up an old set of Yokohama A001R's. After that I plan to go
> the inexpensive alernative - Continental. They make an H-rated radial in
the
> 175-70 X 13 size. It costs about $45 per tire plus shaving. In terms of
> size, tread width and grip, they are period authentic and wonderfully
> inexpensive. Most of the small-bore cars have taken advantage of this
option
> in VDCA events and the tires have received very good reviews.
> A lot of racers do not want to give up using the Hoosiers. I can't
blame
> them since they offer the most grip for the money. But they are stickier
> than tires of 30-40 years ago and not really period authentic.
Personally, I
> am having more fun with the skinnier tires letting the car slide a little
> more. I haven't been back to the same tracks in order to make a direct
> comparison, but I don't think my lap times have suffered for it.
>
> Doug Meis
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