Louise,
We discussed this subject some time back and I gave my views as I have
seen it change over the years, you might find some of this discussion in
the archives.
Firestone was the tire of choice when I first arrived on the scene,
primarily because that was what was available. Indy race car take offs
were the tire of the day and they worked well. Most liked the front tire
because it was narrower and had a proportionally equal tread side to
side. The rear tire was a bit wider tread that was rounded on one side
with kind of a lip on the other side. (Made for going around corners)
They were also used, but were usually shaved to make them more suitable.
I believe that Teague ran some of these 30 year old tires at speeds at
or above 400 MPH.
In later years Firestone made some tire especially for Bonneville which
were used widely. I would suggest that you contact Al Teague for his
input on tires, he really puts them to the test.
We were all under the impression early on that a wider tire was not good
control wise. I still believe that on certain cars that is the case. We
really don't have the luxury of many choices about what we run today. We
are faced with reality of using what is available and making the
adjustment necessary to make it work.
I have never run the Goodyears, several have with good success. Since
the Goodyear front runners were not designed to be used for putting
power to the ground, there have been problems when using the front
runners on the drive wheels. Others can speak with more authority about
the Goodyear tire than I.
I chose to run the M&H 15" front runners and Mickey Thompson 15" tires
on the rear. The Mickey 15" tires are no longer being produced, so next
time around it will be 18" tires on the rear for us.
Tom, Redding CA - #216 D/CC
\"LandSpeed\" Louise Ann Noeth wrote:
>
> I need some clarification on tires . . .
>
> Back in the fifties Firestone stepped up and introduced a salt tires, but
> over the years rubber always seemed to rise and fall as an issue with
> respect to availability.
>
> Would someone be able to briefly comment on the tire situation over the past
> 50 years? Where Firestone was the tire of choice in the early days,
> Goodyear came onto thescene and there was altos a smattering of M&H and even
> Hoosiers.
>
> Without prejudice for one specific type of vehicle, how do the tire
> companies rank in the eyes of the racer today? 10 years ago? 25 years ago?
> 50 years ago?
>
> I need this information for an article on salt racing going to 400,00
> readers. We are on deadline.
>
> Thanks!
>
> "LandSpeed" Louise Ann Noeth
>
> LandSpeed Productions
> Telling stories with words and pictures
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Dick J <lsr_man@yahoo.com>
> To: <land-speed@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Monday, March 27, 2000 2:47 PM
> Subject: BIG SAVINGS
>
> > I can honestly say that being a member of this
> > list has saved me some big bucks. I already had
> > the check made out to buy the "No-No" pipe bender
> > so I could hurry up and ruin a couple hundred
> > bucks worth of good DOM tubing while trying to
> > construct my cage. About half a dozen guys who
> > had already been there, done that, and I presume
> > got a tee-shirt warned me off. Moreover, one
> > racer is even offering to bend the tubing on his
> > bender.
> >
> > Thanks Guys
> >
> > =====
> > .............................
> > ..........Dick J.............
> > ......(In East Texas)........
> > ....FX/GMR SC/P250-2........
> > .....Shelby 427 Cobra.......
> > .Hemis and Flatheads Forever.
> > .............................
> >
> >
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