[Formulajones]

Originally Posted by torqhead

Yeah but are you putting 3-4000 miles on them every year Larry...

Usually a little more than that on those particular cars. They are out every weekend and around here we have year round driving weather so they never really get a break.

[Formulajones]

Originally Posted by glhs#116

I've had the BFGs, the Cooper Cobras and now since the last year and a bit these Vitours. I rate the Coopers above the BFGs. But the Vitours are on another level.

https://www.northhantstyres.com/gala...axy-r1-rwl.php

The funniest part is that the price is the inverse of their quality as a road tyre.

Vitour is a funny make. My understanding is that this is a South Aftican tyre company. But unlike the other two "retro" tyres it's a modern tread design and modern construction and compound (I mean, it's V rated!). I've only drag raced on the Coopers and the Vitours but given how much better the Coopers were on the road than the BFGs I feel safe in giving the Vitours the edge over either of the others. And on the road it's night and day. We get rain here. Often. The roads are never straight. With the Vitours I can actually drive the big TA almost like a normal car. With the BFGs or the Coopers on I always felt like the tiniest slip of the throttle and I'd be facing backwards.

I didn't think they would look as nice on but I've really come round to how they look.





Sam

I've never heard of Vitours. Where did you find those?

[1968GTO421]

Originally Posted by Formulajones

I've never heard of Vitours. Where did you find those?

Larry, Hope this is helpful

https://www.google.com/search?q=Vito...hrome&ie=UTF-8

[Formulajones]

Originally Posted by 1968GTO421

Larry, Hope this is helpful

https://www.google.com/search?q=Vito...hrome&ie=UTF-8

Thanks for that

I don't know why searching that wouldn't come up but your link worked fine.

[leeklm]

Keep in mind there are two versions of the MT Sportsman. ST and SR. SR is the more performance oriented tire and ST simar to the BFG or Coopers discussed here. The SR is not cheap .

I was thinking of moving from my bias ET front tires to the Sportsman SR skinny for track use. Little heavier, but should be less prone to picking up punctures in the pits. Had a flat last year at Norwalk and another last month at a local track with the bias ET fronts

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[leeklm]

One more thing, this website is interesting as you can enter a tire size and every brand imaginable will come up. One would assume many of the tires are the same thing, just re branded.

https://www.1010tires.com/Tires/225-70R15


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[i82much]

i have the coopers with a 505, four speed and 3.54 gears, they break loose but the car is very controllable ... long wheelbase and boxed frame, there is plenty of time to get out of it if it starts getting twitchy.

i am happy with the coopers, would buy again.

[Formulajones]

Originally Posted by leeklm

Keep in mind there are two versions of the MT Sportsman. ST and SR. SR is the more performance oriented tire and ST simar to the BFG or Coopers discussed here. The SR is not cheap .

I was thinking of moving from my bias ET front tires to the Sportsman SR skinny for track use. Little heavier, but should be less prone to picking up punctures in the pits. Had a flat last year at Norwalk and another last month at a local track with the bias ET fronts

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Dad has been running the MT SR (radial version) skinnies on the front of his car for several years now. Primarily on the street and they have been excellent, no complaints. They are the 28x6 version that I seem to have trouble finding on their website for what ever reason, lol.

Anyway, they track nice, ride nice. Spendy, but a great front runner.

[OCMDGTO]

Another vote for MT Sportsman ST, they are not track tires

[78w72]

Originally Posted by torqhead

I'm replacing the tires on my 69 GTO, running 15" rallys and wanted to see what suggestions people have for good tires nowadays. I've run the goodrich t/a's for quite some time, I put 3-4000 miles on my car every year and have a fairly stout motor in it so need good traction as well but recognize not much will prevent me from turning them.

Besides the BFG & cooper, the modern M/T radial ST is a white letter tire similar in looks to BFG/Cooper, the M/T has a higher speed rating than the BFG with a more modern tread, gets great reviews by owners and they look good, most popular 15" sizes available too, 225/70 to 245, 255, 275 60 series, good prices at summit too.

Another option for a great tire is the firestone indy 500 that has been re released in select 15" sizes, also higher speed rated than the outdated BFG, balances nice and decent prices online.

[ta man]

Originally Posted by leeklm

Nitto 555r2 is available in a couple of 15" sizes for the rear. I run those for street on the firebird with a couple of skinny radials upfront. At my current 200 miles a year, they will probably last the rest my my life lol.

The 555 claimed to be a drag tire, but nowhere near the traction at track vs a true drag radial.

Used to run the MT street radials on the 73 GTO and those seemed fine for a cruiser, relatively soft ride. The MT, BFG and Cooper seem very similar to each other? Maybe coming from the same factory???



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Nitto 555r2's 275/60/15 are my street tires on the rear. I tried using BFG's again and just can't...I need the better traction that the Nittos provide..

[Steve C.]

I have used the Nitto NT555R Drag Radial in 275/60-15 for many years as a street tire. Unfortunately I suspect they are no longer available.


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[Formulajones]

Originally Posted by Steve C.

I have used the Nitto NT555R Drag Radial in 275/60-15 for many years as a street tire. Unfortunately I suspect they are no longer available.


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Steve, it seems there are a few specialty tires that are becoming obsolete. I'm waiting to hear back from Mickey Thompson because I can no longer find the 28x6x15 Sportsman S/R radial front runners on there website. Dad has been running those for years and all I see available now are a 26" version and that's just too short. Fingers crossed that hasn't become another obsolete tire or we'll have to go another direction.

[Charlie Brengun]

Originally Posted by glhs#116

I've had the BFGs, the Cooper Cobras and now since the last year and a bit these Vitours. I rate the Coopers above the BFGs. But the Vitours are on another level.

Sam

Thanks that, I need some new tires as well and have been eying keen to find some reviews of them.

[David Jones]

I struggled with what to replace the T/A's on my 69 GTO with a few years ago. I love the T/A name/font but couldn't come to grips with their pricing. I looked at everything available (front 215/70 back 255/60) in 15" and even considered going blackwall. I ended up with the Cooper Cobras and have been well pleased. With the staggered sizes I can't rotate but with only about 5000 miles on them, the fronts still look good. Hopefully they'll keep the font the same when the fronts need replacing. Rear traction is good. Rolling along they are a bit noisier than the T/A's.

[ta man]

Originally Posted by Steve C.

I have used the Nitto NT555R Drag Radial in 275/60-15 for many years as a street tire. Unfortunately I suspect they are no longer available.


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Still sold and available

[Steve C.]

Thanks. I see it has been changed to NT 555 RII

https://www.jegs.com/i/Nitto/726/107830/10002/-1



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