interest in performance tires

aumoore · #1 (**permalink**) 07-10-2003, 06:50 AM

Guys I meet a Kumho Rep at the Willis 100 and I have e-mailed him the following:

"Question would Kumho be interested in making speed rated tires for the Cobras in a 15" rim size? Most run a 235/60/15 or a 245/60/15 up front and a 275/60/15 or 295/50/15 in the rear. All that is available now is S speed rated BFG, Goodyear or Dunlop and most want a stiffer sidewall and sticker rubber than a S rated tire offers. If they were offered thru Tire Rack or another source or from Kumho direct I bet you can sell several thousand sets per year. For example there are over 2000 Factory Five Cobras on the road and they sell about 500 kits per year. There are probably more than double that if you combine all cobra kit manufacturers with Factory Five.

I looked at your race type rubber and did not see much in the way of 15" sizes like the following. Do you offer road race type tires in these sizes?

http://rogerkrausracing.com/cobra.html

C 26.5X8.0-15 GOODYEAR N 26.2 8.00 10.9 on 8.0 10 0 7.0 - 9.5 115.00
C 26.5X10.0-15 GOODYEAR N 26.7 10.00 11.9 on 10.0 10 0 8.5 - 11.0 127.00
C Original size Cobra tires in SLICK tread design for serious track use only. Customer Satisfaction 10. "

Here is his response

I have been telling our marketing director about the need for these sizes, but he seems to think that there isn't enough interest to develop them. I think it is a good idea because there are plenty of vintage guys out there with little in the way of tire options. Anyhow, I will send your email to him as further proof that there is a need for these sizes.

Thanks,
Aaron Smith
Kumho Technical Support

I will e-mail him a link to this thread so he can track our interest.

Ruble
DSCC

Clois Harlan · #2 (**permalink**) 07-10-2003, 07:02 AM

Why don't you give us his email address and we can put a few more bugs in his ear.

Clois

terry lee · #3 (**permalink**) 07-10-2003, 09:21 AM

I just ordered the Good Year Vintage slicks on Tuesday, should be here by tomorrow. They are really soft, maybe too soft for Fla, but we shall see.

I may be interested in some auto-x tires in the 15" size, even though I don't drive a FF.

TL

aumoore · #4 (**permalink**) 07-10-2003, 07:21 PM

Clois
I did not want to run him over with e-mails but I did e-mail him a link to this thread so he could show it to his boss. He seems to be interested in promoting tires that would interest Cobra guys and other vintage car enthusiast.

I for one would love to be able to buy speed rated 15" tires for my Cobra. IMHO the Cobra does look better with fat 15" tires but all we have is the S speed rated stuff which is better for crusing but lousy for performance driving.

Terry
I am thinking of ordering a set of 15" steel stock car wheels and a set of the goodyear slicks for track events as my 17" Kumho 712's are marginal for track events. I am starting to think a Cobra will respond better with 15" tires if they are made for performance. Let me know how the godyears work out. I just wish we could get 15" V rated tires with softer rubber for the street. Maybe a 15" version of the Victo-Racer compound

If we all post here I will forward them to Kumho and see if we can get something done. I bet the sizes we want would sell well for the old Camero, vette and Stang crowd.

Hal Copple · #5 (**permalink**) 07-10-2003, 07:25 PM

Two years ago, i chatted with the Michelien guy at a stop on the One Lap, at Road Atlanta. I asked if there was any possibility of a performance 15 inch tire for our cars.

He said "not a chance."

It seems like a large market to us, but to them, not worth the effort. Most Replica owners don't drive enough to wear out very many sets of tires, i think.

By the way the Hoosier road race radials are a superb track tire.

Bob In Ct · #6 (**permalink**) 07-10-2003, 07:42 PM

Hey Guys:
I spent 12 years in the tire industry (Rubber Chemist). It is very very expensive to develope a new tire. Molds alone can easily make 5 figures.

I would be a very happy guy if Goodrich or Goodyear would supply their existing 15 inch tires with Kevlar or Fiberglass belts. I think it would reduce the front end shake that many Cobras have at speed. Reducing the siping would help reduce rock hits to the inside of the fenders as a cleaner tread pattern would not pick up as much road debris.

Bob

John 550 · #7 (**permalink**) 07-10-2003, 07:44 PM

What is the best 15 " rain tire ?

Lew Ledyard · #8 (**permalink**) 07-10-2003, 08:21 PM

If the rep is reading, I would happily buy at least one set a year. I think that there are many others, not just Cobra owners, but the vintage guys too, who would do the same. I wish that Coker tire would offer a modern compound in an old size. They seem to offrer a lot of tires that have much less of a demand.

aumoore · #9 (**permalink**) 07-10-2003, 08:58 PM

Actually Kumho makes a H rated tire in 275/60/15

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Spec.j...odel=Ecsta+STX

Why no 235/60/15 or 245/60/15"

This looks like a tire design for the 18, 19, 20, 22, 23 & 24" sizes. I am not a rocket scientest but if there is a market for 24" tires it is probably not any larger than the market for good 15" street performance tires.

foothills gary · #10 (**permalink**) 07-10-2003, 10:38 PM

Yokahama makes a "T" speed rated tire,their Avid S/T,in235 or 245-60x15 for front and 275-60 or295-50x15 for rear.Haven't used them personally,but have heard raves on other sites.Available from Tire Rack.

aumoore · #11 (**permalink**) 07-10-2003, 10:59 PM

A "T" rated tire is not much more than a "S" rated tire(118mph vs 112mph). I am talking about a V rated tire with a soft compound like found on a Victoracer or maybe about half way between a Victoracer (UTOG rating 50)and a Escta MX (UTOG rating 220). I run the Escta Supra 712 (UTOG rating 280) in 17" but they are a little hard for serious track use. They work ok on the street but even my little 302 can break them loose easy.

Carroll DeWeese · #12 (**permalink**) 07-25-2003, 10:34 AM

I definitely want a much higher speed rated tire on my Cobra. It is an issue of safety and performance. I have 245/60/15 up front and 295/60/15 on the rear.

Right now, my only option to get significantly better speed rated tires is to change to wheels and ruin the vehicle look and daily driveable comfort of my current wheels. Nevertheless, I am seriously thinking about making the change. I am willing to pay a premium price to keep the look and the comfort of my current wheels but get the much higher speed rating. I have 5-point seat belts, fuel cell, fire extinguisher, kill switch, etc., but my life depends on four contact patches no where close in capability to the rest of my car.

Insurance is going up on Cobras and is getting harder to get. I believe that many Cobra owners, given the choice, would opt for much higher speed rated tires and their built-in safety factor. I would. I am sure that the growing number of owners of other 15 inch wheel cars -- original, kit, replica, modified, hot rod, etc. -- would choose the hager rated tires even with some price premium.

I hope that your source is still watching this thread.

John A. Simpson · #13 (**permalink**) 07-25-2003, 11:18 AM

These look great on 67 thru 91 Camaro and 67 thru 72 Novas (Novi?) in my experience. They really fill the rear wheel well with out needing to lift the car and they give a nice 'rake' without jacking up the back. Here's a picture of a 69 Nova I had in college, most cars like this had a definite rear end squat with the same size tires all the way around. Sorry about the poor picture quality, and it looks like I have a really strange antenna growing from the hood.
Oh yeah, my point is there are tons of these cars available that look good with these tires so that means a much greater market to supply.