Bias Ply Racing Tires vs Street Radials

[SD5805]

I am thinking of getting the good year vintage cobra racing tires (bias ply) for my cobra. Has any one experienced these vintage tires on the street or on the track.

How do the perform. Do they drive as cool as they look or is it mostly the look that takes over. I do like the look but I'm also concerned on how the tire will perform on the street and at a couple of track events.

Thanks

[fsstnotch]

I've never dealt with these specific tires but I've used alot of bias tires on jacked up 4x4 trucks. They aren't something you will want on a car driven on the street. What happens is this... everytime you park the car, the tires will become "out of round" and you will have a fairly large vibration/wobble for the first 4 or 5 miles until they heat up and take shape again. I personally would not use a bias tire if the street is going to be it's primary use... heck, I wouldn't ever put a bias tire on a cobra. Only if I wanted the totally authentic looking cobra. I love the look, but I'd rather have functionality. they'd be perfect if your car is primarily a trailer queen show car!

I love this kirkham picture! It's been my background for months!

[xlr8or]

I've been running them for about 5000 miles and love them. They will track on the lines and flat spot as mentioned above but have far better traction than most of the radial street tire options.

[stefanog]

Sd5805, this topic has been covered a few times before, the bias ply is an absolute pig for everyday driving, they track everywhere and do get out of shape once left sitting for a while, but, I love the look and for the amount of driving that I do, it doesn't really bother me too much. As for track work, I've only used them once and as far as grip is concerned I know that I got nowhere near their limit and was very comfortable with them.

Good luck in the choosing.

Stef

[Excaliber]

I'm with xlr8or on this one. They flat spot if parked overnight, get round in a few miles, no big deal for me. Functional? I've never had a better set of tires for great traction on the street, work well on the track too! Very good in the rain, I have no plans to run anything else.

I was running radials, these are MUCH better!

[fsstnotch]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

I'm with xlr8or on this one. They flat spot if parked overnight, get round in a few miles, no big deal for me. Functional? I've never had a better set of tires for great traction on the street, work well on the track too! Very good in the rain, I have no plans to run anything else.

I was running radials, these are MUCH better!

Sorry, to clarify functional, I meant tires that don't wobble!

And yes, they will flatspot overnight.

I absolutely love the look. If I were using 15's they would be in my top 2 for tires even being bias. But I will be using 17's.

Excaliber, your car is hot! IMO, the tires you have on it now really make the look that better! Definitely a better look than the radials!
xlr8or, obviously from my pic above, you know what I think of yours!

I'm impressed that you guys say they handle so well! I love that period look they give! Almost makes me want to go with 15's! :P

Stefandog, i seen your collection of diecast cobras, ever seen this one? it's so close yet so far from your car!
http://www.franklinmint.com/product1...Product_ID=724

[Ron61]

Most pros and cons have been covered, but the ones that I had when I ran them on the street was the same as the listed ones plus when they get hot they not only stick better but act as a vacuum cleaner and when I would slow down to back into my driveway they would pick up every gravel on the street. They looked great and were great above about 40 MPH, but I took them off as I did a lot of regular driving and the rough pavement around here acts like a file and just grinds them up in around 200 miles plus the gravel issue. It was easier for me to get two sets of wheels and mount the racing tires on one set and the street tires on the other set.

Ron

[Johan]

I know how you can get a free set of the Goodyear tires.
Come to a vintage race. We go through them quick, but just because they have lost some stick for racing oes not mean they are worn out for street or DE use. The piles of them left over after the race are huge. They are free.

[ROUSHAC]

Allow me to emphasize one word in Johan's post above:

FREE.

[1985 CCX]

Go bias!
They do flat spot however once warm are 100 times better in comfort and grip.

Oh, they do pick up rocks too. Hardcore maybe but great performance.

[RACER X #99]

I think it is time for a reality check here,
Not one manufacturer of high performance cars installs any bias ply tires on their cars.

Whille the GY billboards do look good on a Cobra (I run the GY slicks on my track Cobra) there is absolutely no way that they outperform the radials produced today.

You wanna look cool get the billboards.
You wanna run fast get a set of radials.

[Roger Stine]

I've driven a full race 427 SC on the track with Goodyear slicks. These tires are great when dealing with a lot of power on a road course with all required equipment.

I would not use these tires on the street. They hunt and throw rocks. I think 500 to 700 horse power race engines are equally undesireable on the street.

In my opinion, radials are the best choice for street driving coupled with 350 to 400hp. Several sets of wheels/tires and spare engines make a well balanced Cobra experience.

Roger

[Rick Parker]

For those that may not realize it, in the picture above there are two different types of tires displayed. Those on the car are typically referred to as "Billboards". They have the block tread that resembles a typical "Race" Rain tire tread. The others are the Blue Streak Sports car specials that are used primarily on the Historic cars at all the vintage races. I have no first hand experience with the "Billboards" as they are more commonly used on the wheel widths sized for the 427 body cars. I have first hand experience with the latter since I can get sizing for a 289 Body car, yes they dislike uneven roads and anything above a very little bit of moisture is to be avoided. Getting caught in a medium rain or a smooth road with standing water is a deathwish. I was caught out in a rainstorm once and at anything above 35 MPH the car was skating (scarey). But...give me a smooth flat road and some temprature and they are the best thing you could have for spiritied driving. These tires STICK!
Both type pick up gravel, small rocks & stones when hot, as the rubber does get somewhat soft. They cannot be repaired by conventional means if they get a puncture but the Look is hard to beat

[Jamo]

First...there aren't any radials worth a sh!t in the 15" size.

Second...if you haven't run them yourself, why offer a comment. (not meant for you RP)

Third...if you're running 17s, then get radials.

Fourth...the groove tracking is minimal (my runflat 19s on my Vette are worse).

Fifth...flatspotting disappears in about a mile.

Sixth...let's talk apples and apples since everybody seems to get it all screwed up. As previously mentioned, the Big Letters pictured above are rain treads and are not the softer compound "Bluestreeks" folks use for dedicated track work. The Big Letters wear good, provide a supple ride, do at least as well as the 15" street radials in the rain and perform in the character of a 60s style car. I have foam under the arruminum fender wells for the pebbles being picked up...though I tend to stay on pavement most of the time.

I've used several sets through thousands of miles (long distance in extreme heat and through heavy rain/light snow) and they are the only tire I will use, though the Avons look pretty good. I've only had to plug one, which was easy given the lack of steel belts. I change them every two to three years whether they are worn or not simply due to the age (they are race tires).

Personally, I think they are safer than the POS 15" radials since the radials have no grip whatsoever that will handle even minor use of the throttle in these things, or come close to their cornoring ability at much less than the limit.

If you're a poosey...run radials. In fact, go buy a Prius, please wait one hour before swimming after you eat, vote for Nadar, hug a phuking tree and listen to Yani with lit scented candles.

And yes, I've been on the track enough phuking times in the past quarter century that I don't need to hear from folks who think life begins and ends on a closed phuking course.

[REAL 1]

Well, I'm not a racer by any stretch of the imagination but I did put billboards on my Shelby. The billboards when cold will dart and hunt and feel slippery until they get warm. In fact my sense is they would be down right REALLY scary to drive fast on until they are really up to tempature. They do pick up more gravel too.

The radials rode better but the billboards as stated have the right "look".

BTW what paint do you use to maintain the lettering????

[Jamo]

Originally Posted by REAL 1

Well, I'm not a racer by any stretch of the imagination but I did put billboards on my Shelby. The billboards when cold will dart and hunt and feel slippery until they get warm. In fact my sense is they would be down right REALLY scary to drive fast on until they are really up to tempature. They do pick up more gravel too.

The radials rode better but the billboards as stated have the right "look".

BTW what paint do you use to maintain the lettering????

"Maintain the lettering"?

phukme...what next, how do I polish the inside of the sidephukingpipes? I don't...they turn birdsh!t yellow. When they get real phuking ugly, I get a new set and wash the phuking car and I'm good to go for another two phuking years!

You live in Jersey...your roads are like your weather: good for sh!t.

To get them warm quicker...try a burnout in your driveway. At least the rears will grip then.

[REAL 1]

I don't like "bird**** yellow".

Seriously. What paint would you use if theoretically someone was going to maintain them.

[Jamo]

After all is said and done, a warm white tire pencil from Pep Boys seems to work the best...smooth it out with your bare finger. It won't last, but it'll give you something to do on a crappy weather day (most days I suspect).

I truly don't bother...I'd rather drive and put up with all the darting, flatspotting and pebbles as i scare the he!! out of prius drivers and wave a thumbs up to them for saving the gas I just bleeped through the pipes as I pass their sorry a$$es.

[Tom Kirkham]

For the street the Avons CR6-ZZ are the nicest tires I have driven on.
http://www.rogerkrausracing.com/Cobra/

[Jamo]

As if you know anything.

Like I said...those are the only other tire I might try as it stands now. Maybe the next set.