I waded the search till I got cross eyed. All cheater slick threads. Anyways, at the Geezer drags this past weekend, the guys in the non- slick class were having a hard time with suffiecient traction . Even getting loose in second gear. ( 1/8 mile) I would like to hear what the better traction DOT tires are and your opinion as to why. Thanks for any input, .......................MO
Mickey Thompson drag radials. I am not sure what type of look you are going for, but they stick, real good. There are dedicated drag cars running well into the 7 second barrier (1/4 mile). Check out PSCAracing.com and take a peek at thier drag radial classes. I had a set on a nitroused out the whazoo big block Nova. They did the job.
MT Drag radials may be the best, I don't know. Sound like huey has some good experience with them. I would think that ET Streets should work for 90%, or more, of the guys at the Geezer drags. A little better look, IMHO, and good traction for a DOT. With very few exceptions (notably Littleman), guys have a heck of a time getting any bite with the old style cheater slicks. I'm sure you've looked at the Hurst vs. Radir threads on here. I've seen both in action plenty of times and can tell you that neither perform like new tech tires. They look way cooler, but don't perform as well.
M/T ET STREETS shaved about a second off my time compared to Firestone cheaters. I found out quick cheaters look good, but....well...that's about it. Ask Hot Rod Bill about cheaters LOL!
You should discuss what diameter and width you are looking for as well. Aren't the MT drag radials only available in the lower aspect sidewalls? Nothing that would really look remotely at home on a fenderless ride.
Just my 2 cents with no comparison but I have the Hoosier DOT Radials and holy bat shit! They bite very hard! I was impressed! I barely spin them but I don't have a fast car (12.90s) but the really fast guys run them and others, I notice they spin on the street, so I am wondering if the different tires react to the different VHT sprays at the track or "slick" rubber to make them bite??
I've gone 1.35 on 325-15 MT DR's, total pass was 9.40@144mph (OT car). I have friends who have gone 7.2's on 315 DR's. Diamondback can make them into custom white walls too if you have the coin.
I've used McCreary Road Star dirt track tires with good results. 60 foot times in the 1.80's with stock GTO's. They used to be a lot less expensive too. Check McCoy motors in Modesto for prices.
can't beat the m/t's... they hook up a TON better than the other cheaters i had on the car. i still can drive them everyday. and they work. they finally got my car to where it is actually working good and making rounds.
X2 on the McCrearys. The bogged my BBC Vette on the street without any heat. I ran over to my friends garage to tell him about it. He said I was crazy. He had a durometer which measured hardness of rubber. He tried it on Firestone dirt track tires and the gauge went 180 degrees. He tried it on a set of Goodyear slicks. The gauge went 90 degrees. When he tried it on my McCrearys, the gauge didn't move. Then he tried it on his hand. The gauge moved 5 degrees. He said, "Shit! Those things are softer than the skin on my hand!!!".
Ran Hoosier Quick Times (31X13.50X15) on the Anglia and went 9.20 at 160 - pretty close to the real slicks! 1.30 60 ft's (1.25 on slicks)
The size and appearance that you're looking for will have a big impact on what tire you end up choosing. We run the Hoosier Drag Radials but the Mickeys and the Good Years both work good too, the quickest guys are all running the Hoosiers and they have been as quick as 1.12 in the 60' on stock suspension and over 3000 lbs and 315-60's, we've been 1.27 on a 275-60. . . . no, the 295-65 is 29.6" tall and the 315-60 is 29.8" tall
Thanks folks for the info so far. Just now building the car - 1964 Dodge B body 2 dr hdtp.- 4 speed -3:55 sure grip 742 carrier- Super Stock springs-- 413 0r 440 with approx 425 H.P. Car weight with my beer gut approx 4000 lb. Tire tread , about 9-10 " ---diameter about 28-29 "-15" rim--I don't want whitewalls--pie crust would be cool. Radials or bias ok- prefer radial. Treadwear not important ( ya wanna go fast? it'll cost ya ) Thanks all, More input is appreciated...........MO
For just a plain old street tire I am in love with Winston Winners. I don't know how you would find them or if they even make them any more. But I'm pretty sure they do. Why you ask? Well I had a non HAMB friendly little pickup truck back in the '90s (ran elevens through the mufflers). I never could get much in the line of traction with about anything I tried. I captured a set of winston winners at a swap meet. Drove down to the local track got 'em hot and staged. I got enough traction to wrinkle the roof on the little pic'em up truck. Anyway they worked for me.
TRIED THE bfg DRAG RADIALS. THEY HAVE A NICE SIDEWALL AND ARE RADIALS.........BUT MAN DO THEY WEAR OUT FAST. NOT A FAN OF THEM< BUT THEN AGAIN MY SUSPENSION IS NOT SET UP TRANSFER POWER TO ASS END.
I use to run McCreary Road Stars years ago on a OT Maverick pro streeter I built. Yes, they hook preety good for a treaded tire (enough to shell a 9" I had in it), much better then the guys running M/T at the time. But... unless they have changed them since I had them they are not DOT legal and I think he needs DOT to fit in a class.
M&H makes a good cheater slick , i've used them on low 12 - high 11 second cars with good results. I've been told their drag radials are damn good but personally have not used them so i can say for sure.
I am not a drag racer,but I ended up with a pair of Diamond Back Cheater slicks. I wanted the tallest tire with the narrowest tread for a 10'' wheel(did not want to give up my Halibrand wheels). I have a 392 Hemi in 32 roadster that did nothing but burn rubber,I had a hard time driving it. With the Diamond Backs, it really hooks up now. Also they have enough tread pattern to do fairly well in the rain.
Hi cornpatch........I grew up in the old days, draged at Fremont for years. Always used Firestone or M&H on the fast cars and Bruce's cheaters on the slower ones. When I was building my '26 T, an employee convinced me to try Pro-Trac's. Car was going to be used for limited racing and occasional street use. Picked up a couple S375/60-15 from Coker and at 24 lbs on the street they work well and they are awsome at 6-8 psi at the strip. Best time 8.60 @ 160. Sometimes they are too sticky and it causes the car to lift the front end and when it comes down too hard I get a speed wobble that's scarry. I've been banned at Famoso and Sacto for not enough knee protection, and Kingdon dosen't have traction control compounds on the strip surface, so I just occasionally give those tires a good workout on the street. Glad I listed to John Hagen in 2004.....
I run the 295 MT ET Street Radials on my Malibu. They are MUCH more stable on the top end than slicks/DOT legals are. They have been in the 6's on radials, so they will hook. The problem is that your tuning window is much narrower due to the rubber compound and stiffer sidewall.
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