Need tires for your classic or muscle car?
Tired of paying Big Dollars for repro-period tires when all you’d like to do is the cruise? Finding the old BF Goodrich Radial TA is getting harder and harder.
Well, at SEMA 2012, we found a bunch of manufacturers who make the sizes you need at a price you can afford. Our premise was that many of us have split for those repro Goodyears, and Firestones for our wheels, but at over $300 a pop, ($250 if you can find someone who will discount them) they’re a bit pricey for a diver.
The answer used to be found in the Goodrich Radial T/A, but this tire, if you can find it has moved up the price scale too, settling in at around $245 apiece. OK, $245, isn’t so bad, but that’s a lot of coin for a tire that isn’t and doesn’t look OEM . . . isn’t there something cheaper . . . something I could throw on my ride that looks period, is new, and thus safe to drive, and will fall under $200 a pop?
Cooper’s Cobra Radial is sold thru most chains – one of which is Big O Tires
Falken Tires are offered in a wide range and are also available through Sears.
The Mickey Thompson range is limited but readily available and in a good price point
Well, what better place to look for such a vendor than the SEMA show? So, while wandering around yesterday, we decided to go to the Global Tire Expo and see if we could find some tires that fall into that category. We wandered the whole hall and were surprised by how few of the couple of hundred of vendors available had anything in 14″ (except one vendor who had an excellent trailer rated 215×14 radial – oops no go there). We did have some luck in places where you might least expect it.
- Big O Tires, a national chain that sells Cooper tires – see the description below ;
- Cooper Tires had their brand of classic/muscle tires called Cobra Radial and CS Touring on display.
The Cobra tire is similar in construction to the old Goodrich Radial TA. Cobra Sizes range from P 215 70R 14 thru P295 50R15. Click HERE to see the website catalog for the Cobra.
The CS Touring is more suited to modern apps, but prices might be more competitive. CS sizes range from 185 65R14 thru 225 60R15. Click HERE to see their website catalog;
-
Falken had reasonable prices 60 series in the usual sizes we’d all be concerned about – their ZIEX ZE-912 tire comes in sizes from 185 65R14 thru 225 60R15. Click HERE to see their site catalog;
-
Mickey Thompson offered a good selection in their Sportsman brand. Sizes were limited and ranged from 235 60R15 thru 275 60R15. The good news is that they are readily available through major retailers, and they are reasonably priced. The bad news is that the line is limited to 15″ sizes. Click HERE to see their site catalog.
