Coker makes some very obscure tire sizes. They're obviously not high volume pieces. Yet, no one can seem to get them interested in producing a quality performance radial to fit the very large base of Shelby Cobras, both genuine and replica. They'd sell the heck out of them, as there are virtually no real choices available. You can get Goodrich T/A's to fit, but they grip like they're made of granite. Avon's used to be available, but the company either went through or is going through internal mergers, etc, so they're very hard to get, and when you CAN get them they're an absurd $600 each. There is some obscure Chinese tire company that makes the sizes needed, but who the heck in their right mind would put these cars on cheapo Chinese tires. If Coker could make a medium to soft compound tire that performs and grips well, at a reasonable quality level, for less than $400 a tire, there are probably 20,000+ Cobras out there that would beat a path to their door. Multiple people, myself included, have reached out to them, and the answer back is "no." No explanation given. Anyone know anyone there who might be able to move something like this to a review?
I had an obese friend that worked at Coker but he was fired for being too round. Okay, I might have to explain that one for some of you since it is late on a Saturday. Their tires are notoriously not round. Thus he was fired for being "too round". (rimshot) And to be clear I made up the part about him being a friend. I have nothing to back that up really.
I'm feeling more out of date every day, and I'm 58! I like 15 inch wheels, and the choices for tires gets smaller all the time. I see all these Donk-mobiles with the 22-26" stuff and have to face reality; There must be a heck of a lot more of those guys than us. I think the majority of 15" customers have tires on their cars that are probably very old, and seldom used. The cars aren't driven. So they just keep the tires that they have, hoping they don't blow out. I drive on 15", and 14" tires all the time (3 cars), so I'm needing them every few years. Coker sells tires for show cars. They're great for that. I've tried to run them on the Willys, but they just ****. It's a hard pill to swallow that I may have to move to bigger wheels and tires, if I want to keep going.
Replaced the 25-year-old 235x75x15's a couple years ago for Cooper Trendsetters as they were relatively smooth without all the side wall business, needing a pair of replacements I found they are no longer available with exception of a single example online, & run the risk of an older code date, so yes it seems the 15" sizes are less commonplace at least when matching replacements are warranted.
@Doug520 What is the exact size you are trying to get made? Different front and rear? You mention I bet that a quarter would want a track grip and wear, but DOT tire, a quarter would want a good street tire, understanding that most of these cars can roast the tires at will, and another quarter will want it to look vintage (Goodyear Blue Streaks) and not worry about the performance as much. Just a quick search shows these https://www.summitracing.com/parts/hoo-46540r7 https://www.jegs.com/i/Goodyear/478/2728/10002/-1 I found this and checked the Michelin sport cups (17" and up, sorry) but you could look at the others. https://gr***rootsmotorsports.com/articles/track-tire-buyers-guide/
I run Goodyear "Billboards" on my Cobra. They're 26.5x8 - 15 on the front and 26.5x10 - 15 in the back. They're bias ply and come with all the limitations that bias ply tires have. They're also not DOT legal. I'm not sure what the equivalent radial size designation would be. Other than the T/A's from Goodrich, which are so rock hard they're actually dangerous on these Cobras, there is little available. The Cobra's have a 90" wheelbase. My car weighs 2200lb wet, and has a 520" 744HP Ford Sideoiler in it. The T/A's are a death wish on this car. Most Cobra's weigh about the same as mine, and almost all have well over 400HP. There is a very significant market eagerly awaiting a quality, somewhat sticky radial in these sizes, and there's just nothing out there. I'm just not understanding Coker being willing to make some of the very obscure tires that they make, yet not being willing to make tires for this significantly large and hungry market. I don't think it's an understatement to say that these tires would probably become their best selling tire. I just don't get it.
I don’t know anything about making tires, but quite a bit about manufacturing. It’s all about Return On Investment. (ROI) My ***umption about making some really obscure tire, vs. making what you want, is they’ve probably had the obscure molds for decades, and to make what you want would mean a large investment in new tooling. The Cobra runs two sizes, so two sets of tooling, or double the expense. Someone at Coker has penciled the design / engineering cost, tooling cost, manufacturing cost, inventory cost, and the sales costs . . . . and determined it’s a non-starter. If you really want these specific tires, I’d be talking to BFG to see if you could get them to build a limited run of existing T/A’s in a softer compound. Long shot, but worth a discussion. Can’t tell you how many times over the years I’ve heard “If you’d build “X”, you’d sell every one you build.” My answer is often “You wouldn’t buy any at the price I’d have to sell for to justify the project”.
Coker has bought the old molds from tire manufacturers that quit making the obscure tires, they don't make new molds as they are quite expensive and no tire manufcturers are quitting making the tire sizes you want so you are SOL!
What I found was the market for replacement tires in the US in 2022 was $61 Billion. We’re not a significant market. We’re lucky we can get T/A’s ( I’ve got a set on my bird, better than the alternatives). And that’s only because the muscle car guys still buy them. Not happy, but that’s how it is.
Sounds as if my hopes for the Goodyear Blue Streak D.T. (dirt track) tires may well be a futile effort
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