Not the old skool Pie Cutter's.. the more modern wrinkle wall type M&H, Hoosier.. I've seen a few guys running them.. but never sure how many miles they log on them and how well they work on the road... I'm guessing most of them are a slick with grooves, but I wasn't sure if any were a little heaver duty .. a truer compromise without looking like a Street Rod tire...
Yeah, that's what I got on the back of my '62 Biscayne: a DOT-approved 275-60-15 M&H Racemaster. Really is a great looking tire with 10 inches of tread and that M&H Racemaster name is just iconic and legendary. Many cars have run 8's with these things but they do have some pretty soft sidewalls. I had another set on a different car and I had no problems driving 20-30 miles to the Dragstrip to race. Air 'em down, yank some wheelies, then air 'em back up for the drive back home. I really would not wanna drive in the rain with them or take any long-distance trips with them, but for close to home to wheelie-poppin', gear-banging action, they're great and still look Nostalgic compared to modern day Drag Radials.
Used M&H Dot numbered street slicks on a non-hamb friendly 5.0 Mustang and they were good on the street. When new they weren't too bad in the rain but not as good as a normal street tire you just had to remember what you were running. Never bumped any curbs so couldn't comment on the sidewalls but they were thick enough for DOT numbers. 50/50 on mileage till wore out they gripped better so if you have a heavy foot you weren't burning rubber off them like you would be with a pure street tire but they probably scrubbed off in corners a bit more as they are pretty soft. Bottom line would I run them again on the street .... in a heart beat.
My experience is a little different than the first two posts. I had MT ET Streets on my 56 with no tubes. If the car sat for more that 30 minutes the tires would flat spot like nobodys business. The car shook like a rock pounder for the first 10 miles till the tire built up some heat. If it was cold (below 45) forget it, the tires never warmed up. I finally resorted to putting the car on stands when parked in the garage to combat the flat spots. The MT guys do not recommend extended hwy speeds for their tires. I know people do it but the manufacturer does not recommend it. Also, with out tubes the tire continually seeps air. With tubes the tire was a bear to balance. At the drag strip the car hooked no doubt but at the top end it had a weird floating feeling to it. Ran between 15-20 pounds in the tire. Finally went to drag radials and while not the best looking tire, handles much better without the issues of a true DOT slick (typically bias ply in construction) and hooked very well. The DOT slicks just were not worth the constant aggravation for what they delivered. Geeze, I must be getting old. Next thing the music will be too loud. Just my 2 cents.
I use M&H Racemaster tires on most of my fast cars. I have been very happy with the performance and the service from M&H. The prices are in line. I do like the look of the Phoenix tires
I've run Mickey Thompson ET Streets on the road and they worked fine. I used them at the track mostly but spent some weekends cruising around and they were fine for the street. I wouldn't advise driving in the rain with them. The grooves they put in the tires are strictly for show. ANY type of power combined with limited wet traction will yield danger! The only really good street/strip tire that works decent in the rain is a drag radial. They wear out much faster than a passenger car tire, but will hook at the track and keep you right side up on the street in the rain.
I ran 10" MT ET Streets on my dual quad tunnel ram big block '67 Chevy pickup I loved them, all the way up until I got caught in a serious downpour on the freeway spun out, hit the jersey barrier and got T boned by a box van I also would not hesitate to run them again just not in the rain...
I [barely] get one season out of a set of M/T Drag Radials. That gets me 50+ passes, a bunch of smokey burnouts, lots of city miles and a pile of cruise nights. I've been caught in the rain and had no problems at all... having said that, no boneheads cut me off and made me two foot the wide pedal either. The car wears Firehawks on the hwy to spare the drag tires... the drag tires fit in the trunk just in case
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