Hot Rods Cheater slicks in the rain. Will I die???

I have no problem with slicks on the street when it's dry.

 

I ran Mickey Thompson ET Streets -bias ply 28x 12.50s that only have 3 little grooves. In NE Kansas we get rain. If you get caught in it-you pull over. That's what you do.

Things are easier with an open rearend-but most of us are posi'ed, lockered, or spooled, so it's more likely for us to loop it.

In rain-20mph max-you'll still loop it when you come to that touch of standing water in a low spot in the road- you've felt the fronts hit water and slow you down?-well the front will still slow down but the rears will just skate right around and there's your loop.

so if you're out for a cruise night and it rains, just pull over. Ran mine for 3 years till i sold that car and another pair is going right on the new car- 'cept bigger.

it's up to you to determine if it's worth the extra patience needed during rain.

-rick

 

Don't want to sound like a broken record but common sense and all these replies should be a good enough example. I've been in water with drag radials and that got sketchy real fast. Another thing is don't mix bias plys and radial tires... I borrowed some M/T ET street bias plys from a buddy to run this guy on the street, my camaro was floating around like crazy.

 

Have you ever driven on black ice?

Cheater slicks are a bit more forgiving than sticky slicks. You can drive them in the rain if you HAVE TO, but if you can it's best to pull over and wait it out. When your butt puckers up, that's your sign.

I used to drive my old car to the dragstrip on street tires, then bolt up the sticky slicks. Well, something broke on night and I borrowed a truck & trailer to get my car back home. I left the slicks on because I was in a rush. So the next time I took it out after fixing it, I was in a hurry, so I just drove to the strip on the slicks and left the street tires in the garage. Drove the 15 miles out there, made 2 passes, then the rain came down. We tried to wait it out, but it just turned to a light drizzle. All my friends bolted up their street tires or loaded up their trailers and took off. I grew a pair and hit the road, then the pair shrank up and hid. Anything over idle would break the tires loose and the car would try to come around. Same with hitting the brakes, the ass end would slide around like it was doing a donut. Thought I'd never get through an intersection. Took me almost 2 hours to make the 15 mile drive home that day. I bought a trailer the following week.

 

I had a set of 1100x16 M&H Racemaster Slicks on my 57 VW Conv. once. On a wet road, it was like being on pure ice.....

 

I can`t believe it is even legal to run them on the street, yet alone doing so.I had a worn front tyre on my work van a couple of weeks ago and that thing was all over the place in the damp...I guess that you are wanting to run the slicks for looks over actual street racing..you obviously have doubts about the suitability of them hence the post, so I would say, in my humble opinion, if you want to enjoy driving your car safely and not be checking the sky every five minutes, then leave them off.

 

if you run the slicks.... would you mention me in your will?

 

Cheater slicks are as good as bald tires when caught in the rain. I can't recommend either being a good idea.

Bob

 

Yes, sooner or later you wil die. Alot sooner with cheater slicks in the rain..

 

theres good days and theres bad days. paying attention and being careful are both things we all have to do while driving our "rods" on the roads with others.

having slicks of any type while in the rain just introduces a variable that you dont know when or where its going to come into play (or to what extent). some days they can be fun, some days they can be a bit sketchy.

i wouldnt say dont run em. but i also wouldnt say go get caught out in the rain every chance you get either.

 

I had Milfred Street Slicks (local recapper in 60's Milwaukee) on my '57 Olds 88 for an entire year... summer and winter ('65/'66).... I was too young and stoopid to know any better.

 

M+H Racemaster Cheaters 14X8.5 on my 62 Bubbletop 409. On the street dry pavement no problem. Any moisture they become a big problem. All I know is when I'm at the track and the starter feels a drop of rain the track shuts down.

 

Just a thought, doesn't a '38 coupe have a pretty big trunk? Put a pair of treaded tires in there just in case the road trip gets disastrous.

 

I had a 68 Mustang with 11 inch M&H's on the back and it was like being on ice when the road was wet. On my old 23 modified I ran Firestone 10 inch cheaters and the first time I got caught in the rain I thought it was going to be the same, but it wasn't. I was on the interstate going to Daytona and surprisingly the car drove just like it was on regular tires. I got caught quite a few times after that (it rains a LOT in Florida) and never had a problem.



Strangely enough, my current 27 has Coker L78-15 regular tires on it and I can't even pull out from a red light when it is wet because it keeps wanting to go sideways (and it has TracLok). Until I get into high gear it is very dicey. Maybe I need to put some Firestone slicks on this one.

Don

 

cant ya just get a cheap set of used wheels and tires? round here ya could get some decent runners for $50.. I wouldn't chance it...

 

Oh him?

He's in the movies.

Everyone's already said it... I haven't done it with bias slicks but with radial R-compound tires... you have no business driving on the roads when they are damp or even COLD with these tires.

 

I think cheater slicks would be great especially if you had a Death Wish. I've seen too many bad things happen with pro street cars. Cheaters probably just as bad.

 

So you got lot of answers from lots of people. There are a lot of variables here, HP and Torque on hand, slush box , modified slush box standard, clutch size or type, suspension setup, driving skill level. I could go on for hours but you catch my drift right?

To give you the best answer that I can to this question I will leave it at this. If you have to ask then the answer is probably yes.

BTW to answer a comment that Mario Andretti couldn't I saw Andretti come out of a chicane once dirt track style in a driving rain storm, slide it into the pits and park until the storm past and the race resumed. This on smoothies not rain tires. If anyone could he could.

 

I had a bone stock 55 ford with a slippery clutch in high school...instead of fixing the massive rear main seal leak that oiled down my clutch, I bought a brand new set of chrome reverse wheels and cheater slicks...looked awesome! I was road trippin one day in central oregon when it began to rain ...hard. At 55 mph [as fast as the car would go uphill before the clutch began to slip] the rear tires broke loose and I went around about 3 times without going into the ditch...
If I kept the speed below 30 MPH in the wet, I was ok but I didn't make any friends with traffic stacked up behind me.
I wouldn't use /em on my daily driver and if used on your hotrod, keep in mind you'll need to stay under 25-30 MPH in the wet....watch for lawn sprinklers too.
Not worth the danger to other motorists IMHO

 

You might live but there's good chance you will total your car!

 

I had Hursts on my 54 and the same set on my old Touring. You gotta use common sense but yes you can get by in the rain. If it is a gully washer it is best to pull over, same as in a late model. Problem is, newer cars are so easy to drive and folks push it. They have GOOD wipers where our earlier cars usually do not. Since Tug is from the NE he will be fine, just like 3" of slush, us snow country drivers and aparently Tudor in GEORGIA! Can handle it

 

Driving wet or dry is a gamble these days, cheater slicks or not. peace

 

You said it! Just have to use common sense. All the drama of people saying you will die is crazy. Porknbeaner is right to - there are a ton of variables. I've had worn out bald radials on the back of my 46 and yes those were scary on the interstate in the rain. Too fast and they started skating. Not Cool. The Cheater slicks - not real slicks, not pro-street tires have a sticky rubber and a couple grooves in them and they grip suprisingly well in the rain. Obvisouly you'll hydroplane if you hit a puddle going to fast as will any tire. You obvisouly have to drive like you have cheater slicks on your car. But regular wet roads are not slick and not like drving on ice. That is BULLSHIT.

 

You can use your head all you want to,they will get you. I don't really know about the compounds now but in 1969 I bought some rose bushes, a rim and control arms for my '62 Valiant in the rain with cheater slicks. I was on the way to work when I went under the interstate overpass where the pavement was dry underneath. As soon as I hit the wet street comming out the car hydroplaned and we stopped in the rose garden of Howard Johnson's.Yes, I was driving sensable.Never used them on the street again.If you do use them be very careful wet or dry. Hey Rocky! I know what you mean bout the 55 ford. I had my share of leaking main Y-block Fords back in the day.

 

You might not die but your life will pass in front of your eyes.

 

I have used slicks & M/T DOTs on the street, if theres any sign of rain , it parked. Full stop, end of sentence.

 

Is this the winner of the stupid post of the month award ??

 

If a person was running shitty tires in the rain and they wiped out your loved ones (or your car for that matter) I`m sure you would be after their head. I can`t believe that you are not joking with us.

 

I drive with the firestone dirt track cross goove tires ( more tread than slicks)
and I've had some exciting times in the rain. I would think sliks could be worse.

 

Around '68 or so local guy I knew had a SS 396 Chevelle with slicks. Lost it in the rain, 3 days later went to his funeral. Thankfully he hit a utility pole and not another car.