I've been searching for some time on and off and there are several threads on the subject that seem to come back to covering ... 1. Radials handle better than bias 2. Post 1965 "modern" wrinkle wall slicks hook better 3. Modern slicks are safer 4.Suspension is just as important as tires 5. M/T's are noted to cup in the center, and it has been posted to run slightly more pressure for a better contact patch which is an old school trick for tires like these when they were new. 6. It has been reported that they rate at a durometer of ... Firestones 75 Cold M/t 75 cold 57 hot and Hurst posted as theirs being 65 cold 51 hot (These are numbers off the Hamb I could not find any printed ratings by the manufactures otherwise) Other than this looks better and restating the obvious does anyone have any drag comparison of one over another as far as hooking up, lasting or handling X- amount of horsepower on what type or weight car? There is very little posted about the Firestones for one but in spite of the ratings most that I've read, seen or spoken about leans toward the M/T. What is your experience, and on which tire, size pattern etc. for a fair comparison.
Perhaps you might offer up your intentions. If you simply want to go fast and with safety, here is my experience: I like the MH Racemasters myself, probably Phoenix would be second. Not only good looks, but reasonable cost and decent wear.
My intent for the thread was to condense the facts into one place for all to draw an opinion from instead of searching all the other threads as I did.I was trying to cut through all the repeated redundant posts that were in the other threads and get to the facts about these tires from guys who have used them. More so from those who have used more than one set from a different company. My personal intent regards use of either the Radir M/T's, Firestones dragsters or Hurst piecrust 10"slicks on a car that is 1,800 or less with driver, wet ready to run, with 500hp or so. Traction on these type of tires as compaired to each other is the only interest I have myself. Hooking such a car on modern slicks of this small size is a chore alone. Traction in my case is slim to none on these tires so I'm looking for the best bite I can get.
My only real experience with vintage slicks came back in the 80s when I bought a big block Chevelle with old (and I mean OLD!) Good Year Blue Streak Dragway Specials on it! They looked killer on that car, and left some hefty 'footprints' all over town, but quickly blew apart after a couple weeks of "enthusiastic" street driving!! Would I run a set of those again on an appropriate vehicle??? You betcha!!
Take a close look at those Firestones and you'll see they are "high" in the center... I saw a guy lose his Topolino at Lakeland FL's 1/8 mile when he bolted on a set of F-stones and promptly hit the wall. he owned the car for decades and never nicked until he ran those tires... The Radirs are hard although I hear they now have a softer compound. I own a pair of 820's.
Thanks for the posts... Krooser, I had not noticed that but I have not seen the Firestones mounted on rims before and in use, only on display at Coker's trailer. Are the tires molded this way or do you think its a pressure issue ? I had noticed the center on the pair of those I looked at was raised up between the tread pattern on the 10 inch slicks so maybe only 7-8 inches looked like it would contact the ground ***uming they stayed that way infated. That really ****s about the Fiat, how bad was it ? Both Coker and Radir will be selling tires at Carlise. I need to order fronts for sure, and I have other rear rims for "new" slicks but my Torq-Thrusts need proper shoes I can beat on.
Before Littleman put the new beast of a motor in his truck he ran the Radir slicks, they seemed to be ok...There have been a couple other cars I have noticed with the radirs that mostly ran in the 12's with them...The guy in Washington that makes the mopar altered wheel base cars, his name escapes me at this time, runs old slicks and hurst recaps I believe. His cars are fast....I had a buddy run a set of speedway re-caps and they came apart. I run M/T on my car, my last set was not as good as the first set, one is a little larger than the other.... I called M\T about it and they said to over inflate the smaller tire for a day or two. It worked but I still seem to have some problems.....Next time I will want a new tire.
the Hurst slicks have a very hard compound. They are really made for street use and just look the part. Not saying they won't work on the strip, but with the HP/# ratio you have, they are not going to stick. Interesting point made about the M/T's being of two different diameters. That is just poor business. Whenever I order up a new set from M&H, they are measured and are always within 2cm. diameter of each other. They also mark them for direction of rotation and left/right. At least they care about the results and safety versus simply making a sale.
Just a couple of comments about little brothers drag race Henry J that ran Firestone slicks and 10.90 to 11.40 at the time. They didn't hook at all on street surfaces, but did ok at the strip with its prepared starting area surface. At the time Firestones were available in two maybe three different rubber compounds. He did go to a softer compound when the car was running high 9's to low 10's and times improved a bit. To go off on a bit of a tangent, my 32 with its 30" OD, 8" tread width, fairly soft BFG TA's running an open diff bit quite well on the unprepared airport/temp dragstrip surface. Running a couple of doorslammers that were back-halfed with very large slicks, they were spinning about half way through low and the 32 could stay with them fairly well. Surprised me, but shouldn't have I suppose. Look at what some of the gang running 10" wide slicks are doing nowadays. Impressive stuff....
I believe it's a design flaw in the mold. I wouldn't run those tires because of it. Bias ply tires come from the molds in varying sizes... not sure why but that's the case. I used to have a racing tire biz and we'd overinflate tires and lay 'em in the sun until they stretched into the size we needed. I'm talking MAYBE 3/4" in diameter. common practice everywhere bias racing tires were used...F-1, NASCAR, WoO, local dirt tracks, etc. Nothing to worry about. I used to see the supplier for the CWRA pavement shows set certain tires aside for **** Trickle when he was king of the short tracks here in Wisconsin. It was rumoured those guys would pre-select tires of certain sizes, mount them and "stretch" to size for him. Then they'd dimount them and deliver them to the track. It was all about tire stagger and a 1/4" was a big deal.
I have a friend who used to own the HURST tire company. He chose to lose his investment in order to not have any more casualties connecting those tires and him. The things came apart, and a buddy of his lost control of his car at 55 on the highway. The really bad news is the guy who owns it now was making the tires for him then......
The ONLY two people who "ever" owned Hurst Racing Tires is Ron Hurst 1960 to 2005 Steve & Cody Adams 2005 to Present Your Little buddy has miles of **** behind and in front of him! Have not had any catastrophic failures that have ever been reported.
They will stick IF you do a real heater of a burnout. I played with mine in a burnout pit at a local cruise-in, they got sticky enough to start hooking and I had the water guys add some more water to keep em spinning. When done the surface was VERY tacky and the ************* in the grooves were like half dry rubber cement and HOT to the touch. with 500 horse you should be able to get em nice and warm. Cody mentioned the durometer in a past thread and they are much softer than most think.
From HEMIBAKER Post...... Well we took out the SDRA car yesterday to Thunder Valley in Nobel Oklahoma. I had the two crew guy on my Pro Mod with me to drive it Robert 48 and Tyler 18. Both did a great job. We mad 6 p***es no problems the guys were pushing each other to see who was going to be the fastest. Well Tyler Ran a good p*** 11.22 @115.32. Robert was going to beat the youngen. Robert did a good burn out. (yes it spins the 10" hurst Slicks) He left good. It went out 150 or so and sheared all off the 1/2 -13 studs off the new Stange 31 splin axels we bought for the slicks. Well he was in the right lane and it was the right rear so he made a hard right into the wall did a 360. The most important thing he is OK. I will start taking it apart in a few days. I have to get my Pro Mod Read to test this weekend. I will Post a few pics later. Yes we were running the HURST PIE Crust old cheater slicks. They really worked well. Rand Man you are right they do not wrinkel up at all. The sidewalls are as hard as a brick. I had no idea on what air to runn in them so i treated just like the slicks on my Pro Mod. We made seval p***es and kept going up on the PSI untill we were using al of the tire. These tires are made on goodyear radial's with the recap on top of them. Started at 20psi and we were at 28psi. The car did hop on the 2nd p*** but the tires were still a tad wet when he staged. When it broke the studs it did not hop at all and was out 150 foot or so. Most of the load would of been over by then. Who ever said these cars are not hard leavers were wrong. P.S. It weighed 1550 pounds Race Ready. DO THEY HOOK? <!-- / message --> In a Nut shell our Reputation on this board speaks for itself, The HAMB family can give and it can take away. I am proud to say our nose is clean!
Don, I've seen the Coker Firestones being sold by Speedway ( Summit has them too) but those are supposed to be new tires, What recaps do they sell ? Hotrodrubber, you once posted that "new" sticker compounds were in the works... Is this the current compound or is there something to go one step further? Will you be at the Carlisle or Canfield meets?
It was a couple years ago when they came out with the $99 Dollar ones...not sure on the manufacture....They were on Randy's car.
I just wanted to post that I spent some time talking with Cody (HOTRODRUBBER), and I'm getting a set of their Hurst 10x30x15's shipped out. The man really backs his product, and I have alot of respect for that alone. The fact I got to talk with a hot rod guy instead of some order taker sold me on giving them a shot. Cody seems to think us Ohio Gas and Altered freaks are in for treat with these tires. I'll post pictures when they come in and the results as soon as the car is rolling under its own power... Thanks again guys for all the posts and anything you have found in your experience on any of these tires please state your results for the benefit of others.
I stand corrected. Goes to show that one should check the stats before shooting off at the mouth. Please accept my apology. Brant.
Hey Algon! Thank You for the order. Can't say how proud we are to have our tires on your pride and joy. Nice to be a part of your Dream. And here is the latest cool picture sent in to us today.....Marcus Edell's 1963 Dodge Bad Boy with the "Hurst" 30"x10"x15" Ya'll know Marcus from the beat of the Rev Tone's from Cali Wango Tango!!!!! Cody Adams Adams Hot Rod Rubber/Hurst Racing Tires
Ron still owned the company then. Thats where mine came from. I thought I heard that the casings were blems for those? Dunno, GV still has my old ones and they held up well. Naw, we know Marcus for many other things tho
man hes still alive? hahaha i've bought a couple sets of slicks from cody, & am totally stoked with both the tires & how they stand behind their product. my ranchero doesnt hook for **** though.
The mags still need some cleaning and there is some autobody dust on the skins but these pictures don't do the tires justice, on appearance alone Cody (HOTRODRUBBER )has my vote. I wanted a real narrow tire and I have Excelsiors up front from Coker. A note on the fronts, I was told it was no problem getting the Hamb discount on them at a show when I ordered but it was a mandatory to prepay $40 to get them to a show. I was also told if I wanted other tires in stock at the show I could get them discounted also. When I picked them up I was told it doesn't work that way and if I wanted the discount I would have to call in for a refund. No real big deal but just incase you are laying alot of change on tires expecting that discount to help don't count on it at a show. I'm not sure what policy is, but this what happened with my order, on the other hand in stock tires were being quoted out at special show pricing...
If the design worked well, they would never have become obsolete. They look the part, though... I had Firestone Slicks on my coupe...my Denman WWW's hooked better. They got worse, actually, when you did a longer burnout, they became greasy, and even slicker, even though more rubber became heated. I have If its on a reasonably fast race car, I'd want new tires. On a traditional hot rod, they look cool, though... Never tried the Hurst ones, or the Radir ones.
Damn that tire looks good in that fender. You have any pics of the entire car with these tires under it?
Hey Cody! I'll probably get kicked off here.Its been over 6 years since I've been on here.I would recommend to any 62-65 B Body Mopar guys who decide to run these 30"x10" tires that they use an 8" wheel with 4.75" backspacing.I currently am switching from 4.5" it barely rubs and I'm using Super stock Springs and Super stock Shocks.Its not the width but rather the height, an inch shorter and they wont rub at all.I ran Drag Radials 275/60/15's before these and they fit perfect with these wheels, which by the way are from Pete Paulsens House of Wheels.They were very cheap at $75 a wheel.You can't use the Mopar Dog Dish hubcaps on them though.Stockton Wheel makes a Mopar Steel Wheel specifically for that if you desire...Anyways...
AS FOR THE (Radials handle better **** !!!) I had bias ply tires for years and ran over a hundred MPH constantly and when the radials came out I threw tread all the time,then they came out with their z rated B.S. for ridiculous money. Come on! My cheep bias plys never let me down! Still bitter at the tire companies for that one.
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