what slicks should i run? Options

[TwinTurbo914]

I have recently bought an old 914 race car with a six in it. The car currently has some really! old goodyear slicks on it, they are 23x9.0x15 fronts, and 23x10.50x15 rears, they are on multi piece bbs wheels. Im working on gettting the car "race ready" and was wondering what are some good options for tires, and who to buy them from, This will be my first full slick car. Any advice would be great.

[grantsfo]

I have recently bought an old 914 race car with a six in it. The car currently has some really! old goodyear slicks on it, they are 23x9.0x15 fronts, and 23x10.50x15 rears, they are on multi piece bbs wheels. Im working on gettting the car "race ready" and was wondering what are some good options for tires, and who to buy them from, This will be my first full slick car. Any advice would be great.

What is intended use for the car? Which class will you be running? What size are your rims?

This post has been edited by grantsfo: May 6 2009, 12:58 PM

[TwinTurbo914]

I have recently bought an old 914 race car with a six in it. The car currently has some really! old goodyear slicks on it, they are 23x9.0x15 fronts, and 23x10.50x15 rears, they are on multi piece bbs wheels. Im working on gettting the car "race ready" and was wondering what are some good options for tires, and who to buy them from, This will be my first full slick car. Any advice would be great.

What is intended use for the car? Which class will you be running? What size are your rims?

I have to check how wide they are but i think the front are 15x9, and the rear are 15x10. I dont plan on running it in any classes, just something to go to the track days and driving schools and have some fun.

[URY914]

Go to the Hoosier website and look for tires to fit the wheels.

[grantsfo]

I have recently bought an old 914 race car with a six in it. The car currently has some really! old goodyear slicks on it, they are 23x9.0x15 fronts, and 23x10.50x15 rears, they are on multi piece bbs wheels. Im working on gettting the car "race ready" and was wondering what are some good options for tires, and who to buy them from, This will be my first full slick car. Any advice would be great.

What is intended use for the car? Which class will you be running? What size are your rims?

I have to check how wide they are but i think the front are 15x9, and the rear are 15x10. I dont plan on running it in any classes, just something to go to the track days and driving schools and have some fun.

Getting harder and harder to find wide 15" slicks that work well. Prices going up too. You might consider going to another size 16 or 17". ...or convert to DOT radials. I ran 17x9.5 with Hankook radial slicks on my car. I still have those wheels if you decide you want to change sizes - I need to dump them eventually.

I also ran 265/45/16 Kuhmo 710 on 16x10 in rear and 225/50/16 in front on a 16x8.5. But they were a bit tall.

I'd probably go with something like a Hoosier R6 DOT tire. They still make some 15 and 16 inch tires that work for us. 275/35/15 Hoosier would work in rear but not sure what you would do with front.

Hoosier does make a radial slick in a 23x9.5x15. But I dont think you will find ability to find a stagger setup with 15's.

Give Roger Kruas a call they can tell you all your options. They are very knowledgable about what is still avialable.

http://www.rogerkrausracing.com/

This post has been edited by grantsfo: May 6 2009, 01:52 PM

[SirAndy]

I have recently bought an old 914 race car with a six in it. The car currently has some really! old goodyear slicks on it, they are 23x9.0x15 fronts, and 23x10.50x15 rears, they are on multi piece bbs wheels. Im working on gettting the car "race ready" and was wondering what are some good options for tires, and who to buy them from, This will be my first full slick car. Any advice would be great.

The 23x9.0x15 is still available from GoodYear. Those are great tires. For roadracing, i'd go with the R430 or R475 compound, for AX go with the R250 compound.

The 10.5 are not available in 15 anymore ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/bye1.gif) Andy

http://www.racegoodyear.com/tires/pdf/sports_car_spec.pdf

[J P Stein]

Go here https://www.hoosiertire.com/rrtire.htm & click on "specs". Several sizes are available in 15 inch, both radial, bias, and compounds.....to include R spec tires....both AX & track.

IMO, using slicks or R specs for track days is a waste of time & money unless you can't find anything else in the needed sizes.

[SirAndy]

IMO, using slicks or R specs for track days is a waste of time & money

Waste of money? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

Waste of time? Not so much ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Andy

[J P Stein]

[

Waste of time? Not so much ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Andy

I get paid by the hour. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[TwinTurbo914]

Well i think im leaning toward changing wheels so i can run a good modern street tire, that way i can drive it on the street and run at the track. Now i just gotta find some cool looking wheels. Any suggestions

[grantsfo]

Well i think im leaning toward changing wheels so i can run a good modern street tire, that way i can drive it on the street and run at the track. Now i just gotta find some cool looking wheels. Any suggestions

Toyo 888 and Nitto NT01 are two treaded DOT tires that work great as dual use.

[SirAndy]

Toyo 888

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

[J P Stein]

Buying wide wheels make tires seem inexpensive. The relatively inexpensive ones are heavy as hell and most need spacers to fit a 914.

If your car is set up as a race car, you'll find that driving it on the street will be a short term affair.....that said, I have no idea just what you're dealing with....some pic/specs would seem in order.

The market for your 15 inch wheels is pretty good. I, for one, might be interested in them if you decide to go with something different.

[grantsfo]

IMO, using slicks or R specs for track days is a waste of time & money unless you can't find anything else in the needed sizes.

I disagree. Most street tires make terrible track tires and ultimately most end up overheating. Good DOT R spec's in a higher compound over 100 treadwear are your best choice. You will get good wear and excellent grip.

Also dont overlook going with 23x9x15 cantilever slicks on 15x7 or 15 x8 wheels. You can buy take offs typically for under $100 a tire and a Good Year R450 compound slick on track will wear very nicely. Used race tires are great bargain for us track day drivers. I ran an entire year of track days on used 23x9x15 Good Year R250 compounds (a soft tire) spent $75 a tire and only used two sets the entire season including AX's. $600 tire bill for a season of track driving is about as cheap as it gets. Even new the Good Year cantilevers arent too expensive. I just picked up a new set for $215 a tire. Its one of the reasons why I converted my Boxster to 15x7 wheels with Cantilevers - 15 inch sizes are much much cheaper than 17 or 18's that Boxsters usually use.

This post has been edited by grantsfo: May 9 2009, 11:38 AM

[J P Stein]

Grant makes a good point. Used slicks will work for ya but you're then looking for wheels. Cheep, light 15 X 7 cookie cutters are pretty widely available....maybe $200-400 for 4. 15 X 8 gets a touch expensive....bout $1k for a set of 4 Fuch.

[PeeGreen 914]

Well i think im leaning toward changing wheels so i can run a good modern street tire, that way i can drive it on the street and run at the track. Now i just gotta find some cool looking wheels. Any suggestions

You may be able to find some Fikse wheels for a fair price in the club classifieds. They are very light and look awesome.