Time For 7" Tires Again?

[Bob Bender]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

I asked the tire manufacturers years ago if they could build me a 7" tire. I was told that the molds don't exist anymore. I'm probably the only guy at the track who goes ballistic on the crew when they prep the track for Stock. It slows me down.

That has happened to me also

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Chad Fergen

That is an awesome memory! I wish I could have been there!

I ran Caslers on my 65 Plymouth 426 Street wedge back in 1965. Never spun at Capitol or Aquasco. Other racers said 75 & 80 Drag-O-way was about the best biting track in the D.C. area back in the day. Several used Bucrons and Caslers in the day. The only M&H tires I saw were on the S/S or A/FX cars.Track prep back in those days was zero other than sweeping with a broom or rosin when they had a match race going on.

[Dwight Southerland]

The first "race" tires I ever bought were JC Penney 7" cheater slicks.

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Dwight Southerland

The first "race" tires I ever bought were JC Penney 7" cheater slicks.

Those were the 2nd set I had. Both the Caslers and the JC Penny A/FX tires were on 14 inch wheels. I even drove them in the rain on the street. The Caslers were squirrely in the rain.

[older racer]

hello, my first set of slicks were jc penny 7" slicks, then had 7" firestones. you are right, no track prep, just couple dry hops and stage. lol long time ago.. actually the penny's slick was a good tire.

[Tom P]

A fuel dragster guy tells me they only sometimes cleaned up an oil down, you ran 200mph through the kitty litter or sometimes through the oil puddles.

I think the PSCA or NMCA guys would have Outlaw Bucron class car going 6's and 200mph and there would be a bunch of new development on them with "W" sizes to mount on 12" wide rims instead of 5" wides.

[Steve Sullivan]

Back in the day I tried some Firestone 7" slicks with side walls as flimsy as a Hefty lawn bag. The person who was trying to sell them, let me try them on a Saturday. He said to run 5 pounds of air in them. At about 1000' the car started doing the "Watusi" so bad I thought the suspension had broke. Relating my experience to some of the Stock Eliminator guys, who ran them at the time, they replied with a smile "yep, they'll do that" I asked "then what do you when it happens? Their reply, "Hold on and don't try to steer it." I just gave them back and said No Thanks! Bought some 8" Mickeys from J.C. Penney and put what seemed like a billion runs on 'em before I sold them to another guy who put even more on them.

[Frank Castros]

Hey Lenny Croteau!
Tell us a story about running 7" tires on the "Yankee Wedge" at Dover Drag Strip.

[Dave Gantz]

I guess smaller tires would work for the lower class cars, from what I'm reading here.

I know there are some narrower tires available, but they are shorter. I was thinking in 29 or 30" diameter's to keep gearing and other changes at a minimum, since that's what the 9" tires are.

Are the Coker's being sold for racing; or probably just cosmetic copies that may or may not work?

[troublemaker427]

Originally Posted by Dave Gantz

I guess smaller tires would work for the lower class cars, from what I'm reading here.

I know there are some narrower tires available, but they are shorter. I was thinking in 29 or 30" diameter's to keep gearing and other changes at a minimum, since that's what the 9" tires are.

Are the Coker's being sold for racing; or probably just cosmetic copies that may or may not work?

I believe the tires you reference as Coker's are the 7" M&H tires. They are made by M&H for racing and available from Jegs & Summit. I own a pair and also have seen them in action on some fairly high horsepower nostalgia cars and they work well.