DeTomaso Mailing List: May 98, Message #169

In a message dated 5/1/98 4:24:40 PM, tc13@mail.swbell.net wrote:

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TC, the BF Goodrich Comp. T/A R-1s  (and RTU-1s) are 'street legal race tires'
by definition. They and a few others (Yokohama 008Rs, Hoosier DOTs and Mickey
Thompsons) have an official US D.O.T. ( U.S. Dept of Transportation) wear
index of ZERO miles since they are extremely soft & sticky. They are also
downright dangerous in wet weather as the tread is almost non-existent on
nearly half the tire. I was quite careful with a set of Hoosiers and still got
only 980 miles before cord was showing half-way around the rears (in
competition). No sane person would ever run these for long on the street
unless he didn't pay for his tires (e.g-sponsored). These tread compounds are
worth about 2 seconds on a typical 60sec-lap autocross course over a 'real'
street preformance tire like Goodyear Eagle GTs.
A used ZF can be had for $3500-$4000; overhauls can run that much again. Take
someone familiar with the car when you go to buy a Pantera. That's what this
club is about! 
J DeRYke