[DeTomaso] Best wheel for a GT5

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 6/5/06 14:24:13, don.franck at shell.com writes:

<< What are the options for wheels and tires for a GT5 bodied car?  I would 
like to here options including cost of 15 inch tires. >>

>>>I am a staunch advocate of keeping 15-inch wheels and tires on GT5 and 
GT/4 Panteras.  These cars were designed with extremely short tires in mind (the 
stock GT5 tires are only 24 inches or so), and a great part of their 
super-mean look comes from the fact that the cars are slammed so much to the ground.

There were wide-body Panteras in Las Vegas this year wearing 19-inch tall 
wheels, and they looked completely idiotic.  The cars were jacked up like 4x4 
trucks, so high you could practically drive another Pantera under them!!!

Tire available has been a problem in the recent past, but Pirelli recently 
reintroduced the original tires, 285/40-15 front, 345/35-15 rear.  Expensive, 
but a heck of a lot cheaper than too-tall bling-bling 17-inch replacement wheels 
and tires.

If you have go-fast aspirations, Michelin makes a street-legal vintage race 
tire called the TB-15, sized 295/40-15 and 345/35-15 rear (roughly--they use an 
archaic nomenclature but those are the rough equivilent sizes).  They are 
more expensive, undoubtedly provide far greater traction, almost certainly have a 
much shorter life, and are only available in the USA from Coker Tires here: 

(http://www.coker.com/store/customer/home.php?cat=274)

I would strongly suggest you stay away from them unless more than half your 
driving is on the track, and you're made of money!

Mike