Dunlop Tires

[Keith Lawrence]

Any FV website supporters selling treaded Dunlop tires for vintage racing?
I'm in the market and want to support our folks.

Thanks
Keith Lawrence
Pittsburgh PA

[Bill_Bonow]

Why not Hoosier? They make a fantastic vintage FV tire that will last for years (not 3 or 4 events). SRacing sells Hoosier as well.

[Keith Lawrence]

I asked SRacing for a whole list of parts pricing today, including tires.
I have heard that the Dunlops are faster, but not that the Hoosiers last longer (this is imoprtant to me).

What's the consensus? If we're talking 1 s a lap or less, then I'll go for the longer lasting of the two. I'm looking for solid mid-pack runs for now - give me a few years in this new open wheel and then I'll be looking for 0.1s!!!

Thanks
Keith
Pittsburgh, PA

[Bill_Bonow]

I have heard that the Dunlops are faster

Sticky yes, but I would argue about "faster". I ran a set of Hoosiers at the 40th in a '68 Z-5 Zink and found them to be better than the "sticky" Dunlops. I still don't think any monoposto FV has gone faster than 2:56 at Road America. Being "stuck like glue" to the track is not always fast.

Butch Deer has a set of Hoosiers on his '63 Formcar Mk 1 that are 7 or 8 seasons old. He was just up at RA and occasionally lead a 10 car vintage FV field.

I'm sure I'll get an argument about "faster" tires, but I know I won't get one about longevity.

[BobShedd]

SascoSports has the Dunlop tires for the F/Vee. They do support our vintage racing. They are located at VIR, their phone is 877-377-7811 The Dunlops come in different sizes for front and rear, the hoosiers come in " one size fits all ". Many people feel the Dunlops look better because of the smaller tires give the car a bit of rake ( nose down ). The opinion as to which is best will be argued for a long time, every one wants to justify their tires. The Hoosiers are a little bit less expensive to purchase.
Bob

[Bill_Bonow]

Bob,

Butch told me that Hoosier now makes small fronts. I've not seen them as Butch won't get new tires for his car until the old ones are worn out.

Bill

[Daryl]

I was never concerned about the proper look, but more about performance. I used the small dunlops on all four corners. They are lighter and the smaller diameter gives better acceleration. The smaller dunlop also offers less rolling resistance while giving adequate grip.

I can't speak to the Hoosier vintage tire. I have been a Hoosier fan since my dirt track days, my IT/EP production cars and will be probably be using the Hoosier brand on my FProduction car. So they do make good tires, just not so certain their Vintage FV tire is the tire of choice....can't hit the bullseye everytime.

[NotMoss]

Hey Bill,

I have a set of "like new" 3-year old Hoosiers for Butch when he uses up his current ones in another 4-5 years! Having been on the track with him at RA I gotta say he gets the most out of his rubber!!!

Seriously, I ran Hoosiers for the first 3 seasons in Vintage Vee and I think I learned a lot about car control as a result. I'm now on Dunlops and I'm down low on the learning curve once again... !
TED

[Bill_Bonow]

I used the small dunlops on all four corners.

I think VARA allows this, but monoposto FV rules require a minimum 24" rear tire diameter to be compliant.

[Daryl]

You are correct, VARA does not specify a minimum tire diameter.

In fact, those "vintage" vees that choose to run without a generator or fan run in FV1 and can use the American Racer tires if they choose.

[ajax]

At CVAR, due to the way point are awarded, most of our FV group moved from slicks to vintage treaded tires. Both Hoosier and Dunlop types have been tried. At first the Hoosiers were popular because of price and durability. the Dunlops have proven with all drivers that tried them to be faster. Tire life seems to be less, but much depends on a driver's smoothness and how hard they drive or over drive? Normal hot shoes get any where from 4-6 race weekends, many get longer life. CVAR is noted for giving lots of track time, so your results may vary! For a while every newby was given an old set of Hoosiers to help them get out of using used slicks and their the short heat cycle caused life, man those Hoosiers never wore out! It has been about 3 years now since anyone has given Hoosiers a good run here, as their very tall sizes gave a gearing disadvantage on our tracks too? It would be interesting to see if they do have a smaller Vee tire available, using them on all 4 corners might be the right size to give Dunlop a run for the money, given their speed and durability for the price reputation.

[Keith Lawrence]

Seems like Dunlops have the vintage, Monoposto legal sizes.

Anyone have experience with American Racers? Seems like they are often the spec tires for FF and FV in some parts of the country. Hints during a web search, seem like pricing may be around half that of Dunlops and Hoosiers.

Keith

[Daryl]

American racers--

If your rules allow ANY slick, other slicks will be faster.

If your rules require treaded tires, you can't use the American Racer.

VARA's FV2 class was using the AR as a spec tire, the FV group was mostly on Dunlops. The FV1 guys (no fan/gen '72 and older) have the option of running either.

Tire life seems to be similar with the AR's half the cost. The AR's are lighter and smaller in diameter...(better accel and lower cg when all else is equal) The AR's don't stick as well as Dunlops in cool temps, so you need to be comfortable driving a car that is a little free. The AR's don't seem to go away as soon on a really hot track. Track temp at Cal Speedway last time was 155*.

[Keith Lawrence]

I didn't realize the ARs are slicks. Looks like my best option is Dunlops for Monosposto legal vintage races...

Thanks
Keith

[Bill_Bonow]

Hoosiers are 100% monoposto legal as well.

[subrew]

Keith,

I have ZERO practical experience, since I don't actually own an FV yet, but I'm shopping for one and did my research on the various tire options, to see how gearing would be effected at the tracks I would be running on.

The Dunlop option typically used (to be Monoposto legal) is the 120/590 front and 135/620 rear. The fronts have a OD of 22.8" and tread width of 4.7" The rears have a OD of 24.3" and tread width of 5.4".

The Hoosier Vintage option would be the 5.0-15 and 5.5-15 TD, if I am correct from researching my Hoosier vintage tires. The 5.0 have an OD of 24.7" and tread width of 5.2". The 5.5 have an OD of 24.7" and a tread width of 6.5".

Both rear tire options are a good bit taller than most of the modern slick options (which have an OD in the 22" range.)

Neither Hoosier nor Dunlop show weights.

Chris H.
Chico, CA

[Grandwazoo]

I witnessed Bill Bonow's drive at the 40th Bday party. It was as if magic was happening at every corner. He did, in fact, drive unbelievably quickly on Hoosiers. In spite of a decent qualifying time, I was only able to keep him in site for a few laps! If I knew how to do what he was doing I'd be running them as well. Maybe he'll give Hoosier driving lessons at Roebling Road next year?

And, to answer one of the other questions, the Hoosiers are a bit heavier than the Dunlops.

[Bill_Bonow]

Thank you for the kind words Mike

Pre-40th, Grant Reynolds kept telling me that a Zink on Hoosiers would never be fast and never even close to his Zink. Funny, but after the first qualifying session, Grant didn't come around our paddock for the rest of the weekend.

I don't know if it was the car, driving or the Hoosiers, but I'll take credit for two of the three. Butch doesn't have anymore basketcase vintage cars lying around, so it looks like I'll be driving my FST at the 45th.

I understand that Hoosier is looking into a complete redesign of the FV Vintage TD (front and rear) as they look at the FV TD becoming a spec tire for a series in another part of the world. Coupled that with the vintage demand here and the justification for a new design becomes much easier for Hoosier.

Bill

[Grandwazoo]

Bill,
Glad to hear you're out of the vintage race (big sarcastic smile) Now all we've gotta worry about kicking butt are all the rest of the midwest vintage FV guys and the ones we now have here in the SouthEast that are going faster and faster all the time.

Sadly, Grant had to retire due to vision problems but his car is still out there and owned by a fellow down here.

[Mark_Silverberg]

Actually I think most people when running the Hoosiers will run the smaller tire all around.

If you think about it the Hoosiers may be a good tire for road america. There are plenty of long straights so the tires will never get up to a very high temperature so the compound difference may not be much of a factor.

The Hoosier would have a slightly higher final drive which would help on some of the high speed sections - especially 3-5. The hoosier would have a slightly smaller frontal area which could help with Aero.

I think hoosiers may be an advantage there - but I am not about to buy a set just to try them out.

[butchdeer]

Hoosier now has a 4.50 -15 vintage TD with an aproxamate O. D. of 24.3"

I maight try some for the B.P. The set I currently have are from the first batch of 5.00-15 vintage TD's Hoosier made. they seam to still have good grip and lots of thread. I don't race all that much and the formcar is kida slow sow they will probaly last forever.
Butch

[Jon R]

Just a bit of info on tire weights...
Dunlop fronts: 8.5 lbs
Dunlop rears: 11.0 lbs
Hoosier rears: 12.5 lbs