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I hear ya, but at that price point, it's a non-starter for me. I paid well under a grand, mounted and balanced, for my 4 tires from BFG. They seem better than the Gatorbacks of 30 years ago.
I have Corvette-sized Gatorbacks in my shop, in stacks, but they will never go back on the car. Maybe I should sell them to an NCRS guru?
I have very old gatorbacks on two cars. I think a set of trailer tires would ride better. Not because the tires were always crap but because they are old, hard & have flat spots from sitting that initially nearly shake the car apart when I do drive one. I am exaggerating a bit here, but I also remember getting my first new set of these tires back in the 90's & it was transforming just like new sets of tires are today. For me the look is a bigger deal than the ride, but I barely put any miles on. Sure would be awesome to have the look & be able to go out at highways speeds. I have not done that in over a decade for fear of bad things happening.
Let’s be honest. No tire in our size is a tier 1 performance tire. Tier 2, 3, 4, 5 at best.
If Michelin started making Pilots in our size for the same price as a reproduction Gatorback, I’d really be hard pressed to decide. But that won’t ever happen. The performance tire market has left our size behind decades ago.
What we have now are strictly mediocre to lower performance offerings.
A repro Gatorback with a modern compound might actually beat everything else out there.
I'm pretty happy with BF Goodrich. I don't know what performance "tier" they would fall in. But they've always had a good reputation. Maybe not "tier 1" level, but then my stock '88 doesn't exactly fall in that level either.
Would any tire with a 50 sidewall qualify as super high performance now? In 1988, that was relatively low profile. These days, it's downright tall.
I have very old gatorbacks on two cars. I think a set of trailer tires would ride better. Not because the tires were always crap but because they are old, hard & have flat spots from sitting that initially nearly shake the car apart when I do drive one. I am exaggerating a bit here, but I also remember getting my first new set of these tires back in the 90's & it was transforming just like new sets of tires are today. For me the look is a bigger deal than the ride, but I barely put any miles on. Sure would be awesome to have the look & be able to go out at highways speeds. I have not done that in over a decade for fear of bad things happening.
I remember how my Gators handled when new. Pretty damned good! A bit squirrely in the wet, but on dry pavement, sticky and predictable. Now I agree, those tires didn't perform very well at age 20 when I replaced them.
I'm pretty happy with BF Goodrich. I don't know what performance "tier" they would fall in. But they've always had a good reputation. Maybe not "tier 1" level, but then my stock '88 doesn't exactly fall in that level either.
Would any tire with a 50 sidewall qualify as super high performance now? In 1988, that was relatively low profile. These days, it's downright tall.
I've got General GMax tires on my yellow '85. I figure, those are the highest performing summer tires available in our size. A couple of weeks ago I got caught in an unexpected violent thunderstorm while driving home. I really needed to be attentive, driving in the rain. Probably one of the other "All Season" tires available might have felt a bit more sure footed that day.
I've got General GMax tires on my yellow '85. I figure, those are the highest performing summer tires available in our size. A couple of weeks ago I got caught in an unexpected violent thunderstorm while driving home. I really needed to be attentive, driving in the rain. Probably one of the other "All Season" tires available might have felt a bit more sure footed that day.
I went with all-season over the summer performance with the BFG Comp tires. I'm not often in the rain in my GTA, but when it rains here on the coast, it really rains. 3" or more isn't uncommon. If I didn't get BFG, it would have been General.
With the sort of roads we have here, getting the highest-level performing tire didn't really seem necessary. I thought about it just for the reputation I guess. But here, most speed limits are 45 or less and I don't often get to an interstate. So not doing much in the way of high-performance driving. There's some twisty roads that the car seems to really stick to amazingly well.
It was about 10 years ago in the 11 year old thread that Kelsey revealed plans for the 255. Finally testing it, huh? With no current plans for a 245, the global icecaps could melt and drown civilizations first. OR...
Odds are probably better to get Goodyear to add a 245/50-16 to the list of sizes available in this modern version. After all, they did skip the 16" size, so why not...? https://www.carrollshelbyent.com/spo...-radial-rains/
Originally Posted by BizJetTech
Wow, those 50 inch diameter tires are going to be something
2 tenths on paper isn't much, but I agree that it's noticeable, and NOT overly appealing in real life. Not terrible on the back, but no way I'd have 'em up front. ....as for quality tires, I think the BFG comp2 and Gmax tires are darn good modern tires. Not tier 1 Pilots, but they're a high end tire all day. ....that being said, found out today that we may no longer see a 245/50/16 BFG comp 2. Might be out of production for good.
If I were building a business case, I'd be thinking about all the good tires leaving this market. I'd be thinking that a repro Gatorback made with a modern compound COULD be the "go to" tire for people looking for a 245 or 255 sized tire.
I'm not a marketing guy, but that might be a way to sell this as more than just a boutique item to stubborn originalists.
Just a word on modern compounds. My friend has a mint '86 Mustang GT 5 speed. He had a brand new set of tires, before he decided to order Gatorbacks.. After he got them, I asked him how he liked them? He said, he loved them, except he couldn't light up his tires as easily as he could with the "modern" tires he just had.
I have a pretty high level of NVH tolerance with noisy tires and harsh suspension but found that thump-thump of a cold Gatorback in morning until it warmed up annoying back in the day.
I have a pretty high level of NVH tolerance with noisy tires and harsh suspension but found that thump-thump of a cold Gatorback in morning until it warmed up annoying back in the day.
I don't remember, I'll ask him. But they were one of the several mediocre offerings in our sizes.
They should consider a "decent" discounted first run price. Agreement of 100% down, and all purchasers have to wait until there is enough to start it up, Once in production they can go to the $400 per tire or whatever the market will bare at that future time. This would give a lot of front side incentive imo. Depending on the discount I would put in for 8 tires with some sort of timeline. 12 -18 months would not be unreasonable in my opinion.
As long as their would be a refund if it ever fails to happens within whatever timeframe makes sense?
The trend has reversed and the options are growing again. There are some really good tires in 275/40-17 but are more performance oriented than what most people are looking for (0 - 200 tread wear).
Hey look, Nike blended the Jordan IV and V in a new colorway with near zero design effort and marketed it as new.
The Gatorbacks are okay. But there are better. I happily ran 16s with Pilots, Dunlops, and drove the Gatorbacks when they were available and still installed by shops. It would be great for those low mile examples that pop up, and restos to have the option.
Goodyear had great marketing in the 80s. Much of it to make you feel like you were one with the race car drivers. There is still a Goodyear ad up in my room at my parents' house. Years later, I got Dad off the Goodyear fan club. Better stuff exists in most sizes. Maybe not, if you insist on 16s. I will have to see what a local IROC owner has over Thanksgiving.
10-03-2022, 05:31 AM
