puma1552

iTrader: (1)

FYI, it appears from everything I've found that the classic muscle car tire--the BF Goodrich Radial T/A, with the raised white letters--are in the process of being discontinued, if they haven't been already.

The number of sizes offered is drastically smaller than before, and the P215/65R15 (stock size on the RS, I believe) are on backorder everywhere.

Some sources say that BFG has already ceased production indefinitely and they are gone.

BUT--Coker tire seems to have picked up the line. These are the guys that make all of the old Goodyear PolyGlass GT reproductions, and all the other bias plies/redlines you see on 1000 pt. muscle cars.

To my understanding their reproductions are aesthetically dead-on, but I'd like to see a Radial T/A from them in person.

Searching now to try and find some genuine BFG ones, but no such luck so far.

Just FYI, Radial T/As are on the way out the door.

58mark

iTrader: (3)

wow! coker may make them, but they will be twice as expensive, if not more

well that really sucks, but thanks for the news

puma1552

iTrader: (1)

They are listed on Coker now, for only $103 which is just a few bucks more than the $92 they are/were going for on tirerack. Just wish I could see/compare a Coker repop to the original BFG to see if they really are identical.

One small shimmer of hope is that one particular size is showing that it's on backorder, but has an estimated in-stock date of 8/8 on Tire Rack.

I caught wind of a BFG executive's email, so I mailed him to ask. Will update if I hear anything.

58mark

iTrader: (3)

I wonder if the coker price is old goodrich stock they aquired, and when they start making their own, prices are going to go through the roof

82tarecaro

iTrader: (4)

Wow - I just bought Radial TA tires for my TA last month and I have yet to have them mounted. Glad I got them when I did.

UnderCover89TBI

iTrader: (25)

Puma you had the thread about what tires you shoudl go with huh? I am not a fan of these tires so I am glad to see them go. But I understand a lot of the guys on here like them so I hope the reproductions from coker are dead on.

58mark

iTrader: (3)

I was the one that started that thread. I still hadn't bought them, and now I guess I'll just stay with black walls

Ron U.S.M.C.

There not BFGs but the Cooper Cobra is a white letter tire,also designed to fill the Muscle Car market.

UnderCover89TBI

iTrader: (25)

Firehawk's

i cant stand cooper even more than bfg radial t/a's! haha.

Ron U.S.M.C.

Not all Coopers are in the same class. Cooper owens Micky Thompson and Dick Cepek. Even though I have the Cobras (black wall out ) I also like the Firehawks.

UnderCover89TBI

iTrader: (25)

Yeah I only ran the cobra's and I hated them. I went with a Toyo my last tire purchase..I hate being so anti american lol

puma1552

iTrader: (1)

Size?

Who did you get them through, and what was the manufacturer part number?

Also, did they come with BF Goodrich stickers on them?

If you could post a couple pics I'd appreciate it.

I found one genuine BFG one on ebay that they had received from BFG on 4/29/11, but it was the same story--24 more on backorder from BFG with no ETA.

58mark

iTrader: (3)

If I got firehawks, I would put them blackwall side out. not crazy about the way the lettering looks

it's a bad sign when you go to the BF goodrich website and look for your size of tire and the website tells you that they do not currently make any tires in that size.

Guest

I sent BFG an e-mail about the 245/60R15 Radial T/As, they offered little explanation, but did say they aren't giving up on the Musclecar market.
Did they have the workers go on strike? Was there a rubber shortage? Did the manufacturing plant get sabotaged and explode? Did a new CEO get stupid? They aren't saying.
I agree with some others that these tires don't perform adequately on the front of these cars. But I like them as a rear tire on anything with a solid rear axle. I think they do great for that, even in snow.
The thing that gets me is a year ago, the 235/60R15 was $76. Now it's $103. In less than a year!
For that money, you can get a dozen different 245/50R16 tires, all of which have higher speed ratings.
Heck, for that money, there are some choices in the 17" range.

82tarecaro

iTrader: (4)

If I was building something and handling was a factor, I wouldn't use the Radial TAs. But for looks on my 1982 Trans Am, I think they look awesome. I just drive the car, and I am not interested in all out handling. I would have went with Eagle GT RWLs, but unfortunately they are not made anymore. I had Old school Cragars on my car for years, and with the Radial TA's, it definitely has a Retro look. So for me, the factory Turbocasts look great with raised white letter Radial TAs.

Guest

I loved the old Eagle ST.
The Cooper Cobra, in a 245/60, has a narrower tread than a BFG Radial T/A in a 235/60. Plus the Cobra tread is a bit off-road-ish. I'm not going trail-riding on dirt roads.
The Firehawks seem great, but are not offered in a 245/60R15, dammit!
I may try some Mastercraft Avenger G/T from Summit. I'll probably just order 1 first, in case I decide to not run a set of them.

Ron U.S.M.C.

Not trying to burst any bubbles or be a jerk but Mastercraft is also a Cooper owned company. I don't know if any of these companies/name brands being owned by them makes any difference. I guess because the Cobras seem to be so disliked by some it may be giving Cooper a bad name ?

UnderCover89TBI

iTrader: (25)

Probably. Oh well. We all have different tastes

t-top havoc

iTrader: (3)

IMHO,
those of us who like a white letter tire are few, & to add insult to injury, how
many 15s are on muscle cars // sport cars other than restos?

The only other thing I can think of would be the colored tire marking
pens in white & yellow. I never used it so IDK how long it would last
til another app was needed.?

EvilCartman

iTrader: (1)

Well damn, guess I better put my order in now for my 66 :/ Same crap happened with the tires I have on the Camaro now. Bought a set and about a month after I couldn't find them on tirerack anymore.

Gumby

I say good, both T/As and the Goodyear GTs that were popular for only the raised white letters look sucked bad for traction. And should only be used on a show vehical that is only drive in the best of days. a little tiinkle of rain and good luck stopping.

I say good ridence

the solitaire

BFG Radial T/A's currently cost $202 a piece in 235/60R15
Cooper Cobra Radials currently cost $223 a piece in 235/60R15

On this side of the pond the only available alternatives in 235/60R15 are:

(Tires I'd definately not purchase)
Maxxis Marauders for $137 each
General Grabber for $171 each

(Valid yet more expensive alternatives)
Hoosier Pro Street Radial for $405 each (not an exact match but close enough)
Mickey Thompson Sportsman S/T for $232 each

That means that if the BFG Radial T/A's are no longer available the MT's might be my best alternative. I hope they don't quit making those any time soon however. The more I look for replacement rims, the more I like my 15" stockers.

I currently have a set of Cooper lifeliners. No traction whatsoever.

UnderCover89TBI

iTrader: (25)

man those prices are steep! I like those Mickey T's radial tires! Again that is why I went with Toyo's my last tire purchase, better road reviews then the bfg's and they were cheaper and have a longer expected tread life for my DD.

Guest

In all fairness, before my '86 IROC-Z, my F-cars were the '70s models. But that's when I discovered the Eagle ST had the ultimate in dry cornering, and the Radial T/A ( current version was then very new ) was really close.
On my '86, I discovered what others had warned me: Radial T/As don't work with struts.
And I agree.

EvilCartman

iTrader: (1)

I call them burnout tires... friend of mine has them on his 64 and he still has great tread depth after years of screwing around on them lol

puma1552

iTrader: (1)

You're missing the point. The point is it's a classic icon in the tire industry, and one of the best looking 15" tires out there.

Not everyone beats the hell out of their cars, or drives them in the rain. A $50 Walmart tire would be just fine on my car because I don't abuse it. The car is a cruiser, so I want the BFGs.

Here's hoping the Coker repops are dead-on, as far as I know they always are since Coker buys the molds when possible, or reverse engineers the tires when not possible. They make tires going all the way back to the brass era, and those are the tires you see on the six-figure restorations, so I'm hoping the Radial T/As are no different.

Our cars really are approaching vintage status.

UnderCover89TBI

iTrader: (25)

yes they are closer than a lot of us realize

firebirdpower7

i just got a set of the bfg goodrich radial t/a's from summit needed to wait a wk before they could ship them but htere good the price of the tire was a few dollars more than cocker but the shipping was cheaper enough that the total was a little less they look great and ride very nice. im not sure where summot gets them from, they probably get them from cocker if bfg doesnt make em eny more. heres a pic http://s1217.photobucket.com/albums/...t=DSC01885.jpg

puma1552

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the pic, the tires look great...you can tell if they are Cokers or original BFGs by looking at your summit invoice. If they are Cokers, they should have part numbers like those shown here:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/***-5797652/

58mark

iTrader: (3)

the other thing that hasn't been mentioned (i think) is that these cars came from the factory with RWL tires in the early years. For a true restoration, you need them to be complete.

I'm pretty sure they were eagle GT's, but the T/A's are vintage enough to get the job done. I think the Firestone font on the tire looks too modern

58mark

iTrader: (3)

I know this is an old thread, but I wanted to post that these are still available. the person I bought my TA from just got them from wal mart in the last month, but they had to be ordered

cosmick

So what? About 4 months ago I saw a set of 215/65s on a red '87 Firebird, they're more like 195/70s. Anything else would be better. Anything. Plus the prices, the same money would get you decent 275/40R17s.

nhgator

I bought 4 235/60/15 this winter for my car,virtually every tire site still listed them,They were something like $132 each picked up at a Wal-Mart tire center.

FWIW the local Sullivan tire,who brags they'll beat any price could not come close to that,and hung up on me when I questioned their integrity.

KITT1983

iTrader: (3)

Lol Sullivan tire did the same to me

plum92_camaro

I have 4 of them on my 69 camaro. Put the front ones on this summer. Great looking, and riding tires!