I picked up the #88 Team mitsubishi scca coors race truck series, 1987 race truck awhile back "best score on craigslist". I've yet to do any track time with this truck, and all previous track time has been in karts.
I'm looking for a good set of track only tires, no road use, and I would like something that is fairly predictable, but can handle more than a few heat cycles, as I know I'm not ready for some spendy ones. I've only driven it on the street a bit, and it currently has some old victor racers up front , and a pair of 710s on the back. COnsidering how old and heat cycled they are they are still quite amazing on the street,
I've been thinking about a set of nitto 555r, but am looking for some good suggestions. THe truck has been repowered from a carb to a turbo, and is running around 200ho, 245ish rwtq from the original 106ish it had stock. Right now I have zero issues with power delivery and traction, it's quite amazing really, so I don't want to give up too much.
airbats801 wrote:
Right now I have zero issues with power delivery and traction
Then whatever tires you are using now will be fine for your very first track day provided they have enough left on them to survive the encounter.
EDIT: Also, unless they are full on slicks from 1988. In which case they will kill you.
I'd say mid 90s lol, I will not take them on the trac k. I've only driven on them on the road a few times to see how the truck is running. Or my spare wheels have some old toyo 600s that are about as hard as granite.
I should say im running 15x7 wheels and to clarify I want a new set of tires to run this summer. I plan on doing as much track time with it as possible.
I'd say Toyo RA1 shaved to 6/32nds or R888. Or for full slicks, get the Toyo RR. Hankook slicks are nice too but hard to find.
amg_rx7 wrote:
I'd say Toyo RA1 shaved to 6/32nds or R888. Or for full slicks, get the Toyo RR. Hankook slicks are nice too but hard to find.
The Nitto NT01/05 is also a solid choice. I'm no fan of the 888. Too much $ for too little life.
He didn't actually say if this was a first track day EVER or just a first for the new truck. If it's the former - whatever summer tires are on sale cheap will be fine. Noobs should not have lots of grip.
R888s life seems to depend very much on the car they're on. I've had them on cars that just ate them up (Integra Type-R) and on cars where they had very reasonable lifespans (Miata and C4 Corvette, oddly).
firt track day with a full size car, spent quite awhile racing karts so im familiar with slick tires, but obviously, not a truck so much.I've done some autox n drift bs back in the day with cars, but this truck is a bit new to me.
IU've also been invited for some chump car racing, but frankly I do not want to enter in a historic racing vehicle into something like that.
A few glory day pics of the 87/88 year series
Last time it was on the track completely debadged and rebadged as a d50. The previous owner was a mopar fan...?
It is currently getting the original grills and colors back on it. Ironically, I met the original guy behind building the team mitsu trucks in the 80s via the previous owner. A little history, charlie hexom a disabled race car driver who raced in the series, was probably given tyhe truck from dave wolin back in the day, and he continued to race the nw region for awhile, then the ex crew chief and hexom turned it into a turbo endurance racer. bleh im going on lol. Lots of good history, and the crew cheif fred lux lives 25 minutes from me, so good stories :)
A little more fun, an actual race
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnSYj1hAPs0
ANd for fun, the truck pulled over 1g on a skid pad in 1881 on a road n track deal
Cool truck. I'd pick whatever 200 tw rating tires are on sale over a "race" tire. I've moved from cars to karts and there is a fairly big difference. Not sure what track day you're running but most "novices" are limited to summer tires.
Just ran across this post, wondering how you've done with the truck. By now you may know they tend to break free in rough corners more than a car, but handle well overall. I ran #1 Toyota in 1987, still have it in the garage - no graphics, but still track ready with cage et al.
Say Hi to Fred and Cindy.
Bill Sundin
