[DeTomaso] 265/50-15 tires

[JDeRyke at aol.com]

Most stock Panteras can easily do 150 mph and tires used on the cars should 
really reflect the machine's capabilities. Unless you have a rev-limiter 
that the driver cannot defeat while at the wheel, to curb excess enthusiasm I 
suggest it's not a good idea to under-rate tires on your sportscar. It's not 
impossible to find 'V' (140mph), 'W' (168 mph) or 'Y' (186 mph)- rated 
tires today, it's just that they will not be cheap nor plentiful, even in other 
than 15" sizes. The small PIrelli tire plant in Izmir Turkey still makes a 
P-7R in 275-55 x 15 size, W-rated. The last time I saw a new one (2010), 
price was a bit over $600 each. They also come in 295-50x 15" (seen new last 
month, priced higher. Tires went to Sweden).

As I've said before, running an S-rated tire above its 112 mph speed 
designation for 'awhile' will likely not result in catastrophic failure, but you 
never know since the tire was not certified for such use. And 'cap-ply' seem 
to be a catchy label describing what Pirelli used in the '80s on their 'P-7 
R' brand tire. This was supposedly meant for -not race- but high-speed long 
distance rallies like the Monte Carlo. According to performance tire dealer 
Roger Kraus in Castro Valley, a second (steel) ply was used around the OD of 
the Pirelli carcass to prevent it from growing under centrifugal force and 
throwing off vital speedometer calibrations that T & D ralliests depend on. 
THanks for the update-   FWIW- J Deryke