Formula Super Stock’s were a big, menacing tire. From what I’ve read, they grabbed the ground pretty hard too. Especially after a greasy burnout to warm them up.
It’s nice to think about it, as I like seeing fresh builds out on the street in the spring, the smell of fresh paint in the sun and interiors that may or may not be finished (it’s the last step and often one of the most expensive). Some have tight, freshly built engines, while others have a coat of spray paint and some cheap chrome to hide their age. One thing that I like just as much is seeing the cars that people put away decades ago, only getting them out once or twice a year for specific events.
Don’t get me wrong; it’s a shame not to drive something more often, but, in a way, it’s cool to see a time capsule. Vans with murals and bubble windows, trucks with visors, roll bars, and the loudest, raspiest mufflers available back in the day, and cars that have forgotten speed parts from long ago.
A lot of old go-fast parts have faded into obsolescence thanks to modern advancements and design that make them just that much better. Over the years, I’ve developed an affection for old intake manifolds that were supposed to be the best of the best but were quickly replaced by something simpler, better, and more affordable. I’ve collected some, sold some, and even run some. One thing that always catches my eye, but I would never run, is old performance tires.
I almost bought a set of the tiniest pie crust drag slicks you’ve ever seen at a swap meet. They were about 25” in diameter, and were mounted on a rusty set of 14” Cragar SS wheels. Seventy-five bucks American would have taken them home, but they were a long roll all the way back to the truck, so I left them there. I was going to adapt them to fit my Austin Healey project at the time, just for cool-looking rollers, but I would have never driven on them.
If you’ve ever been to one of the larger shows in the summer, you’ve probably seen people rolling on some wild-looking old tires. One of my personal favourites, besides old pie crusts, are Formula Super Stocks. They made a skinny front-runner, though you mostly see the big, fat rear ones still out today. They’re always mounted on Cragars, Slots, or Keystones, and they’ve got an instantly recognizable herringbone tread pattern.
Every time I see a pair, I’m amazed they weren’t smoked off long ago. I recently stumbled onto this ad, bragging about how many miles you can get out of a pair, which is quite an achievement when you consider they were sticky performance tires.
How long does a pair last? From what I can tell, it’s at least a half-century. Not a wonder you can’t buy them any more; Formula Tires probably lost a bundle selling everyone the last pair of tires they’d ever need.
Have a question or comment for Kelly? Post it at lmtimes.ca/kirk
