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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> Awhile back I posted to the list about tire availability for my TR3. It looked like the choices were very expensive Michelins from Coker, Firestone F560’s, Vredesteins or Nankang </span></font><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 color="#333333"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333'>CX-668 165/80R15 87T’s. I ended up giving the Nankangs a try. It is a little heresy to put Chinese tires on a Brit car, but money is tight. This is what I found:<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 color="#333333" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333'> The Nankangs were only $55 each.<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 color="#333333" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333'> The ride on the freeway is excellent. <o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 color="#333333" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333'> The tires are very quiet.<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 color="#333333" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333'> The tires feel a little “squishy” tearing around corners compared to the Vred’s I used to run, but I just tractor around anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 color="#333333" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333'> The tread doesn’t look like it should be on a British roadster, but who looks at your tread?<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 color="#333333" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333'> From the side, the tires look like any other. It was always cool to have the “Made in Holland” on the side of the Vreds though.<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 color="#333333" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333'> When driving down a grooved freeway, the treads grip the grooves and the car “skates”. It is very disconcerting.<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 color="#333333" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333'> I drove on a very wet road and it was like driving on an ice skating rink. Usually, I only drive the TR on warm dry days though.<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 color="#333333" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333'> That’s about it.<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 color="#333333" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 color="#333333" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333'> I think that if I was going to do it again I would cough up the bucks and go with the Vredesteins.<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 color="#333333" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333'> FWIW,<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 color="#333333" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 color="#333333" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333'> -Bill Brewer<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 color="#333333" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 color="#333333" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p></div></body></html>