5,000 Mile Review on Nitto's NT555 G2 Summer Tire and NT555 RII Drag Radial: Street Performance In A Full-Custom 1956 Chevy Pickup
Ricardo and Monica Lopez own an absolutely killer ’56 Chevy pickup that experienced a high-profile debut under the bright lights of the SEMA stage in 2021. Ricardo built the truck at his shop, Customs by Lopez in Compton, California as a thank you gift for his wife for all the help and support she provided into launching their family business.
As you can see, there were no corners cut in the creation of this Chevy. Aside from the smooth gray paintjob and the electric-red interior, which are the truck’s obvious attention-grabbers, the Chevy’s low-slung, high-performance Ridetech coil-over suspension system is equally as impressive.
Built For Speed
Ricardo outfitted the ’56 Chevy truck with a 350ci small block V-8, which produces a healthy horsepower output, but it’s the aforementioned chassis system that successfully harnesses that energy at ground level.
While the front drop spindles and rear 4-link system also play a big part in the truck’s lower, more responsive suspension setup, the strategic tire selection is what helps in propelling this classic pickup at a breakneck pace whenever the gas pedal is mashed.
Matching Made Easy
Since Ricardo was looking to piece together a combination of tires that featured high performance attributes along with real world drivability, there was no other option but to run Nitto tires. “I chose a pair of 245/45ZR19 NT555 G2 tires for the front and 315/35R20 NT555 RII drag radials for the rear,” Ricardo said.
“I have used these two Nitto model tires together before and I really liked the balance of the reliable everyday comfort of the NT555 G2 summer tires and the aggressive styling and performance of the NT555 RII drag radials.”
Race-Ready, Cruise-Steady
Nitto has designed these tires to be an ideal pairing as both the NT555 G2 and RII feature a matching tread pattern and sizing options to work in unison for performance vehicles of all sorts, including truly custom creations such as this ’56 Chevy truck.
Even though this classic pickup does not see too much track time, the high-grip compound allows Ricardo and Monica to activate the truck’s rear tires when the light turns green or pick up speed in a hurry while out on the highway. Given the fact that truck will see much more casual cruising than high-speed performance, the 100 treadwear drag radials will last much longer than expected if the usage scenarios were reversed.
Bright Future
This is not the first time that Ricardo has paired Nitto NT555 G2 and NT555 RII before. Since he builds custom cars and trucks for a living, he has discovered the benefits of this tire combination and plans on running it on more of his upcoming projects.
“This tire selection is business-as-usual for me, actually,” Ricardo admits. “It’s nice knowing what the tires are capable of, especially the rear drags, but they make for a great time every day during regular driving sessions. I love the looks of both tire models, and you just can’t beat their performance. With all the available sizes they come in, I will be able to use them on my personal vehicles as well as any future customer build that is set up for strip performance and/or street styling.”
The Final Lap
While these Nitto tires are highly beneficial to vehicles that shoot for quick race times, they are equally valuable to those looking to get that sporty appearance along with a high level of performance that is very usable and handy for regular driving duties as well.
Well-regarded, custom fabricators choose the NT555 G2 / NT555 RII drag radial combination—you should too! Whether you’re preparing for demanding days at the racetrack or relaxing joy rides around town, there’s simply no comparison to this winning tire combo.
