the guy is out tonight and will measure it in the morning.
rang cousin and he thinks the bid price will certainly shoot up. if the ET is ok i'll keep to a sensible limit.
if i don't get it, he suggested i could always just get a new pair of:
Toyo R1R
Yoko AD08
Hankook RS2
any of em will be much better at the front than the soft t1r and for not as much cost as the r888.