what is the current position re 15 inch tyres?

[Chris Williams]

I know this comes up from time to time.

I currently have Michelin MB15s on my car.

Sizes are:-

2 x 23/62x15 (270/40-15) - rear


2x 18/60x15 (225/50-15) front

As the only manufacturer seems to be Longstone tyres the price is 50% higher than it needs to be.

Does anyone know of similar spec tyres that can do the job? i.e. road /track (mainly road).

It's just cost prohibitive to keep buying Michelin at is a monopoly price.

I was even tnhinking of going for 16 inch rims to vary the tyre choice without ruining the look of the car.

What's going on in the 15 inch world?

cheers Chris

 

[Seymour Snerd]

What's going on in the 15 inch world?

This is in fact thoroughly covered in other posts. Search for "Avon".

Also the 16" idea has been proposed before, and it was pointed out that 16" is an obscure and dying size. Better to go to 17".

 

[Ron Scarboro]

We'll soon be forced to 18" on the rear I fear.

 

[Jac Mac]

I just wish someone would get their act together & make tires/rims like this, best of both worlds, older classic Minilite, Turbine, whatever appearance from outside, room for big brakes etc in the back, & oh so much easier to fit the tyres on the rims, only the outer to fit over the 15" part.

 

[Chris Williams]

This is in fact thoroughly covered in other posts. Search for "Avon".

Also the 16" idea has been proposed before, and it was pointed out that 16" is an obscure and dying size. Better to go to 17".

Putting 17 inch wheels on a car that is historically correct is anathema.

It undermines the whole idea of restoring and maintaining an historical vehicle. Bad enought that 15's are too rare but the loss of 16's also is very bad news.

ps why the underscore of a certain word? It's still the same word.......

 

[Ian Anderson]

I stuck Kumho on the back of the GT40 255/60-15 V Rated
Not quite as wide as you wanted but hard to beat at about £85 each

Fronts will be easier to find and Kumho do a good range

Total for 4 tyres fitted was just shourt of £300 Considering they are V rated I could not justify the £300 each for the Avons (Avons may grip better on track but my car is predominantly road)

Ian

 

[Seymour Snerd]

ps why the underscore of a certain word? It's still the same word.......

Underscore is used in English to provide emphasis. My use of it was to convey enthusiasm since the tire thread is one of the more valuable ones on the forum. As for "It's still the same word".... well, I can't dispute that. You're absolutely right.

 

I found on the Cobra forum a reference to Hankook tyres. They now produce a new 275/60-15 V-rated, rumoured to be aimed at the SUV market. This size is exactly right for the back of my KVA and I bought them for £200 a pair. OK, they are marked as M+S in small writing but they look good and I have tried them at high speed in the dry on the Le Mans 13.2 km circuit at the July Classic, and on the road in the wet and can find nothing wrong with them, although to be fair I didn't go faster than 150mph. The front tyres are much easier to get and I bought W-rated Continental 235/60-15, again, no problems. With fitting, balancing and tyre disposal, I paid a total of £410 for all four. I had budgeted a lot more than this, and am highly satisfied. I run with 25 psi front and 21 psi back.


Tony.

 

[Chris Williams]

I think the profile may push the rolling circumference out a bit? Do you avy pics and can you give some ideas on diameter and rolling circ? cheers Chris

 

[Jim Craik]

Peranaman,

I agree about the 15's looking right, although the folks who go with the 17's probably get much better tires. I went with the Avons front and rear, I think I paid $1,300 US for the set, and I'm told they are street legal, racing tires (when I registerd my 40 the CHP did not bat an eye at them). I now have over 16,000 miles on them and still have some tread left.

I like you motor choise as well, were one of the few with 302s'.

 

[Jim Cowden]

deleted

 

[Chris Williams]

Peranaman,

I agree about the 15's looking right, although the folks who go with the 17's probably get much better tires. I went with the Avons front and rear, I think I paid $1,300 US for the set, and I'm told they are street legal, racing tires (when I registerd my 40 the CHP did not bat an eye at them). I now have over 16,000 miles on them and still have some tread left.

I like you motor choise as well, were one of the few with 302s'.

A slight cheat really - my choice of motor was made for me as I own a Capri Perana which I have turned into an exact replica of the South African race car Gunston Capri Perana

Taking it to Nurburgring at the Old Timer GP next weekend after 6 years in preparation

 

Here are some pics of the 275/60R15 :


Tony.