Tires

I have a '62 Midget which is completely original. Only have 17,000 miles on it. My dad bought it in '64 at a dealership in Cleveland. I still have the original tires (bias ply Dunlop whitewalls)but they are suspect for dry rot. I would like to outfit the car with some radials but I don't want to get too large on the size. Consequently I'm looking for recommendations for a 13" tire in the 155 size range. I think the 80 aspect ratio will work as long as I don't try to go too large.

Advice?

Nigel

I understand the so called "standard" radial is a 155/70 R13. There are others here who can refute or deny my statement ... My car has 165/70 R13's that came with the car when I bought it and I'm very impressed with the handling for such a narrow tire.

[ 03-31-2004: Message edited by: Matthew E. Herd ]</p>

Hi.
I just purchased a set of 155/80 13 radials for my 68 Sprite. They are an inch or so bigger than the old 145s that were on it, look better and don't rub anywhere.

Hope this helps.
J

Nigel:
Welcome to the forum, neighbor. I'm about 10 or 12 miles east of you.
I've been running Michelin XZX's , 155SR13 on my '63, and the '72 with no problems. They're a bit on the hard side, though.
My '65 has a set of BFG Touring TA's, 1757013's on it. I had 18570's on it and got a bit of tire scrub in the rear. That's on 5" wide wheels.
Jeff

If the car is all original with steel wheels then they are most likely 3.5 inches wide. I would think that 155/80 would be as close as your going to find. If you have wire wheels, they may be 4 inches wide and you could go with 165/70, but that is a stretch. Let us know what you end up with and how you like them.

Go to Tire Rack's web site & punch in your original tire size to find out the correct modern replacement tire size

Tony, I hear about tirerack.com all the time, but I have found it about useless. How does it work? I couldn't find any 145 tires listed and it didn't make any suggestions. Back when I was loking for 165/70, they didn't have any in that size either. They now list a Yokohoma (sp?) in that size. The way people rave about the site I thought I'd be able to find anything, but I was disappointed. (unless I don't know how to use the site)

Bridgestone BT70's in 155-13 are $41 apiece at Tre Rack....Yokohama A372's are $35 apiece

Thanks for all the responses. To Jeff, I will say that the Bugeye can accept a wider tire than my Midget because the wheel opening is completely round at the top. The early Midgets have a portion of the fender that obscures the very top of the tire. I had gone to Tirerack and ordered a nice set of closeout 175 x 13 Kumos (I believe the aspect ratio was 80). The tires were nice but they made contact with the inner fender lip in the rear. They looked great but I had to return them. So I think I can get by with a 165-80x13. I think. As for the Michelins, I have no faith in them. I hydroplaned and twirled my TR6 on the freeway with its hard compound 185 redlines. Scared the heck out of myself. I went to the Tirerack and got myself a nice set of Yokohamas. No problems now.

Nigel: Yeah, you can fit just about anything under a round arch car. I race a '62, that has been opened up to a round wheel arch, and runs offset rear springs so I can get the 20x8x13" slicks under there.
185-80's will definitely scrub under a square arch, that's why I switched to the 175-70's.
Where are you at in Howell? I'm at M-59 and Milford Road.
Jeff

[ 03-31-2004: Message edited by: Bugeye58 ]</p>

Thanks everyone for your comments and advice. I have visited and purchased tires from Tirerack. The tire I think I have decided on is the 155-80x13 radial. I'm not certain which tire manufacturers offer that tire in that size but I'll be looking. By the way, my Midget has pressed steel wheels and not wires.

Thanks again for the input.

Happy motoring,

Nigel