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Hi-I'm new here and have a tire question

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Tabcon

Tabcon

Jedi Warrior
Offline
Hello from New Orleans!

I just purchased a 1964 TR4 that was the subject of an extensive frame off restoration. The restoration was done to perfection insofar as originality is concerned, but...
I like a little more "umph" in my Triumph. I'm sending the car to a Triumph specialty shop to have a few modifications to the engine and the suspension. When all is said and done, the engine will be making close to 200 horsepower with suspension and brake improvements to match.

It has a brand new set of Dayton chrome wires with Michelin XWX tires in the original size and I would like to upgrade the tires and the size to match the performance.

I plan on installing new Panasport wheels, but as to what size wheel and tire, I'm not too sure. The Panasports in the 15 x 5.5 and 6 have a +6 offset, which could cause some problems I suspect, but the 16" wheels have a -0- offset which may work better. I've compared tire dimensions, revlolutions, etc. and have come up with either 205/65-16's, or 205/60 15's, if I go with the 15" wheels.

I was hoping someone here may have had some experience with TR4 tire sizes, so I would appreciate any suggestions yuu guys may have to offer.

Thanks!

Tab
 
Hi Tab, can't help you with your question but just want to say welcome aboard the BCF, I'm sure someone will be able to help you with your question.

Regards, Tinkerman
 
+6 15x6 should fit fine. Keep the backspace between 3.5-3.75"/ Can't help with the 16's though.

Please keep us informed as to what mods you do to get 200HP out of a TR4 engine. Inquiring minds want to know. Turbocharger? Transplant? V8?
 
Hi Tab. I'm 75 miles north of the City, just barely over the La/MS state line.
Hope to see you at the Car Show. You won't have trouble spotting my TR6; just look for the one with Cobra bumpers.
Safari, TR6Bill and a few others from the Forum will probably be in attendance.
https://www.bmcno.org/Show09/Carshow.htm
 
Allow me to add my welcome. This is still the best place on the net for LBC lovers. Have Fun.
 
Welcome to the forum-

Can't help with your wheel sizes, but I run 15x5.5" KN alloys with no troubles. Just wanted to alert you in case you haven't worked it yet, but the rear studs on your 4 will likely take a little work. Since you are converting from wires, your studs are probably too short, also they are threaded and peened into the hubs so take more effort to change out. Can be done though.

Randy
 
Didn't think about the nokoffs. As Randy said, they use shorter wheel studs front and rear to hold the splined adapters to the hubs. The fronts bang out but as Randy mentioned, the rears not only screw in but are peined over on the back where they protrude through the hub. A PITA to change out.


I just saw a set of spline mount minilite-style wheels on ebay. Maybe last week or so. That would be a nice option to have instead of bolt ons in your case.
 
Thanks for the warm British welcome guys, I appreciate it.

I'm buying the car out of the San Francisco area and it's being shipped up to Oregon for the makeover before it's sent down here. I'll post some pictures of it one day when I finally get it. In the mean time, I can try to post some of the pictures of it that I was emailed by the seller, but I really don't know how to do that on this site.

The car is being sent to Performance Research Industries in Sutherlin, Oregon. The website is: www.prirace.com

The owner, Chris Cancelli has a pretty impressive resume and all of the fabrication work is custom.

The engine in the car is like new having been gone through by the last owner, but as I said, it's pretty much stock aside from 87mm pistons and liners. Not having actually seen the rebuild, I'm erring on the cautious side and having Chris go back through it. This rebuild is sort of a combination of the 3 engine building stages he offers. I don't want a race car, more a reliable car that utilizes modern technology to reasonably get all I can out of the TR's 38 year old engine.

This is a long list of some of the stuff he will do. I'm sure he won't have to do everything listed, but for sure the performance mods.

Cylinder Head Work

Hot tank cleaning
Magnafluxed for cracks
Extreme performance cylinder head conversion kit
Roller rockers chose from 1.55 or 1.65 ratio
Maximum port work flow bench testedBlend porting
Performance valve job
C.C. combustion chambers and Surface head to at least 10:1 compression ratio
New valve guides
New oversized intake and exhaust valves
New competition valve springs
New spark plugs
New freeze plugs
New paint
New hardware if needed
New gasket set


Block Work

Hot tank cleaning
All parts magna-fluxed for cracks
Coat interior with Glyptol
Line bore main saddles if needed
Complete engine ARP hardware set
Exterior oil line to feed rocker shaft
Lightened lifters
Lighten flywheel
PRI designed ultra-light JE piston set with gapless low friction ring package.
PRI Stage 2 cam
PRI tubular Chrome Moly "heat treated" push rod set
PRI crank case venting kit w/K&N filter
Resized big end, re-bushed small end, polish beams, match weights
Bore and hone cylinders
Turn (if needed) and polish crankshaft
Set piston deck height
Match piston weights
Balance crank assembly
New rod bushings, bearings and bolts
New cam bearings if applicable
New main and thrust bearings
New lifters
New cam chain (gear if needed)
New oil pump
New water pump
New seals and gaskets
New oil galley plugs
Paint
Freeze plugs

Other Stuff

P.R.I. Mikuni Carburettor conversion kit
P.R.I. Custom built headers
P.R.I. Custom built exhaust system
Pertronix Distributor/Coil
Lightweight increased flow water pump
Lightweight magnesium Oil pan
Big brake set up with Wilwood calipers and 12" rotors

You know, I was a little skeptical about squeezing that much out of the TR's old engine, but Chris has a proven track record and seems to do it every day. I guess I'll just have to wait until I can drive it to be sure.

I know a lot of purists would scoff at this, but, IMO, the TR4 has some of the best lines of any car ever made. With the exception of the Panasport's and slightly wider tires, I intend to keep it looking dead stock on the exterior. Actually, except for the Mikuni's, the engine bay will pretty much look dead stock also.

Thanks again for the great welcome!

Tab
 
PRI has a good reputation. Impressive list. Can't wait to hear more as it progresses.
 
I don't have a Tr4, but I'm running 205/65/16's on a TR6 with Panasport wheels, and this set-up is working out very well.
 
Welcome to the Forum.

Please add pictures as soon as possible. We all like looking at engines and I'd love to see the Mikuni setup.
 
Sorry, but to my eyes to take a TR4 who had a restoration "done to perfection insofar as originality is concerned" and turn in into a clapped out street rod is unexcusable. Ya shoulda bought an old Camaro then nobody would care. Just do not complain when you tire of the 4 and cannot understand why the value dropped.

Lou Metelko
Auburn, Indiana
54 TR2LD
65 TR4A
 
That's not only harsh, Lou, but wrong.
It's his car, it should please him, not you.

And besides, old Camaros are easily worth more than a TR4.
 
I've heard more negatives about PRI than I have heard positives. 200hp out of a non-race TR4 engine is stretching a lot IMHO. Hitting the 150hp mark would still result in a much faster than stock TR4 but would still most likely be less cruising friendly and much more of a full throttle type engine. To make power you need fuel and air in followed by the burnt mixture out. The head still has to handle that incrased flow of air/fuel/exhaust and that is the biggest roadblock. Only so much room to work the flow until you have to start resorting to higher lift cams with longer overlap. The more you go down that road, the less cruiser friendly it becomes and begins to edge more to the competition engine category.

Enjoy your car though, sounds fun. Good luck with PRI.
 
Just an idea - keep the current engine, pull it, preserve it and store it. You're almost there to a complete new engine with all the parts you're getting. Build another motor and keep the current one. If "something goes wrong" with the new engine, you're covered.
 
I find myself more or less agreeing with Lou, Shawn, AND Randall (among others)! Seems to me it would've made more sense, if the TR4 style was the goal, to start with a solid car needing freshening; then any personalization and modification could be done without undoing someone else's work, and "no harm" would come to a (presumably) correctly restored car. And yes, right now hi-po Camaros probably bring more...but there's always that $97k TR4 @ auction awhile back.

And from spending a lot of years hanging out with TR racers on and off, I suspect that an honest, true 200hp wet-liner engine is good for about 35 minutes on the track or maybe a couple months on the street (where it's likely not very enjoyable anywhere except between stoplights)!

But then again, 40 hp in a Herald keeps me quite content, so perhaps y'all can ignore all of the above. :devilgrin:
 
I understand his purchasing the best car he could afford. The mechanical stuff is the easy part, the bodywork ain't and you rarely find a car with great bodywork that needs the mechanical needed (unless a stalled resto).
I like a tweaked motor too but the 200 HP sounds a bit elusive to me and not in the reliabel catagory, be an interesting watch though.

"but there's always that $97k TR4 @ auction awhile back."....
Don't you love how every ebay seller pounces on these anomilies (49k TR3a at Russo Steele) and announces this along with their speil as if this is proof positive their car is worth their imagined reserve price.....
 
Just my opinion.

I have to agree with either building another engine and keeping the current one for when the 200 HP goes south, which it will surely do. The only other question is what goes first; tranny, drive shaft, pumpkin, axle, or wheel studs. This car was not built or expected to survive with this kind of power. If the drive train does'nt fail, there is a good chance the motor mounts will come apart, with the ensuing flopping around under the hood.

If the style of th Triumph is what you want, consider building a frame with heavier suspension, brakes, narrowed 9" ford rear, etc., and drop the TR 4 body onto it.

Just my opinion.
 
Hmmm - considering that Tab was just asking for tire recommendations ...

What wheel/tire would be appropriate for that TR4 if/when it does get 200 horsepower?

Tab: have you seen the car in person and driven it at all?

Tom
PS - might want to consider a clutch upgrade too.
 
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