Tire / Shock Recommendations

[SaxMan]

Now that I've had some fun zipping around in the hilly countryside, it's time for me to get down to the serious business of making my Sprite a better car. I already took care of my #1 priority: discarding the lap belts and installing 3-point belts.

Next on the priority list is replacing the tires. I'm not looking to race the car or to throw it around hard...just nice touring and taking a couple of curves at speed. Right now the car has some old generic brand 155R13s (no series on the tire, but I guess they are 75s) that are about as sticky as Teflon.

I also think my shocks are toast (does this car even have shocks or are they struts or something different?). I'm getting a not so pretty sound when I press down on the right rear fender (kind of like the noisy door hinge sound from horror movies), and it has been "talking" when I take it on drives. My guess is that shock has lost most, if not all of, its oil, unless there is something else that you think is making racket back there?

 

[JPSmit]

Others than me will be along with tire recommendations, though 13" tires are getting harder to fond - especially performance types. In terms of shocks, our own PeterC is the go to guy to rebuild shocks. There cars have lever shocks, and while there are shock conversion kits, the lever shocks work great.

Here is his website https://www.worldwideimportautoparts.com/servlet/StoreFront

 

[SaxMan]

Thank you for the tip. Looks like a very good way to go!

 

[aeronca65t]

You can get some ideas for tire from ~This Post~ (If you use the Search function here, you'll see this subject has been discussed on a regular basis). In my opinion, you should buy the tires with the lowest "UTQG" number. Like under 200 if possible. If you buy tires with a higher UTQG number (for example - 350 or 400) they will be hard as a rock and will hardly wear even if you keep them past their useable life cycle (about 6 or 7 years). We don't drive our cars as much as "normal" cars, so the lower number UTQG numbers (which means a softer tire) are better for our lighter cars. As far as the suspension: I agree that Peter C will be our best bet. Your car has lever shocks and Peter can make them better than new for a fair and reasonable price. As far as the squeaks: first grease all your suspension points. Depending on your car, there's only 6 or 8 total grease points in the front end. All these grease points are super important and you couldn't over-grease them if you tried. Much of the problems in these cars is due to lack of regular greasing especially for the king pins and lower trunnion (the outer link on the lower A-arm). While you're doing this, check for any looseness in the suspension (and, as always, use jackstands when you're doing this sort of work). If the squeak persists, this may be your inner front A-arm bushings as well and the upper (lever arm shock) bushings. If they're not too bad, you can spray them with silicone spray and it *might* help. Otherwise, if they look cracked, you can replace them for a modest price (changing the inner A-arm bushings can be a tough job). You will get different opinions about replacing them with stock (rubber) bushings or plastic (poly) bushings. I prefer the poly bushings, even for street cars, but like I say, you will get different opinion on which is better. G'luck!

 

[SaxMan]

The squeak is coming from the rear, and I don't see any grease points there. Thoughts?

 

[aeronca65t]

Same thing. Rubber suspension bushing that are at the ends of the leaf springs.

 

[59diamond]

I just put Firestone Champion 520-13 whitewall tires on my cherry red Bugeye. I got them from a place called Motor Spot in Fallbrook Calif.
They have really spruced up the car. Although they will ship them to you for $159 each including shipping I went and got them for $143 each. This is probably a little expensive for tires, but I will have them for a long time.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

So Bill you need to post some pics.

 

[59diamond]

If I knew how I would do it. Have to wait till the missis gets up and helps me.

 

[nomad]

If I knew how I would do it. Have to wait till the missis gets up and helps me.

:highly_amused:.....Nice to know I'm not the only computer illiterate!!!
[ Just had my son help me on another forum!]

Kurt.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Bill, really simple. There are instructions on posting photos the Basil has on this site. Biggest thing is reducing pixel size on what you are posting. And that is simple once you understand how it works.

 

[JPSmit]

Bill, really simple. There are instructions on posting photos the Basil has on this site. Biggest thing is reducing pixel size on what you are posting. And that is simple once you understand how it works.

Or use a photohosting link like Photobucket - then you just have to cut and paste the links

 

[59diamond]

Ok. I posted 4 photos . They appear under 59diamond when I click there, but no where else that I can find.

 

[SaxMan]

Checked with my tire shop. They have a set of Uniroyals at $65 per tire. Like it had been mentioned earlier, the 13 inch tire is getting hard to come by.