tire size?

[tomshobby]

Been working on the front suspension of my 74 Midget getting all the parts I need and cleaning the ones I can save for painting. The project is moving along well.

I am considering doing the wheels also and realized that I have no idea what size tires should be on my car. I want to get the right size so the tire diameter at least is not smaller.

Any recommendations?

 

[mrsprite]

I believe the modern equivalent size is 145/80-13, but most people use 155/80-13's on their Spridgets......it's a more common size. Of course, if you have different wheels then you can go bigger.....I use Kumho Powerstar 758 in 155/80-13. They have a decent tread and are fairly grippy (not very good in the snow though, but I'm never attempting *that* again!). Price is about $25 each at Discount Tire.

 

[tomshobby]

Thanks much, I can't say enough what a help you guys are. And to think I am only starting on this car. I plan on doing the rear suspension as soon as I get the front back together. Then the brake and fuel lines so I can have the bottom of the car pretty much finished. Then I can at least have it back on the ground and be able to move it around.

My goal is still to have the engine and transmission back in the car before winter.

 

[Hap Waldrop]

Well it depends greatly on what you want, you have a round arch wheel car though, and if you want to do some spirited driving you can go with a wider profile tire, like 175/70/13 or a 185/70/13. If you end up going for alloy wheesl, I'm a Superlite distributor, so If I can help let me know.

 

[tomshobby]

OK Hap, now I know why your name was familiar. Some of the TR guys have mentioned you and your shop. I will keep that in mind if I eventually go that way. Wheels will be the last thing I do simply because I have never been a Midget much less looked one over. Crazy way to buy a car isn't it!

My question on the 70 series rather than the 80 series is wouldn't that cause even higher engine rpms on the road?

 

[Trevor Jessie]

There are several tire size calculators on the web. Here is a good one:

https://www.mintylamb.co.uk/?page=tyre.htm

 

[tomshobby]

Thanks Trevor, that is interesting. I expected there would be a bigger difference in diameter.

 

[mccalebr]

The combination of the Superlite 5.5x13 wheel and a 185/70R13 will be hard to beat, in my book. Here's a look at that combination that's going on my '62 Sprite (square arch). The setup mentioned should just fit on your RWA. There will be ample room to clear the outer fender, but you also have to consider clearance of the inner fender, especially when there is heavy spring compression (suspension bottoming out).

Oh, the wheels, as I mentioned, are Superlites from Hap and the tires are Khumo 758 from Selecttire (Ebay...$190/4 delivered).

Ray

 

[jlaird]

Hay Ray, what happened to that pile of rust you had, hehe.

 

[Hap Waldrop]

Add to that the 175/7013 and the 185/70/13 you have a few more tire choices. The Minty Lamb site is a good reference.

Tom once you gone Spridget there is no going back I'm kidding of course, I'd kill for a nice TR4.

 

[mccalebr]

Hay Ray, what happened to that pile of rust you had, hehe.

Jack,
I found that if you take a pile of rust and add a large amount of sweat and $$$ it transforms into new metal. I've gotten good at turning gold into steel...now if I can reverse the process...

Ray

 

[tomshobby]

Hap, I bought a '64 TR4 in the spring of '65 and traded it for a '67 GT6 in the spring of '68. Sold the GT6 in '76 when we were farming 300 acres. Bought another TR4, a '62, in the 90's. It just sat in the garage needing a restoration which I never started except to buy a pair of '64 seats and seat rails, which are still in my shop. Simply put, it was not a '64 which was what I really wanted. And still do, maybe some day. Four years ago we purchased our '76 TR6 and with some work have enjoyed over 16,000 miles in it. Now, for the first time we have two LBC's at the same time.

As for the Midget, it was almost completely disassembled. The owner had begun a fairly complete restoration. For different reasons a friend of mine ended up with the car which he had no interest in what-so-ever. He called me and said I could have it for the same $800 he had in it.

It looked pretty sad when I saw it. I realized that it was probably destined for a scrap yard if I did not take it. I knew nothing about a Midget but could did not want that to happen. Too be truthful, I intended to simply bring it home and put it on e-bay or Craig's List.

I began to think how to sell it, in a total package or in parts. I was talking it over with Shirley one evening and she pointed out something that had also occurred to me. The complete car was there, although in boxes. If I sold one part I no longer had a car, only a collection of parts.

The more I went through the dozen or more boxes and looked the car over the more I realized it needed to be restored. The body and engine were already finished anyway. Oh, did I mention that I am retired and a project like that might be a good thing?

So we have two LBC's, one a type I fell in love with in the 60's and one that is growing on me, actually both of I think. I say that because Shirley has eagerly gone with me the last couple times I went to Peter's for parts.

So, it is looking like we will have two LBC's as time goes on.

I guess I went off topic here.