Tyres question for road use Sprint owners

[Bitsilly]

Before anyone tells me off for not looking at the archive, I have.
I would still like to have an updated opinion on what tryes are best for a Sprint.
it is not planned to use it at a track, mainly dry local drives.
Pretty aggressive driving when dry but obviously may get caught in the rain and have to drive home carefully!
So 90% of the time dry pretty aggressive driving, but able to get you home if it rains!
Grippy in the dry would be nice but not enough to ruin old school handling!
There you have it!
Not asking a lot!!! Just which tyres?!
Cheers

[pabbage]

if you have the budget xas tyres are the way to go

[Bitsilly]

Have spent my 3 kid’s inheritance on the restoration so can probably stretch!
Any more details?
Cheers

[pabbage]

https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/michel ... s/xas.html

other suppliers do exist…

[alan.barker]

Lots of post in the past about this.
Personal choice but some people decide if no safety rib fit tubes.
Imho it's not because of the rivets, the rims are well painted and airtight.
Have a read of past posts.
Alan

[trw99]

I have the Michelin's and they are first rate. In fact all my cars are shod with Michelin tyres of various types. They are quieter, longer lasting, better riding, grippier and perform better than the others I have had before.

On my Sprint they are tubed, as Dougal at Longstone recommends. Tubes don't cost that much extra either.

My one concession is that the spare wheel is shod with a Dunlop Aquajet, as a nod to originality!

Tim

[HCA]

Yes! Please buy Michelin! In fact, change all your cars to Michelin!

The more expensive the better as it supports our economy and helps keep my tax down!

[661]

I use XAS FF 155s in an S4 shell.
The wheels are 5" revolutions and no tubes.
They are simply much better than the half dozen or so other tyres I have tried over the years.
It's £1k for 6 years of smiles

[Bitsilly]

My wheels are I think Sue Miller ones.
I don't think I would NEED inners, but quite happy to do so.
I think from my further reading that some are saying they are better with the tubes in, or is that wrong.
Might be safer just to get inner tubes.
And thanks!

[gentry74]

I bought these for my s3.

145HR13 PIRELLI CINTURATO CA67

So far I am quite pleased. There are additional sizes available.

[mwhitaker]

Love my Michelin XAS FF 155-13 on Sue Millers repro steel wheels with tubes from Dougal at Longstone Tyres-they look right, ride well, and grip/handle well with great steering feel- a bit pricey but well worth it at my 700-800 miles/yr. I switch to my spare Panasport wheels and Achilles 122 tyres for winter to keep mileage/wear down a bit and do try to stay out of the rain if possible so I don't need my lights/wipers and have less cleanup to do....

Mark Whitaker
69 Elan S4 DHC
45/8396

[Bitsilly]

Ordered them from Longstone, lovely company to deal with I must say.

[USA64]

You should get whatever this guys got!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2WytG8bYDo

[dougal cawley]

Hi All

for early cars the 145R13 Cinturato is fab. In fact Michelin now make a 145R13 XAS as well.

https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/classi ... /elan.html

Personally i have had cars on both. I had my Lotus Elite on 155R15 Cinturato CA67, and they were amazing for sucu a tiny foot print, there was loads of grip, but more importantly the handling was wonderful, when you were really pushing hard, there was plenty of warning before it let go. in fsact it never let go because it was beutifully progressive where you could get slight understeer into a corner that you could change to oversteer on the throttle. The whole experience was predictable and controlable. I can't enthuse enough about them. However i was in the most fabulous car ever. phwarr! 1962 Lotus Elite on Webbers and a ZF box. what is not to like.

i also had a hooligan MK5 Cortina with a Zetech engine in it. generally the Ghia Models and Crusader top of the range ones fitted 185/70R13, but i went back to the 165R13 that the base models fitted . I had XAS on the front and the worst tyres i could get on the back and it was hillarious.

I also had XAS on an old Daimler V8. I put some tall thin XAS on there and it was lovely. before it wandered a little at cruising speeds, but the XAS just made it drive in a straight line. This was a car i bought for my wife to drive the kids to school so i just wanted it to be safe

I also have the XVS on my Silver shadow and they are great too. I did also put the XAS on my aunties Alfa Spider, but this was before the Cinturato was back in production, and to be fair if the Cinturato was around at the time i would have fitted them.

the reality is they are both great tyres.

the exciting news is that we do have a new tyre on the way, hopefully in the next month or so and that is going to be the first batch of a 155HR13 Pirelli Cinturato CA67, so it really will be difficult for you guys to choose.

https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/classi ... -ca67.html

I think, for me, i think the Cinturato is more of a progressive sports car tyre, that gives the most rewarding and progressive handling for someone who want s to chuck a little rear wheel drive sports car from the 50's, 60s and 1970s around some curvy lanes. (I measn the 1970s cars that were actually just a continuation of a 60s car. not the front wheel drive dross.) I think the XAS was an invention for these same cars but the motivation was to make them more suited to modern roads where we are blasting in a straight line on motorways. This is no way a derogatory critisism of either tyre. they both do both these jobs really well on your cars, but they are the subtle differences. the truth is you are spoiled for choice.

we do still have the 165R13 for the +2 Elan and the 175/70R13 CN36 and 185/70R13 CN36 for people who mistakenly think fatter tyres are better. a misguided mistake made by cowards. However if you are down that camp then the CN36 will handle better than any other tyre the wrong size.