stock 67 dhc - looking for tires

[67dhc]

Hello All

I perused the archives and hadn't seen any posting newer than 2006 or so regarding wheels and tires so I felt compelled to post.

I have a 67 dhc and would like to replace the Michelin X 145SR13ZX tube radials (they?re getting a little too long in the tooth). I do not race the car but enjoy the go cart handling, drive about 1500 miles a year, and am out only in good weather (unless there has been some poor planning).

I believe that I have the stock 4.5 inch wheels without the ?J? indication of a ?safety rim?. Because of this I believe that I require 145/80/13 tires with inner tubes (or a set of 4.5 inch ?J? safety rim wheels and 145/80/13 tires without tubes).

I did some searching of the typical on-line tire providers (tirerack, coker, universal, Michelin, Dunlop, etc) only to find a very limited selection for the size. Apparently the Vredestein Sprint + with an ?S? speed rating and the Firestone F560 are the only tires available in the 145/13 size. I read in the archives regarding suggestions against an ?S? or ?T? speed rating in favor of an ?H? and wonder about that as well.

Does anyone out there have experience with the Vredestein tires or suggestions on a going forward position (maybe the availability of the 4.5 inch J Lotus steel wheels) that does not require modifications to the car itself? I?m a little leery of the wider or taller tires due to not having the later style flared fenders or wider than stock wheels.

Thanks

Tim Glahn
Burke, VA
USA

[cabc26b]

155/80 R13 will fit fine on the 4.5 rims it use to be a pretty common size in the US.

[chicagojeff]

i have Bridgestone Potenzas RE92. they will work fine on stock. they used to have them at Tire Rack.

[RotoFlexible]

I have Vredestein Sprint+ in 155/13 on my stock steel wheels. They have plenty of grip - I haven't been brave enough to get them anywhere near breaking loose. They are a little slow to take a set and start working, so you lose a little of the quickness. The ultimate tire for our cars is said to be the Michelin XAS FF, but expect to pay $200+ per if you can find them. They are period tires made out of racing rubber.

I have had 155/13's on my car almost forever without difficulties. However, the Vredesteins have very slight interference both front and rear - others have noted this as well. At the same time I fitted these tires, I replaced the rear hubs and the front wishbones, so the track may be slightly different.

I haven't used a tube for decades, never had a problem.

W/r/t searching the archives: I have a feeling that posts from the last couple of years don't come up in the website search (not sure of that, though). Googling the search term along with the website URL gives better results.

[johnsimister]

Firestone F560s are good tyres, often used on sporting classics because they are still available in sizes other tyre makers have abandoned. I have them on a Saab 96 two-stroke but I've seen Lotus 6s and Elites shod with them.

That said, I use Dunlop SP30 on my 1968 S3, in a 165/70 R13 size. It's the same rolling radius as a 145/80, there seem to be no clearance problems, they grip better without losing that vital Elan fluidity, and they are the size recommended on Tony Thompson Racing's website.

The attached front threequarter view shows what they look like.

John

[Chrisrich]

If I remember correctly, my 155 Vrdestein (sp?) Sprints made contact with the front fender on my '70 S4, and that was after new springs and shocks. I measured them up against a friend's tires (can't remember what they were now, maybe Dunlops?) and while they had the same numbers stamped on them, they were a good 1" taller than his. I cannot explain this, but that's what happened. I got 145s for the front and they fit quite well, and I'm happy with the way they feel.

[Lincoln62]

My S2 (same guard shape as S3) with standard wheels had 165/70 Michelins on it when I got the car and the PO had ground back the inner lip of the guard and bashed the rear spring perches (only a little) so they obviously had clearance problems at some stage. I replace them with 165/70 Avons and found that they rubbed on the rear spring perches under hard cornering (static they had 1 cm clearance) grinding a groove on the inner sidewall. The Avons were a really soft compound which meant they flexed more when cornering. When I found this I replaced them with 155/80 Michelin MXTE and they are great, no rubbing, great grip.

Peter