New Shoes For Miss Daisy
 

While they're not giving trouble yet, the P300 Pirellis on my '60 Fintail are now 12 years old. Trouble is, they're 185/80R13 - a virtually extict size. Anyone here have any recommendations on good tire makes/models and where to find them? The Tire-Rack site listed one Goodyear Marathon radial in that size (but only for trailer use!) and the NTB site lists just one cheapie off-brand 35,000 mile radial in that size. Thanks all.

Happy Motoring, Mark

PS: I'll be off to Summit Point to help a buddy race his '65 Sunbeam Tiger, so if you don't hear from me for a few days, I'm not ignoring you.

Try Bridgestone.

Have you checked for 205/70 X 13?
 

The change in height is minimal, the width is not likely to be different enough to create clearance problems, and there should be a number of good handling oriented tires for old BMWs and Corvairs in that size.

Neither Tire Rack nor NTB sites list a 205/70Rx13. Any suggestions?

I might be able to switch to 14 inch rims off a W114 if I really have to but don't know if there will be offset issues or if my original hubcaps will fit. I know my original trim rings won't. I'm reluctant to go up to too 'fat' a tire as Miss Daisy doesn't have power steering and she's already a 'muscle-builder' at parking speeds!

If I need to convert to 14 inch rims, Tire Rack lists several 185/70Rx14 tires, including a Bridgestone Turanza that looks like a good choice. I'm leaning towards the Pirelli P400.

Thanks Again, Mark

Mark,
That's not good to hear as I will be in the same boat one of these days. I thought there would be nothing to it with the prevalence of mini commuter cars and their correspondant 13 inch tires.

I will definintely stay stock size when it comes to it, but let me us know what you find.
Josh

Those cheap commuter cars USED to have 13 tires but since then the perfomance stuff has trickled down from the higher priced cars, so even the cheapest little Korean econo-boxes are now riding on 14 or 15 inch wheels. Even finding 185/70Rx13 Michelins, last year, for my '84 Honda Accord wasn't that easy.

Happy Motoring, Mark

It sounds like you scrapin the bottom of the barrel for 13" tires...... If it was me, I'd hit the junkyards for complete set of steel MB 14" rims, hubcaps and matched tires for say, $120 complete. There are millions of w123's showing up in junkyards these days - so finding good used wheels will be easy.

Painting hubcaps to match moss green is notso hard to do.... and you can splurge on narrow profile Yokohamas to match the 14" wheels if standard width rubber from w123 doesnt perform well.


<edit: another idea - find your nearest mini-cooper dealership.... maybe they've got secret Canadian connection for decent 13" tires.

Coincidntally, with my latest tire posting here, my most recent copy of the 'Rootes Reveiw' (Sunbeam Club Newsletter) arrived today. On page 8 is an article titled 'How Old Are The Tires On Your Car?'. The article concerns a 1965 street-driven Sunbeam Tiger that blew a left rear tire on I70 in Missouri, on the way back from a 1999 Sunbeam Club event. The owner was not badly hurt but his lady friend, who was driving at the time, is still recovering from serious head injuries. After laboratory examination, it appears that there was some severe internal deterioration that caused the tire to separate. That tire looked like new and had only 4000 miles on it but was 11 years old. The accident was featured on the ABC and NBC national evening news, September 24, in a story about trying to persuade NHTSA to require expiration dates on tires. (Incidentally, the '60s Sunbeam Alpines and Tigers also came stock with 13 inch tires.)
I know how old Miss Daisy's tires are because I have most of the previous owner's service records, including the 1991 invoice for the Pirellis.

Happy Motoring, Mark

Mark: I agree with the statement about finding 14" rims. I can check math later when I have time to find a tire that'd be closest to your current size in rolling distance. Shouldn't be too hard. But at any rate, 14" are definetly not hard to find (at least around here), so you should do that if possible.
If not possible, someone here could try to grab some for you (I plan on going this weekend before it gets too cold!)

I'm going to check out my local NTB store. Last year when I got my Honda tires, they looked up several 185/80Rx13s that could be special ordered. Don't know if that's still true today. I also have heard of some tire companies producing batches of special sizes on occasion - don't know if my size is one of them.
As for 14 inch tires that would be compatible, I checked the specs on Tire Rack's website and a 185/70x14 is a slightly larger outside diameter than the 185/80Rx13. At 55 mph it would make a difference of about 1 mph - actual speed 56 when my speedometer reads 55.
The 195/70Rx14 is slighly larger still - actual speed of 57 if my speedometer says 55.

Happy Motoring, Mark

The original bias ply tire size is 7.25 S 13. Look at Hemmings if you want a similar tire.

Have you looked at getting 14" wheels? They were used on the /8 cars from 1968 on.

Cooper Tire makes has two selections in 185/80 13. I tried to attach a link.

http://www.coopertires.com/us/en/selectorSize2.asp

Thanks Litton & wbain,

I'll add Cooper tires to my option list.
!4" rims are already an option if good quality 13" tires prove too difficult to obtain. Would prefer to keep Pirellis on this car if possible. Other choices are Bridgestone Turanza or Yokahama Avid.

I read in 'The Mercedes Collector' that Michelin sometimes (used to?) occasionally run off a batch of special size tires but I've heard some aren't happy with Michelins and they're pricey. I used to run Michelin 165SR13 XZX tires on my '71 Audi and they were great tires and cheap to buy. The Michelin WeatherWise 185/70Rx13s I put on the front of my Honda last year ride and handle very well but they were expensive and the fronts are more than half worn out in less than 20,000 miles.

Happy Motoring, Mark

I know of one Korean entry model car that uses 175/70 R13's.
The Hyundai Accent. If that helps you get any closer to your sizes.

Recently I purchased 13" whitewalls for my 63 MBZ. They were available from our areas tire discounter "Big O" here in Utah. They were All Season polyester/steel radials P185/80 P13.