Tyres for Classic Jag
Discussion
I know it's a good thing - but there is a bewildering choice of tyres available for classics these days.
I need to buy some tyres for my XK150 project - wheel size 6 x 16. I have Vredesteins on one of my cars and they seem okay, but I don't really have any experience of other brands to compare them with.
A couple of friends have tried Blockley - but are not really impressed - one reason being excessive road noise.
Advice please.
I need to buy some tyres for my XK150 project - wheel size 6 x 16. I have Vredesteins on one of my cars and they seem okay, but I don't really have any experience of other brands to compare them with.
A couple of friends have tried Blockley - but are not really impressed - one reason being excessive road noise.
Advice please.
Speak to Dougal at Longstone - there's not much he doesn't know about vintage tyres. Good stocks and he'll give you some honest advice about what's best for what purpose
http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/
Ant
http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/
Ant
Since you have Vredestein already, it seems you are going radial and not crossply, in which case I'd have said Blockley, despite the road noise, but that I think you'll find is the older model, (mine don't make much noise at all on the D-type) not the newer one. The steering would be one hell of a lot lighter with those. That being said, then Vredesteins are a great make and highly recommended by my friends both for road and race. You can look here;-
http://www.vintagetyres.com/
and that will give you an idea as to prices. Longstone also have been mentioned, and I'd compare the two on price. They'll last longer than crossplies, but then I like drifting and opposite locking when on the track, which radials make very difficult - they snap and snap fast.
http://www.vintagetyres.com/
and that will give you an idea as to prices. Longstone also have been mentioned, and I'd compare the two on price. They'll last longer than crossplies, but then I like drifting and opposite locking when on the track, which radials make very difficult - they snap and snap fast.
Edited by lowdrag on Saturday 26th February 13:30
how far have you got to go on the restoration?
its one of the last things to buy because tyres age very quickly
nowerdays, Go for radial (crossplies are very poor - i found them useless on the heavy healey)
the tyres can get flat spots if stored poorly
its one of the last things to buy because tyres age very quickly
nowerdays, Go for radial (crossplies are very poor - i found them useless on the heavy healey)
the tyres can get flat spots if stored poorly
Edited by gr88 on Sunday 27th February 11:59
I've got Blockley's on my XK150. I had Avon Turbo Speeds before, I've decided to stay with cross plies since that is how the car was originally supplied and I like the way they work, it's not a modern car.
The noise of the Blockley's is a singing note. It is caused by the regular pattern of the rubber blocks, they are all aligned and all regularly spaced, so they hit the road and come off the road together making a regular sound. It's a bit weird at first, but then I believe that was a common feature of certain tyres back in the 50s and 60s. So long as they have the regular tread pattern they will make the noise. It's not at all like the sound of modern low profile tyres which we tend to think of as tyre noise these days.
See if you can find a car fitted with a set and see what you think.
Oh they also need a few hundred miles to bed in. I made the mistake of taking mine onto Goodwood with less than a 100 miles and they weren't so nice, tending to hop and skip about rather than drift as you normally get with cross plies. Since then they've been fine.
The noise of the Blockley's is a singing note. It is caused by the regular pattern of the rubber blocks, they are all aligned and all regularly spaced, so they hit the road and come off the road together making a regular sound. It's a bit weird at first, but then I believe that was a common feature of certain tyres back in the 50s and 60s. So long as they have the regular tread pattern they will make the noise. It's not at all like the sound of modern low profile tyres which we tend to think of as tyre noise these days.
See if you can find a car fitted with a set and see what you think.
Oh they also need a few hundred miles to bed in. I made the mistake of taking mine onto Goodwood with less than a 100 miles and they weren't so nice, tending to hop and skip about rather than drift as you normally get with cross plies. Since then they've been fine.
Thanks for the info so far.
I would have thought it's time one of the classic magazines produced a comparison test, although I could see it could be a controversial subject. What about Lowdrag doing something for the JDC ?
I did find this article comparing 16 inch tyres which seems to favour the Michelin product, although the Blockley wasn't in the comparison at that time.
http://www.maseraticlub.co.uk/trident64.htm
He certainly rates the Michelin Pilote X very highly. From what little I have found they appear to be radial that looks like a crossply and has quite a high profile.
However, they are quite expensive and I can't find a decent picture of them anywhere only a thumbnail on the various tyre sites.
Has anyone any experience of them ?
I would have thought it's time one of the classic magazines produced a comparison test, although I could see it could be a controversial subject. What about Lowdrag doing something for the JDC ?
I did find this article comparing 16 inch tyres which seems to favour the Michelin product, although the Blockley wasn't in the comparison at that time.
http://www.maseraticlub.co.uk/trident64.htm
He certainly rates the Michelin Pilote X very highly. From what little I have found they appear to be radial that looks like a crossply and has quite a high profile.
However, they are quite expensive and I can't find a decent picture of them anywhere only a thumbnail on the various tyre sites.
Has anyone any experience of them ?
Practical Classics did a test using a 1959 mini IIRC, and compared crossplies, and a range of radials from the very cheapest up to the most expensive. I can't find it, but I think the result was that the crossplies had less grip, but an extremely progressive breakaway.
Were I driving it as a daily, and keeping up with (and slowing down with) city traffic was the order of the day, radials would be my choice for the extra peace of mind. For a "sunday best" car I'd probably go with the cross plies to get the proper throttle steer experience down country roads at 25mph.
Were I driving it as a daily, and keeping up with (and slowing down with) city traffic was the order of the day, radials would be my choice for the extra peace of mind. For a "sunday best" car I'd probably go with the cross plies to get the proper throttle steer experience down country roads at 25mph.
You should consider Avon CR6ZZ's, they are radial but with very stiff side walls, used extensively by Healeys for competition. They are a fantastic tyre that also look quite period for your car though the construction is modern. I'm not sure if they do 16" diameter you can check their web site.
And there's the rub; they don't do 16" tyres. This size is a problem nowadays. They do these though in 16":-
http://www.vintagetyres.com/display.asp?K=20110221...
http://www.vintagetyres.com/display.asp?K=20110221...
davepoth said:
Were I driving it as a daily, and keeping up with (and slowing down with) city traffic was the order of the day, radials would be my choice for the extra peace of mind. For a "sunday best" car I'd probably go with the cross plies to get the proper throttle steer experience down country roads at 25mph.
Car will be somewhat uprated and used for touring not "sunday best".I've also checked out the Avon CR6ZZ and I do like the look of them - unfortunately they don't make a 16inch size and I'm not willing to fit 15inch wheels
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