Need Help In Selecting Tire Size......

verde2002

verde2002

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I was fortunate enough to get a set of Exim mesh wheels from member DPdapper and am trying to figure out which size tires would look good. The wheels are 14x7 with ET10 offset. I want a sportier look but I have seen our Coupes with low profile tires and it just doesn't good look to me yet the factory size has just too much sidewall height. My car is stock height and will remain that way for now. I am currently running 16" BMW 8 series wheels but want to go back to something more period correct. If you can post a photo or two with tire size info I would appreciate it. Below is what my car looks like now.
 

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Mmmmm, real hard to make look sporty on 14 inch wheels, and you are very limited as to what you can buy, if you go down in profile to much your gearing and speedo going to get screwed up.
In my mind, the only way to make look "sporty" on 14 inch is to lower the car a fraction, maybe 1 inch - 1 1/2 inch
Maybe run on 205/60/14 on the front, 225/55/14 on the rear, these will have the same rolling diameter, the 205's should be ok to clear front fenders, 225's will fill up the back nicely but the trick will be to find them.
But again, I think you will have to lower to make look "sporty"

Steve
 
+

I agree that 14's are tough to get to look "sporty". I think the size combination you have looks good on your car. I bought some Chinese Alpina knock-off's, 16 inch for about 250.00 each and the look is good and tires much easier to find. Here is a pic of what they look like, and if they get scratched I won't cry. The car has CN's springs and Bilstein sports, and in this picture she's running but has no interior or glass to speak of. I don't think 300 more lbs will make it sit any lower but I may have to do some adjustments once driven a few hundred miles. Just for reference for you.

Cheers
 

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Here is a quick photo of a test fit. The tires are 195/70/14. Maybe 215/60 or 215/65 would look good?
 

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Ever seen a 275GTB on 16" wheels ??

Our dear old E9 came out in 1965 as the 2000 CS, albeit with a tired engine and ugly front. The Ferrari came out in 1966 I think. They look very cool, in my view, with fat, full size Michelin XWX 205 VR14 on Borrani wire wheels. I have never seen them on any other tire/wheel combo. (Those tires are actually 82 profile and have a bigger diameter than 215/70 tires).

The 275, and other 60s Ferraris, have less space between fender cut outs and the tires, than our E9 on stock everything. I don´t know why BMW wanted to use such long springs, but that is easily changed as we have discussed so many times.

Why not stay on early or later stock 14" wheels and period looking tires, and lower the car by using different springs?? That way the car looks as intended and correct for the late 60s. I have most of my cars this way. Only 2 on 16" and they are very hard on less than perfectly flat roads, esp if you keep the pressure high in the tires.
 
There are differing opinions but I was told by more than one good source that our cars need the extra cushion of the sidewall to preserve the fragile body parts.
The 225x60x14 on my Alpinas fill the wheel well nicely and look period correct
 
I prefer the look of 14" wheels also and with the right height and tire size as noted berfore they look great. For me 15" is too much rim and not enough tire and takes away from the look I like. I found 215-65-14's and they are nearly dead on with corect odometer reading and look great. If I didn't have that size I'd run Stan's.
 
Extra suspension

You are so right Stan. I would add that our 1960s suspension system relies partly on the use of high profile tires. I use only 1,8 kg for normal use and 2,3 for continuous high speed on the Autobahn (on my 205/70 tires).
Less than 2,2kg on 16" rubber bands makes my Taiga "CSL" with manual suspension, a real biceps exerciser, and more than that, every pothole or similar makes the car fell like shaking apart... Yes, it´s better when driving agressively on twisty roads, but how often is that on the agenda...?
 
pmansson said:
You are so right Stan. I would add that our 1960s suspension system relies partly on the use of high profile tires. I use only 1,8 kg for normal use and 2,3 for continuous high speed on the Autobahn (on my 205/70 tires).
Less than 2,2kg on 16" rubber bands makes my Taiga "CSL" with manual suspension, a real biceps exerciser, and more than that, every pothole or similar makes the car fell like shaking apart... Yes, it´s better when driving agressively on twisty roads, but how often is that on the agenda...?
Click to expand...

I am currently driving a rental Mustang. It is riding on 215/65 series tires. I am scratching my head how well this car handles. I would put it's steering response on par with my E36 M3 riding on 40 series tires. It has Huge anti sway bars, yet the ride is good. The steering is amongst the best cars I have ever driven with my Miata being at the top of my list. You can have an amazing handling car on higher profile rubber. From looking at the setup on this car I never would have thought this possible. Ford did a lot of R&D on this simple OX cart called the Mustang. (Great 6 cylinder engine too). Amazing roads in North Carolina.
 
Some great value (and horsepower) for money spent from some of the NA car makers these day. Not as seductive as our e9's but nice to see.
 
Stan said:
There are differing opinions but I was told by more than one good source that our cars need the extra cushion of the sidewall to preserve the fragile body parts.
The 225x60x14 on my Alpinas fill the wheel well nicely and look period correct
Click to expand...

Stan, what is the offset on your wheels? Being mine are ET10 they sit pretty far out, will the 225 width get too close to the fender and rub? The 16" 8 series wheels I have on now are running 225/55/16 tires and if I turn the steering wheel all the way they will catch the fender. The offset on the 16s are ET15 if I am not mistaking.

By any chance is there a photo of your car in the forum? I would love to see how the size tires you have look on the car.
 
verde2002 said:
Stan, what is the offset on your wheels? Being mine are ET10 they sit pretty far out, will the 225 width get too close to the fender and rub? The 16" 8 series wheels I have on now are running 225/55/16 tires and if I turn the steering wheel all the way they will catch the fender. The offset on the 16s are ET15 if I am not mistaking.

By any chance is there a photo of your car in the forum? I would love to see how the size tires you have look on the car.
Click to expand...

http://www.e9coupe.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3310&highlight=Great+White&page=7
http://s260.beta.photobucket.com/user/ClassicCoupe/media/cebaa032.jpg.html?sort=6&o=111
 
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Nicad said:
I am currently driving a rental Mustang. It is riding on 215/65 series tires. I am scratching my head how well this car handles. I would put it's steering response on par with my E36 M3 riding on 40 series tires. It has Huge anti sway bars, yet the ride is good. The steering is amongst the best cars I have ever driven with my Miata being at the top of my list. You can have an amazing handling car on higher profile rubber. From looking at the setup on this car I never would have thought this possible. Ford did a lot of R&D on this simple OX cart called the Mustang. (Great 6 cylinder engine too). Amazing roads in North Carolina.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I can't remember where I read this, but someone in the motoring press said they'd rather have the current 6-banger mustang than almost any other prior V8, it was that much improved. As much as I don't like most American cars since about 1973, I wish the US makers well and hope they can find their mojo again. (And, frankly, the new Fusion looks great and gets great reviews - so much so that I might buy one or the Lincoln flavor for my mother, who is about due for a new car.)
 
Stan, The tires are 225 X 50 x 16... No rubbubing so far

I will obviously have to drive the another city because here in Los Angeles the people who maintain the roads (Caltrans)are fantastic! Not one large Dip or Pot Hole can be found anywhere in all of LA County...

You might think I am full of Sh!t but it is absolutely true... There are NO Pot Holes or Cracks on any of the roads here in LA...

The reason that this is true is because the Pot Holes and Small Cracks have been ignored for Sooo Looong by Caltrans that the once small Pot Holes are now GIANT SINK HOLES and the small Cracks are now HUGE CREVACCES:mad:

I have bent a half dozen SL65 wheels and have never hit anything!
 
+1: running 225/60s (Sumitomo's) on my 14x7s Alpina clones. work well for me. I like the 4 corners the same size in order to rotate.

I think the rim choice has the most impact on the car's level of 'sportyness', more so then tire choice. Stock rims just don't look as sporty or aggressive as Alpina/BBS options, all depends on what type of 'attitude' you are going for. Classic or sporty.
 
I run 14x7 ET11's with 195/70/14's. The tires are not too sporty, but with the car dropped a lot, and adjustable camber plates in the front the look is still pretty "aggressive".

You can see pics in the link below.
 
I started shopping for the tires and was shocked at how little is available in 14" size tires. I want to go 225/60/14 for the rears and 205/65/14 in the front. My only hope seems to be the used tires offered on Craigslist. I knew 13" were hard to come by but never thought 14" tires would be so hard to find.
 
Yep, that's the one, and 15 going that way as well, 16 inch are getting expensive (at least here in NZ) so that's why I run 17 inch, heaps of choice
 
Tires for 14" x 7" BBS Mahles

I finally got an E9 after lusting for many years. It came with 225/60R 14 Sumitomos mounted to the BBS that need to be replaced. The only tire in that size is white letter BF Goodrich Radial TA made for hot rods. I was considering mounting them with the white letters on the inside but decided to do some more research. I have read that 225 is to large for the front and that 205 is better for fit and steering. I have found and am considering Nexen CP641 205/65R14 for the front and 215/60R14 for the rear.

Thoughts anyone?

I plan to do staggered 16" Alpinas in the future but need to do tires right now to be safe.
 
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