Retro 4 (Libres) & Classic 8's Now in 15x7

[HS30-H]

If this thread is a trade advertisement, then it should be paying its way to be here.

[Goose52]

BS!

Toyo alone makes the R1R in 195/55-15, 205-50-15, and 225-45-15 which it THE tire to have in the Solo2 Street Tire 140 tread wear category if your car is under 2,500 lbs. They also make the T1R in 195/50-15, 195/55-15, 205/45-15, 205/50-15, and 205/55-15 and that's the tire the WC Touring cars ran for a number of years. Its a very fast street tire.

If you want to stay in the Solo2 ST tire performance level there's the Hankook Ventus RS3 in 225/45-15, the Dunlop Star Spec in 195/50-15, 195/55-15, and 305/50-15, and the Kumho XS in 205/50-15.

There are even more tires available in the Ultra and High performance street tire category. On my 1971 240Z I ran the Micheline Exalto PE2s and used the car as an instructor car with Speedventures. The tires performed very well on the race track and were quiet and comfortable on the street.

John - I guess I should have said that the selection of 15" performance tire SIZES are getting limited and it probably won't ever get better. As tire diameters have continually grown larger - the "performance" segment has chased the larger tire diameters. Now, to have a larger choice of sizes (section widths) you are looking at 16" or even 17" or so. For instance, you didn't quote a single 205/60. The Michelin Exalto's that you quoted are available in ONE 15" diameter (195/55), it is available in several 16" sizes, and four 17" sizes. That's the point that I'm trying to make.

Anyway, you did give me some tire lines to check out. Since it is a street car, I don't really want to go to a very low profile tire and have all that "air" around the wheelwell. Nor did I want to give up section width...although I know if it's a stickier tire I can give up the width without sacrificing performance.

For street use with a stock front valance, I'm thinking that the 15x6 +3 with some 205/60-15s would be a good all-around option. Hmm....

Arne - my ATS wheels are 15x6/0 offset and I've always run 205/60s with them. However, my car is lowered, and has quick-steering knuckles (if that makes a difference) and my tires DO hit the tension rods at full lock...one reason why I haven't considered any wider section widths than 205.

Edited December 31, 2010 by Goose52

[Arne]

Arne - my ATS wheels are 15x6/0 offset and I've always run 205/60s with them. However, my car is lowered, and has quick-steering knuckles (if that makes a difference) and my tires DO hit the tension rods at full lock...one reason why I haven't considered any wider section widths than 205.

True, but if IIRC, your car has an aftermarket air dam that increases the clearance at the valance while turning. Some others with the stock parts (Zedyone_kenobi comes to mind) have had to drop to 195/60-15 when using 7" wheels. 205/60s should still be useable with the narrower 6", though.

[Goose52]

Arne - you're right - I am currently running the MSA "aerolip" - my original valance and BPS Spook bit the dust long ago......

[Zedyone_kenobi]

I will just chime in to support what Arne said. Using the stock body work does in fact limit you a tad. I had to switch down to the smaller 195/60 from a 205/60

[Dave Patten]

I will just chime in to support what Arne said. Using the stock body work does in fact limit you a tad. I had to switch down to the smaller 195/60 from a 205/60

Let me comment on rim width with regard to tire section width. Always use the manufacturer's recommended rim widths for the particular tire and size you are using.

If you cannot find recommended rim widths listed (Tire Rack seems to have them), I go to a fallback that I learned years ago during a BFG/D!ck Turner autocross seminar. No wider rim width than 90% of tire section width.

So a 205/60-15 is 7.3" (15x7) and a 195/60-15 is 6.9" (15x6) maximum for VTO wheels.

[Racer_Z_]

We run 225/50x15 on 15x7 rims with stock bodywork and no rubbing. We have Tokico Lowering Springs and polyurethane bushings. Everything else that would effect wheel rub is stock.

We've driven our 240z around town and out on the track like this. If rubbing is going to show up anyplace, it will be in the sweeper doing 120, and we don't rub.

[Inf]

If this thread is a trade advertisement, then it should be paying its way to be here.

Stoked as I am to see new retro wheel options, I must agree.

[Goose52]

We run 225/50x15 on 15x7 rims with stock bodywork and no rubbing. We have Tokico Lowering Springs and polyurethane bushings. Everything else that would effect wheel rub is stock.

We've driven our 240z around town and out on the track like this. If rubbing is going to show up anyplace, it will be in the sweeper doing 120, and we don't rub.

That's good to know as my current springs are the Toks as well. I had considered 225/50s and my wheels are 6" width, right at the minimum end of wheel width for a 225. However, I'd have a bit more rubbing on the TC rods but that would only be when parking perhaps and not when the car is moving.

[Jeff G 78]

We run 225/50x15 on 15x7 rims with stock bodywork and no rubbing. We have Tokico Lowering Springs and polyurethane bushings. Everything else that would effect wheel rub is stock.

We've driven our 240z around town and out on the track like this. If rubbing is going to show up anyplace, it will be in the sweeper doing 120, and we don't rub.

What offset? Even a few mm of positive offset makes a huge difference.

[Racer_Z_]

What offset? Even a few mm of positive offset makes a huge difference.

I was wondering the same thing after I made the post. I measured them today. They are about 1/2 inch offset. We had to use a 1/4 inch spacer to keep the fronts from rubbing the springs. If it wasn't raining, I would have put two spacers in to fit for zero offset.

I ordered the Retro-4's today with a zero offset. (15x7) If they rub the fender I have access to a machine shop and can change the offset. I don't want to use spacers.

225/50x15 with a 15x7 is the largest tire/wheel allowed in the VARA class we want to run in. I read somewhere that with a zero offset, this won't rub on a stock Z. I haven't confirmed this, but I will find out soon enough.

[Racer_Z_]

On Sunday it was not raining so we played with spacers and offsets. We used two 1/4 inch spacers to simulate zero offset. The wheel is a nameless BBS copy 15x7 with 1/2 inch offset. The tire is a Falken 225/50x15. We supported the two diagonal wheels to provide full suspension compression (bump). We didn't see any rubbing. It was close though and we didn't drive it.

Dave Patten has informed us that our Retro-4 (15x7 zero offset) was shipped today. Maybe next weekend we will have them and can mount up some new tires.

We won't be able to drive though, we're in the process of gutting the interior. The biggest obstacle is that we've removed all the wiring harnesses and are making new "racing" harnesses. This is a dedicated track car.