Tire/Wheel size

[dagriff]

Time for some new Tires & Wheels.

So, do I stick with 15' or go to 16'? As its a 77 non flared, I have to be careful, although I do have a fair bit of camber.

I'm thinking the 16 will give me more tire choice but will be heavier.

I am running 205/65 15 at the moment. If I went to 205/50 15 (about all that's available in a decent tire) that would give me about a 10% difference.
Now, that might help at Autocross as I find that the way the club lays the course I am either reving to high in 1st gear or a bogging down a bit in second. The 10% might let me get into second early and keep it there.
Thoughts?

[racer]

Also consider you only have, if still stock, 160ish hp. Go for the gearing advantage of a 205-50-15. That's still a very popular size (perhaps because Miatas use it). 16's, imho, don't look right on the mid-year body unless it has SC flares.

Also, on a 16, you really aren't going to get a much wider tire on there.. likely a 205-55-16. 225's will rub on the rear unless you work hard on rideheight, aligmnent etc..

205/65 is likely TOO high. Stock, iirc, was 185/70-15. Most would run a 195-65-15 or 195-60-15. However, you won't find any R comps in those sizes. So a 205-50-15 it should be. Plenty of "regular" street rubber in the 195-60/65 sizes still.

[dagriff]

Originally Posted by racer

Also consider you only have, if still stock, 160ish hp. Go for the gearing advantage of a 205-50-15. That's still a very popular size (perhaps because Miatas use it). 16's, imho, don't look right on the mid-year body unless it has SC flares.

Also, on a 16, you really aren't going to get a much wider tire on there.. likely a 205-55-16. 225's will rub on the rear unless you work hard on rideheight, aligmnent etc..

205/65 is likely TOO high. Stock, iirc, was 185/70-15. Most would run a 195-65-15 or 195-60-15. However, you won't find any R comps in those sizes. So a 205-50-15 it should be. Plenty of "regular" street rubber in the 195-60/65 sizes still.

You have pretty much confirmed what I was thinking.
BTW according to a sizing chart there is only 1.18% difference between 185/70 & 205/65 15.
Thanks.

[racer]

Another idea... my folks had a '74S and used 911R wheels in the rear. Now, 911R wheels are rare... so it wasn't that you find some yourself. However, iirc, the 7x15 911R wheel has a 49mm offset. The "late" offset 7x15 phonedial from a 944 has a 52.3mm offset - less than 3mm.

Others also use the early offset 7x15, but iirc, it has only a 23mm offset and tends to stick "out" whereas the R wheel keeps its width towards the inside of the car.

So, if you throw on either an adaptor or, as we did, longer studs and some spacers, as well as roll the fender lip, you could get that wheel to fit perhaps more easily than anything else.

We were able to run 225-50-15 on said wheels with no rubbing. Ran stock 6x15s front with 205-50s. Gave the car a nice "rake" and both sizes tend to still be available.

[911st]

I used to have a 72.

7x15's with 225/50's worked very well. However, Hoosier's are wider than there rating and 205's are about the widest you could get to work.

For cheap wheels look for a set of 7" Cookie Cutter's.

Just a note. I think the R rims needed spacers to work correctly as all there added width was to the inside.