OLD SCHOOL TYRES

[s3c chris]

Hi.

Just a thought......

I've been looking at some old TVR spec sheets and it appears that the original Griffith Had 235/50x16 tyres as standard on the rear wheels.

Toyo still make this size and from the pictures I have seen they seem to fill the rear wheel arch and probably give a degree of comfort too.

Ideal for someone of my age! With 225/45x16 on the fronts it would give a correct visual look as well.

I just wondered if any of you have used this size tyre? The other alternative is the increasingly popular 235/45x17 rear tyres.

The other thing I have been wondering about are rear offsets. I know and have seen et 25 rear wheels with 225/50x16 tyres that work without catching so can the original et33/35 offset be reduced if running standard size tyres? Say to et30 with 235 or 245 widths?

Regards Chris.

[s3c chris]

Just to add to the above...

I have been running around with 5mm spacers on the rear for a couple of weeks. With 245/45x16 tyres on the standard ET35 Estoril wheels there appears to be have been no rubbing on the arches.

I'm tempted to order Et30 or even ET25 wheels for the rear and either use 235/45x17 tyres although the 235/50x16 still looks tempting, the only trouble being that only Toyo make tyres in that size and I'd really like the AD08r's, I know they are good from all reports.

Decisions!

[s3c chris]

Thanks for the replies.

I went to Burghley a few weeks ago and the more I look at Chimaeras and Griffiths the more I like the 16" wheels all round.
I tried 255/40x17 on the rear of mine and whilst they didn't appear to rub at all I just felt they looked "overkill" on what is essentially an old fashioned classic design.

I know it will be limiting the tyres to T1R but the 235/50x16 looks right and fills the each and still retains a nice side wall height.
I have always thought the 245/45x16 a little low and according to the Toyo website the 235 is actually wider and the recommended wheel is 7.5" too which is a bonus. Surely the Toyos aren't that bad? Lots of TVRs have them and indeed is the only available make in either 245/45x16 or 235/50x16 at the moment.....

So do I go for et 25, 30 or 35 on the rear wheels, that is the question!

Chris.

[s3c chris]

Hi Rob.

I'm afraid I'm being very boring and still like the Lenso BBS lookalikes.
I know they are frowned upon by purists but the original OZ are far too dear for me.
I did have a set in 16 fronts and 8.5x17 rear but I personally didn't think they looked right, hence the 16" all round.

Fernhurst have a beautiful Griffith SE at the moment and it just looks lovely, wish I could afford it but I think I have missed the boat on a Griffith now.....

My 2000 Chimaera is still on it's original shocks and springs and does seem a little high at the back, hence my debate over the et question. If I do go for the 235's I still may have to revert to the 245's at a later date.

Regards Chris.

[s3c chris]

Hi.

As i started this thread (along with a few others!) about tyre sizes I thought I would update it.

I have gone round in circles looking at wheel and tyre combinations but still kept coming back to the BBS style wheels.
I did initially try 8.5x17 on the rear but for me personally felt that the deep dish didn't look quite right. Had the dish been equal front and back I think it would have looked ok but you can only achieve this on the TVR with custom made split rims which were way beyond my budget.

I have also felt that the standard fit 245/45x16 tyres looked a little small in diameter unless my car just sits too high on it's standard spec springs and shocks.....

So after much deliberation and help from people on here, especially robxjcoupe, (thank you) I have actually settled on a set of wheels. They may not be to everyone's taste but I like them and feel that they suit the shape and style of a Chimaera or indeed a Griffith which obviously came fitted with genuine split rims from the factory.

In the end I chose 7.5x16 rims front and back,standard et25 on the fronts and slightly less than standard et 30 for the rears which pushes the wheels out an extra 5mm over standard. My car already had 225 fronts so I have gone for 225/45x16 tyres and on the rear I have gone for "old school" 235/50x16. Toyo are the only manufacture offering these sizes but after saying that they are also the only one offering the standard TVR sizes anyway. I realise they are no longer cutting edge technology but they seem to perform well enough on our cars and my driving skills would probably not notice the difference!

An interesting point is that the smaller 235/50 tyre is actually wider than the 245/45 that was fitted to my original wheels. This size actually looks bigger all round and definitely fills the arches better. Whether the "smaller" size will affect the handling remains to be seen as I haven't driven the car far enough to tell what they feel like on the road, but I'm hoping the higher sidewall will marginally improve the ride over our potholed roads. Time will tell....

Thanks for all your help on what may have seen some silly questions and just so you can see
here are a few pictures....

Regards Chris.

[s3c chris]

Not sure if I uploaded the pictures properly but if you click on the image you can see a few more. I'm computer illiterate as you can tell!