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205/70 R15 on TR6 in the 70s?


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Hi there,

I am looking for some evidences that tyres with that size was in use on a TR6 within the building period of the TR6 (plus 10 years), means from 1968-1976/86. I want to use this size on my originally 5,5" rims (or an centre-lock Minilite) and the german TÜV (Mot) says ok, you can use the tyres, but show me that the 205/70 was a common option on a TR6 in these days. It is not enough that these tyres of this size were available (what they were, I guess standard on E-types), I need some historical picture, pricelists, reports, certificates or something like that.

Also very helpful would be the same for centre-lockwheels in Minilite-stlye. I have to proof that at TR6-driver could order/buy/drive them in the period between 1968 - 1976/86.

 

Who can help me with that?

Kind regards

Cas

 

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Exactly that kind of information is that what I need. Do you have a photo, press-Article or any other information?

 

I drove Pirelli P4000 on my TR6 and it was very nice driving, especially curves/bends and at wet conditions. Only shunting, parking at very low speed needed strong biceps.

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In the 60s & 70s XJ6s were one of the few cars with 15" wheels

& SP Sport tyres fitted to them were readily available, it was a

D.I.Y mod. for the boy racers of the time looking for a way of

putting more rubber on the road. Sorry no photos or press

reports to hand.

 

 

Harvey S. Maitland

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wikipedia says the first XJ6 tyre was the Dunlop E70 VR 15 which is the same size than the 205/70 R15. Maybe it is easier to get information out of that time with that size instead of the 205 70 R15?

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That size tyre would never have been fitted as OE option which is what the authorities are after. Aftermarket fitting wont satisfy them. Also the cars were never fitted with centre lock Minilites as OE option either. Maximum tyre size as OE for US and certain other overseas market was 185.

Stuart.

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no, it works pretty well. The german Tüv (Mot) allows 205 on rims from 5 to 7 inch wide. Of course it was never a official option only a after market one. But that is enough for the TÜV authorities here in Germany. It is not a question a technical sense. It ist just a question about historical correctness. Only if i can prove that this size was possible to drive in that time period I get my historical numberplate.

Edited by Casar66
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ER70s were in common useage in the 1970s and 80s, as can be seen in photographs of TR Register events of the period - not just for TR6, but also for TR5 and earlier TRs.

 

TR Register Vice President Ian Evans used to run his 4A on alloys and ER70s back in the day . . . .

 

Cheers

 

Alec

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The German authorities must have gone soft on non standard parts just lately then as one of my German customers back in the eighties struggled to get a MK2 Jag registered that I had sold him as it was fitted with wire wheels. We had to provide copies of the parts book to show they were a factory option.

Stuart.

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times are changing. In deed, the german authorities are still very "Korrekt" when it is about safety. But what is relatively new: they will talk to you. And sometimes they listen to your arguments, unbelievable.

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Why are you doing this? I ran a TR6 in 1981 on standard TR6 steel wheels with ER70/VR/15 Jag tyres fitted because I thought at the time they might just make the car great!

They were shockingly bad, way too much tyre for the rim width with the result that it lurched round corners with considerable tyre wash out on the rims, as stated earlier "it was like driving on balloons". Ok if you are into the "Carlos Fandangle" look then fair enough but driving with these gumballs on, forget it! Even the widely used 195/65/VR 15 tyres are too wide as well. The Tr was never meant to have this size of tyre on it and it doesn't like it.

Go standard Michelin XAS 165/80/15 and learn to love the TR6 for what it is and what it was meant to be.

Regards

Alan G

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Why are you doing this? I ran a TR6 in 1981 on standard TR6 steel wheels with ER70/VR/15 Jag tyres fitted because I thought at the time they might just make the car great!

They were shockingly bad, way too much tyre for the rim width with the result that it lurched round corners with considerable tyre wash out on the rims, as stated earlier "it was like driving on balloons". Ok if you are into the "Carlos Fandangle" look then fair enough but driving with these gumballs on, forget it! Even the widely used 195/65/VR 15 tyres are too wide as well. The Tr was never meant to have this size of tyre on it and it doesn't like it.

Go standard Michelin XAS 165/80/15 and learn to love the TR6 for what it is and what it was meant to be.

Regards

Alan G

+1 for that advice. I've got 195/65s on my driver and with 25 psi in them the outer 1/2" of tread doesn't touch the pavement - they're too wide for the weight of the car.

 

U.S. TR6s and TR250s all came with 185s. What you might consider are 185/70s if using the 3.45:1 axle ratio ( I am looking toward this option ) or Michelin 185-15 XVS if using the 3.7:1 ratio.

 

Cheers,

Tom

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do not agree. I did 20.000mls with the Pirelli P4000 in 205/70 and it was much better than the 165 Michelins, the 165 und 185 Vredestein. Higher speed in slow and fast bends. much more grip, better breaking. Much better and mire predictable behaviour and handling, especially in wet conditions. Only steering at very low speed was real hard work. And full contact to the pavement. Ok, I have widened the track about 1 inch or so. I can not say this about the Jag-Dunlops because I do not know them.

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Casar,

 

Minilites were only available for Minis in the 60/70's hence the name! Here are some of the aftermarket wheel makers of that time: Cosmic, Cobra, Wolface. These 3 companies made wheels to fit the Triumph range of cars.

 

Bruce.

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I try to get both accepted by the TÜV (Mot) , the tyre size and the centre-lock-Minilite. But these are different issues. It is possible that the authorities says yes to the tyre but no to the rim or vice versa. Or with bad luck wether the tyre nor the rim. For my centre-lock Minilite I have a certificate from 1989. It is just 3 years to young because it has to within a 10 years-period after the last TR6 was built (1976 + 10years = 1986). If so the authority will accept it as "contemporary accessory".

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+1 for that advice. I've got 195/65s on my driver and with 25 psi in them the outer 1/2" of tread doesn't touch the pavement - they're too wide for the weight of the car.

 

U.S. TR6s and TR250s all came with 185s. What you might consider are 185/70s if using the 3.45:1 axle ratio ( I am looking toward this option ) or Michelin 185-15 XVS if using the 3.7:1 ratio.

 

Why are you doing this? I ran a TR6 in 1981 on standard TR6 steel wheels with ER70/VR/15 Jag tyres fitted because I thought at the time they might just make the car great!

They were shockingly bad, way too much tyre for the rim width with the result that it lurched round corners with considerable tyre wash out on the rims, as stated earlier "it was like driving on balloons". Ok if you are into the "Carlos Fandangle" look then fair enough but driving with these gumballs on, forget it! Even the widely used 195/65/VR 15 tyres are too wide as well. The Tr was never meant to have this size of tyre on it and it doesn't like it.

Go standard Michelin XAS 165/80/15 and learn to love the TR6 for what it is and what it was meant to be.

Regards

Alan G

thats exactly what i meant. just because people chose to fit 205 or even 195 tyres on 5.5j rims dose not make it right. The full tread doesn't sit on the road.

 

Roy

Cheers,

Tom

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Cas,

 

It's your car and I can see that you put a great deal of emphasis on what specification allows greater braking and cornering on your TR, however I think you don't understand there is "more than 1 way to skin a cat".

 

I used to compete in TRs in sprint competitions before I entered races in them and when I was young(er) and impressionable I also tried the ER70/VR/15 size tyres on the basis that "it's wider rubber, it's got to be better ...right ?" no wrong. The tyre is too big for the 5.5" wheel size and absolutely reduces the car to a point and accelerate machine.

 

There are 2 ways to develop your car, either with using larger tyres of low profile (195 section is the accepted maximum on 5.5 j wheels) which increases the grip, or by using smaller narrower tyres on the 5.5j wheels with less grip and drive the car on it's handling. The handling being defined by the different slip angles you can provoke in the narrower tyres between the front and rear of the car and using the throttle to point the car through the corners, that way you "carry" more speed through the corner instead of braking for corner entry.

 

...The difference ...after this everything else is just driving.

 

Mick Richards

Edited by Motorsport Mickey
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205,s on 5.5 inchers , forget it, honest, forget it.

 

205,s need min of bare min of 6, preff 6.5

me owns are 7.0s

 

the tyre will {maybe } stik t,road, butt, tyre will move aboot ont rim

this will give a feeling of yer arsch end wagglin aboot in quick left / right bends.

not to mentionee, that the frunt tyres may well just pull off the rims ,if yer tyres are a stickee type,

 

Unless that is, ye just want it for looks,not go,!!!

 

Yer in Gerrylandshire, so maybe no seen Carlos, or heard aboot him,

He was every young Ladds Icon back in the 70,s :D

https://youtu.be/nqqZ28m8uCo

 

 

M

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Ok guys, relax.

I did make my own experience already with 205er on my TR6 and I liked it a lot, yes, on a 5,5 wide rim. No, not the Dunlops, but modern constructions. And after spending many years in professional motorsports (not as a driver) I think that I can trust my own evaluations a little bit. So please do not get me wrong or I don´t want to be rude, but I do not asking for your opinions using 205er on small rims or never ever want to argue about. I just ask for "historic" documents of any kind which help me to proof that 205er on a TR6 was an option in the time between 1968-1986. Thats all.

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You won't find any "proof" as there isn't any. Its what we have been saying in the last few responses to this thread: 205/70/15 never were fitted to the TR6 so how can you/we find any proof that you can use? Sorry.

Alan G

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Depends what you mean by a 'Common Option' it certainly was not a Manufacturers Factory Option.

 

One of my sons is a professional LeMans Racing Driver (2014 World Champion) and was a F1 tyre tester for Bridegstone & Michelin. I picked him up from the airport with my new 165 tyres on and he said 'Your tyres have too much grip for your chassis!'

 

I also had the opportunity to speak with the top F1 Michelin tyre man during their time in F1, about their tyres on my TR6, as it happened he was with Michelin in the late 1960's when they supplied tyres for the TR6 (XAS) and he told me their latest 165/15 tyres were night and day superior in all respects of construction, compound and grip!

 

In my view, even though you don't want to hear it, is that unless you are going racing the standard 165 or US 185 are totally sufficient in all respects of ride, grip, component stresses, i.e. stub axles, age of chassis etc, ride and classic feel, not to mention the correct classic look...after all if you had a DB6 or an E Type would you really fit it with oversize tyres?

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