Which wheel size looks best?

[PostRoom]

Hello,

I'm looking for a steer on wheels for a square arch Stratos.

I'm thinking 15" front and rear as am told that this is the only option for really wide tyres on the rear, but don't recall how fully 15" wheels fill the wheel arches. An alternate option is 16" front and 17" rear. what do you recommend? Anyone have pictures for comparison?

Thanks,

PR

[Guy Mayers]

For originality it's 15" but the rubber is a fortune these days. I've got 345*35*15s on the rear and 225*50*15 on the from of my Hawk on Gerrys coffin spoke wheels. Craig does similar but I think he has 16" or 17" (or both?) in the coffin spoke style. The tyre options for these rims is bigger. Of course, there's nothing that forces you to go for coffin spokes - whatever you like the look of really! There were other styles in period on the originals too.
Guy

[LPH_UK]

LB sizes were (and maybe still are) 15s or 16F and 17R.Getting a properly wide tyre for the rear isn't straight forward but is possible.

Toyo do a 315/35/17 in the R888R but it's not available in the UK. You can import them from the US though. There are quite a few tyres in this size for USA brands, they are not 'e marked' but they do have all the required speed and load markings so although not legal to 'sell' in the UK they are legal to use. Go figure! You can now get a tyre of this size in the UK - Nankang AR-1. £200 each, fully road legal and e-marked but very track oriented semi-slick.

The fronts are 225/45/16 which are available but getting more difficult to source.

Kumho do tyres in both sizes mentioned above for the 16/17, but again don't bring them into the UK. I talked to the UK importers and they say there's not enough demand for them.

When I spoke to Nankang UK said they might consider asking the company to make the more road oriented NS-2R in a 315/35/17 if there was enough demand.



You can now get a 315/35/17 tyre in the UK.

[PostRoom]

Thank you Guy,

There is a difference in tyre price, but compared to the cost of the car, it's insignificant. ;-)

Regards,

PR

[PostRoom]

Thank you LPH_UK

[LPH_UK]

Just done a bit more research and you can get 335/35/17 in a PZero Asimmetrico and they are developing a 225/45/16 P700Z (no idea when it will be ready) which would make a good set for the 17/16. That's presuming the 335 would fit on the rim and under the arches!

Leigh

[Strat Fan]

Just done a bit more research and you can get 335/35/17 in a PZero Asimmetrico and they are developing a 225/45/16 P700Z (no idea when it will be ready) which would make a good set for the 17/16. That's presuming the 335 would fit on the rim and under the arches!

Leigh
The 335/35/17 is the Ferrari F40 rear tyre size & IMHO it would be too large for a Stratos real or rep and I would not fit it.
tyres are somewhat of a mine field currently whether it be for 15" or for 16/17", A lot of the larger rim sizes have been cut this year and Michelin have just cut the 335/35/15 TB from their range as well.
As Guy says the P zero is very expensive, there is also the Pirelli Cinturato P7 available in the same sizes as Guy runs which is a little more economical to buy than the P Zero.
The most readily available tyre for the 15" rim appears to be the Pirelli Corsa Classic, some compounds would be too hard for road use and others may make you twitch a bit in the wet.
The same applies for the Michelin TB5 which is also available in suitable sizes.

[jasonlycett]

The pirelli P zero is available in 285/40/17, so i think this is the best option for a 17 inch rear.

https://www.asdatyres.co.uk/pirelli/p-zero-asimmetrico/285-40-17-100-y--p-zero-asimmetrico

[LPH_UK]

Bit of a thread resurrection but the 225/45/16 P700 is now available. Not cheap.....

However it does mean that you can now get a set of Pirellis in:

285/40/17 (P Zero asim) tread pattern:


https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/media/catalog/product/cache/f0fe7d842a11b06aeb540998f29f65cb/p/i/pirelli-p-zero-full.jpg


225/45/16 (P 700) tread pattern:

https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/media/catalog/product/cache/f0fe7d842a11b06aeb540998f29f65cb/p/i/pirelli_p700-z_215-50_r15_-_full_600x600_6.jpg

Which is a good replacement for the old Toyo R1Rs which are no longer available.

The sticking point is the £1400 you'll need to pay for a full set!!!!

[Guy Mayers]

The sticking point is the £1400 you'll need to pay for a full set!!!!

Eeeee Lad, Tha's lucky. I used to dream about paying that much for set'o'tyres.

A PAIR of rears come to £1600

https://www.blackcircles.com/catalogue/pirelli/p-zero-asimmetrico/345/35/R15/Y/95/m?tyre=11029720&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI24rk5ead9QIVAbbtCh1OqwkBEAQYAyABEgIV__D_BwE

Let alone t' extra cost of t' fronts. And tha wonders why I don't carry spare!

[renmure]

Sometimes, I like being really tight and poor.
Like the Stratos watch thread, this is another one of those occasions :eek:

[LPH_UK]

Jim, I'll accept you can be tight (being Scottish and all that) but I'm not buying your 'poor' claim for one minute! :rolleyes:

[Griff]

Just for comparison 335/35 x 15 v 275/40 17, 15" v 17", and 205/50 x 15 v 215/45 16

[LPH_UK]

That 335 is a proper sized tyre!

[Strat Fan]

That 335 is a proper sized tyre!
Its actually a 345, Lambo Countach rear originally I believe.

[ProtoTipo]

Eeeee Lad, Tha's lucky. I used to dream about paying that much for set'o'tyres.

Let alone t' extra cost of t' fronts. And tha wonders why I don't carry spare!

I wish to complain about this blatant stereotyping of Yorkshireman. 'Me being one.;)

[Guy Mayers]

No offence intended Chris - I like to parody the Four Yorkshiremen - and I even have Yorkshire friends! Well, did have until that post. :rolleyes:

[Guy Mayers]

Its actually a 345, Lambo Countach rear originally I believe.

Correct Craig! And even the lowly 12v Alfa has enough power/torque to break traction..... In 30 years my car has had 225.50.15 on the back followed by the 345.35.15 on conversion to Group 4. Initially I had Yokohamas but the car was awful in the wet, you could feel it almost floating. Horrible. A switch to the Pirelli Assimetricos changed that completely.

Guy

[Strat Fan]

Initially I had Yokohamas but the car was awful in the wet, you could feel it almost floating. Horrible. A switch to the Pirelli Assimetricos changed that completely.

Guy
There must be something in the tread design that works because Pirelli resurrected the same tread pattern for the P7 Corsa Classic W7 wets-

19073
P Zero's were also used on the F40 in 17" sizes

[Kenny m]

Good news Michelin have just reintroduced the TB15+ 345x35x15 although Longstone Tyres are advertising it still as 335x35x15 only found this out at the Circuit of Ireland Rally while talking to Michelin.

[Kenny m]

19508 picture from their sales brochure

[Normb666]

They don't look cheap....

[ChrisCar6]

They don't look cheap....

They're not! :(

[rutthenut]

Just to add to this old discussion, there's a fair number of rally drivers using Cooper Tyres (Tires, natch) these days, which are certainly more cost-effective than the Pirelli and Michelin rally slicks many top drivers use.

Of interest to some Strat owners maybe, they do a few options in 15" diameter, including 285/40x15
https://www.coopertire.co.uk/tires/cooper-rally-classic-tarmac-ct01

Need to go to specialist motorsport tyre suppliers to source these, but that's not a problem.

[Two-Eight-Six]

Useful link here, although I'd assume 285/40 x 15 is unfortunately a bit too narrow for 12" wide Stratos rears?

Cooper do these which aren't; but NB low speed-rating, and classification as more fit for use on 4x4s or Mustangs:

https://www.mytyres.co.uk/rshop/tyre/Cooper/Cobra-Radial-G_T/P295-50-R15-105S-RWL/0039602

[rutthenut]

Cooper do these which aren't; but NB low speed-rating, and classification as more fit for use on 4x4s or Mustangs:

https://www.mytyres.co.uk/rshop/tyre/Cooper/Cobra-Radial-G_T/P295-50-R15-105S-RWL/0039602

Wow, most shopping trolleys do more than that: "S: Approved up to 112 mph"

[Strat Fan]

Just to add to this old discussion, there's a fair number of rally drivers using Cooper Tyres (Tires, natch) these days, which are certainly more cost-effective than the Pirelli and Michelin rally slicks many top drivers use.

Of interest to some Strat owners maybe, they do a few options in 15" diameter, including 285/40x15
https://www.coopertire.co.uk/tires/cooper-rally-classic-tarmac-ct01

Need to go to specialist motorsport tyre suppliers to source these, but that's not a problem.
Would make for quite a meaty looking Stradale bodied car!

[sean999r]

re Cooper Tarmac Rally Tyres CT01 called Cooper Tyres in regards to their website listed 235/45R15 285/40R15 was told only the 235 are available.
The 285 was planned by production has been canceled, apparently the old Avon plant will close some time this year.
Waltham Tyres were very helpful, they may have Hoosier DOT race tyres available soon be interesting to see price point v P7 Corsa

20485

[rutthenut]

235/45R15 285/40R15 was told only the 235 are available.
The 285 was planned by production has been canceled, apparently the old Avon plant will close some time this year.


Thanks for the update, useful to know - that 285 ruled out as an option.

[Two-Eight-Six]

That's a useful piece of market intelligence to learn - so at least there's the (possible) prospect of a 295-width becoming available; which I guess would be the narrowest tyre likely to fit onto our typical 'Hawk' rear coffin-spokes of 15" diameter?

The current price of a Pirelli P7 Corsa is punitive - assuming there were even any left in the country - so it would be a comfort to know that there might be some other alternative solutions, soon becoming available?

[sean999r]

Currently Longstone and Demon Tweeks list available from stock, everything is expensive now, no affordable alternatives, P7 Corsa Classic look like the best performance and price

https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/pirelli-collezione/p7-corsa-classic.html

https://www.demon-tweeks.com/uk/pirelli-p7-corsa-classic-tyre-285334/