Hello everyone,
I have a 68 500 Convert in need of new skins (tires). Recently replaced front springs w/ the 620's which are 1" lowered and the OE eaton rear leaf springs.
The current goodyear eagle II are likely very old, size is 225 / 70 /15
Limited options out there for period looking radial black side wall tires. I found the Avon's CR6zz and considering the 225 / 60 / 015.
I have 10 spokes on the car, see attached picture. The brake calipers require a 1/4" shim for clearance.
My biggest concern is tire clearance on the front fender.
Curious if any one has 10 spokes like mine with 225 / 60 / 15 tires - I understand each mfg will have slightly different size for the same call out.
My current 225 / 70 / 15 look like they wont have any issues but I havent driven the car with the new springs.
Thanks
Scott
Picture of the avon tread
I have 235-60-15 BFG's on ten spokes on my 68 with no clearance issues.
Quote from: nvr-enuf on September 09, 2020, 02:30:51 PM
Hello everyone,
I have a 68 500 Convert in need of new skins (tires). Recently replaced front springs w/ the 620's which are 1" lowered and the OE eaton rear leaf springs.
The current goodyear eagle II are likely very old, size is 225 / 70 /15
Limited options out there for period looking radial black side wall tires. I found the Avon's CR6zz and considering the 225 / 60 / 015.
I have 10 spokes on the car, see attached picture. The brake calipers require a 1/4" shim for clearance.
My biggest concern is tire clearance on the front fender.
Curious if any one has 10 spokes like mine with 225 / 60 / 15 tires - I understand each mfg will have slightly different size for the same call out.
My current 225 / 70 / 15 look like they wont have any issues but I havent driven the car with the new springs.
Thanks
Scott
Scott, you probably know this but just in case you are not aware the ten spoke wheels are intended for 67 Shelby's and not 68. 68's did not come with ten spokes (little more than a couple did) because it was quickly discovered that they did not fit. The wheels require the spacers because they were designed for 67 brake calipers and not 68 brake calipers. If you had skinnier tires you would still need the spacers.
Thanks bob - I was aware that the 68's should not have 10 spokes on the car, but I did not know why they fit on a 67 vs a 68.
That makes sense on the brake caliper which is where it will tend to rub ever so slightly.
I am concerned about my clearance with the front fender lip, the slightly smaller diameter (60 series vs 70 series) will help a bit.
I am going to try out these Avons, not cheap but they are black wall, radial, and have somewhat of a period tread pattern.
I am bit nervous of how soft tire they are, I guess driving the wheels off the car is my reward to buy more skins.
I have a set of really cheap, old, hardly used Eagle GTII if anyone is willing to gamble on the integrity of the tires!
Scott,
I can't give you advice on fitment, but can tell you that many people use the Avons on Cobra replicas and that they are universally loved (except for the price). Despite the 80 treadwear rating, people are getting about 10,000 miles out of them, so not too bad for a true performance tire.
I can not speak to the expected wear based on wear ratings.
I offer this to you. On my 92 Taurus SHO, the car originally came with Goodyear GT+4 215-60-16 tires. They had a wear rating of 400.
I put three sets of those on that car and got exactly 30,000 miles from each set.
At some point I changed over to Fusion, 225-55-16. They had the same factory rating of 400. I put three sets of them on the car. They got exactly 3,500 miles per set, worn to the cords,
From what I see, the wear rating means NOTHING.
The speed ratings also went from V to W, from Goodyear to Fusion.
Those in my case mean ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. A W rating is just like a Rolex watch. It's just an ego thing so that you can get soaked EXTRA money and get less.
The soft tread on the Avons is the way they are made. Take it or leave it. The soft treads I'd predict will give far less then 10,000. Probably like my Fusions at 3,500.
You won't get extra performance from them, just faster wear BUT they will never dry rot out because they will never last long enough to dry out AND they fit, look great and appropriate for a period car of this nature AND you can have the walls shaved and GOODYEAR raised white letters applied as well as blue streaks painted on.
I do like them but the reality is that they are like using 106 leaded racing gas in a 10:1 engine. Little to be gained.