Classic Tyres

[david painter]

Marina front suspension geometry makes more sense for crossply tyres. I personally 185/55/R15 evergreen tyres on Minilite wheels they had to be spaced I think 3-5 mm to give me clearance for the wheel rim on the top ball joint and track rod end. I also have a Ital telescopic setup using Shrepa spec Sachs shock absorbers.
Dave

[ScreamingLordStokes]

Well Danny plans to go for the Cross Ply option!

I thought he would!

[ScreamingLordStokes]

Not sure about Blockley tyres being remoulds Chris, those Aquajets copies I've been looking at have a 130mph speed rating, i think you'd struggle to get that with a remould.

Some interesting points made there chaps, 165/70r13s seem to be the tyre of choice. It's just a shame that there isn't a classic tyre available in that size. Longstone tyres suggest 155/80r13s for the Marina. Personally I agree with the Chris and Matt's comments and wouldn't want to go narrower than the 165/70 Vredesteins that are on my car at the moment. It's funny but when I first had them fitted I thought they looked quite big but now they seem to look a bit lost in the arches. I think it's the Marinas quite narrow track that's the problem, and the new rear leaf springs that make the back of the car sit that bit higher.
The early Farina Oxford/Cambridges had a narrow track, giving them a frumpy, ungainly apearance. After two years BMC increased the front track by 2 inches and the back by 1 1/2 inches improving not just the apearance but the handling as well. It's a shame BL couldn't do that with the Marina.
The MK2 Cortina 1600e designed, like the Marina, by Roy Haynes sits nicely on 165/80r13s and looks well proportioned, another reason for me considering the Aquajets.
I dunno, maybe 175/70s like Josh has fitted to MMD are the way to go, they certainly fill the arches, don't mess with the speedo too much, and are available in a period tread Pirelli Cinturato.

[MarinaCoupe]

Try this search on Black Circle tyres lots of choice for 165/70 13 tyres

https://www.blackcircles.com/order/tyre ... 3&id=10065

[locost_bryan]

The UK went for 145/80 or 165/70, and Aussies went for 155/80 (Y78L) or 175/70 (ZR70H) (but with a 3.89 diff ratio).

[ScreamingLordStokes]

Did the Australian Marinas have the same width wheels as the UK Bryan?

[locost_bryan]

Yes, 13x4.5", with an optional 13x5.5" alloy wheel.

[ScreamingLordStokes]

So Bryan, was the 175/70 tyre offered as an option for cars fitted with the 4.5 inch wheels? Or did the 175/70 tyre just go hand in hand with the 5.5 inch alloys?

[locost_bryan]

The TC came standard with 4.5" wheels and ZR70H13 tyres. This American lettering standard from the 60s and 70s is hard to get accurate conversions into modern tyre sizes, but the chart here says YR70H13 would be 155/70x13 and AR70H13 would be 175/70x13, so ZR70H13 should actually be 165/70x13.

I'll have to check my NZ owners handbook, I think that has different tyre sizes specified.

The New Zealand regulations state that 4.5" rims can take tyres up to 185/70x13.

The Marina Six came with 165SR13 radials on 4.5" steel wheels, and the Marina Four with ZR70H13, so interesting that only the Four got "low profile" tyres.

[ScreamingLordStokes]

Ah, so the six cylinder car had 165SR13 which is a 165/80 and the four had 175/70 as an option.
That's interesting for anyone wanting to fit classic tyres to their car as to my knowledge a 165/70 isn't produced in a classic period tyre format. But there is then a precedent to say the other sizes that are are available (165/80, 175/70) were "officially" fitted or offered as an option by the manufacturer.

[locost_bryan]

If you want a precedent ;-) , my first Marina that I bought in 1982 was fitted with 155/80 radials, which I replaced with 175/70 Firestone Cavallinos.

To complicate matters , I found some vehicle approval data on a NSW government website that showed ZR78S13, 155/80SR13, ZR70S13, 175/70SR13 approved on 4.5" rims (for a 1982 Ford Laser). Unfortunately the data for the Marina doesn't include tyre sizes.

[ScreamingLordStokes]

Wouldn't mind a set of those Firestone Cavallinos now Bryan! Yes, 175/70 is the low profile equivalent of 155/80 isn't it. Thanks for the info.
One thing I have been surprised by is the number of cross ply tyres that are still being produced. It'll be interesting to see Danny's coupe fitted with them, and to see how well the car handles with them.

[Gee tc]

The ride comfort will be fine.
But push it around a wet roundabout
(Like I did once)
Well......crossply not brilliant

[ScreamingLordStokes]

Yes Tony, growing up in the seventies I heard nothing but bad things about crossplies. It must be a very different driving experience!

[PHUQ]

The way I drive, suffice to say I won't be fitting crossplies to mine!