Tyre Widths

This section is for 1976 to 1984 Chrysler/Mitsubishi/Colt/Dodge/Plymouth Scorpion/Lambda/Sapporo/Challenger.
Post Reply
User avatar
theozsnowman
Posts: 137
Joined: Sun Apr 14, 2013 4:00 pm
Location: Mount Clear Victoria
Contact:

Tyre Widths

Post by theozsnowman »

Im wondering if anyone knows what the widest tyre would be that would safely fit onto some 14 x 6 rims on a GH Scorpion without affecting clearance, steering etc and while still being legal

Ive been toying with the idea of putting on some BF Goodrich Radial TA's or Firestone Indy 500's on the car and just wasnt sure if a 215 is as wide as i could/should go or if a 225 would be fine on it

any thoughts?
My 1980 GH Scorpion Restoration Project - The Oz Snowmans Scorpion - Meet B1 and B2 - The Grey Ghost
A112H
Posts: 7681
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2009 5:01 am

Re: Tyre Widths

Post by A112H »

6 inches is only about 155mm so really depends on the look you are going for. If you are looking for stretch you will need to find some 145s or something silly.
It seems like you are looking for some old school bulge but I don't think it would be safe to go over 195 maybe 205 at the maximum.
Remember that 205mm is 8 inches so if you were to fit a 225mm that is nearly 9 inches. That would make an inch and a half bulge on each side.
The problem with big bulge is sidewall flex, when cornering the whole car will move over the tread before the outer sidewall can take up the slack, this will upset the balance of your car as you enter corners.
If you a dragging it then this is a different story, you want a bit of sidewall flex to take up the launch load and reduce wheel spin.

Hope this is of some help.
User avatar
theozsnowman
Posts: 137
Joined: Sun Apr 14, 2013 4:00 pm
Location: Mount Clear Victoria
Contact:

Re: Tyre Widths

Post by theozsnowman »

I have CSA Globe rims, and yes was looking to get the old school look... but was looking for a bit of width and a slightly lower profile stance than the stock bog 195/65/R14's
My 1980 GH Scorpion Restoration Project - The Oz Snowmans Scorpion - Meet B1 and B2 - The Grey Ghost
75glnt
Posts: 2354
Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2009 12:42 pm
Location: South Brisbane region

Re: Tyre Widths

Post by 75glnt »

I wouldn't recommend any wider..

Legalities; there's a chart at work that states that a tyre is not allowed to be any more than 15mm larger than the standard rolling diameter. Also... LEGALLY. We aren't supposed to change the track width on cars either. But we do.

Bfgoodrich ta radials are a very, VERY! Bad tyre in the wet. YouTube it, I'm sure there's video proof on there. I've had 3 accidents in the wet that were caused by ta radials.. 2 of those, the tyres were on our car. The other one. The tyres were on theirs.. They're not too bad in the dry. But... Deadly in the wet.

Might I suggest some sf eagers??

Cheers :)
N/A ALL THE WAY
Scorpma82
Sigma-Galant Police (Global Mod)
Posts: 2119
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2011 6:48 am
Location: melbourne

Re: Tyre Widths

Post by Scorpma82 »

I ran 205/60 BFG's on the front and 235/60 BFG T/A Radials on the rear (wrapped around PP's on a GJ wagon)

The front were a fabulous tyre, very quiet, very direct tyre
I found the rears to be......adequate....they're were definately better options out their for it's size in terms of grip, but i've never found them to be a dangerous or a bad tyre. They were basically constructed like a drag racing tyre....great grip in straight line accelration...moderate in lateral grip)

Remember, this tyre was designed nearly 40 years ago where a high performance car only needed to be fast on a 400m straight.....the quality of the tyre has improved due to safety regs and better materials available...but the design has barely changed.

Also, the people (generally) who buy this type of tyre, put them on a car where they are not ever pushed hard around a corner...and very rarely driven in the wet (i.e. the occaisional Sunday cruise when it's nice and sunny)
Built with pride, Driven in anger
75glnt
Posts: 2354
Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2009 12:42 pm
Location: South Brisbane region

Re: Tyre Widths

Post by 75glnt »

Yea.. Well the ones we had, were on a vk commodore . And a Xb sedan. Both were on a corner, doing about 60.. (Which was the advised speed for that corner).

Meh.. Just my experience was bad with them. So I won't buy em.. But each to their own :)
N/A ALL THE WAY
User avatar
jvflash
Posts: 492
Joined: Sat Jan 29, 2011 5:26 pm
Location: Adelaide

Re: Tyre Widths

Post by jvflash »

Hello Mate, minimum tyre size (as per the tyre placard) on the Scorpion is 195 so that is your minimum width. I have a set on the white GK Scorpion with 185's and it looks too skinny, let alone a defect sticker if I get pulled over.
In this photo of my (now Mike's) red Scorpion the rears are 205 and the front 195, not much difference. I also have a Scorpion rim and tyre here with a 215 on it which my girls refer to as the monster truck tyre :lol:
Old school is such a good look too, if you don't mind me saying so, and raised white lettering is still all good too :thumpsup:

Image
User avatar
theozsnowman
Posts: 137
Joined: Sun Apr 14, 2013 4:00 pm
Location: Mount Clear Victoria
Contact:

Re: Tyre Widths

Post by theozsnowman »

Thanks for all the advice guys.,...

basically i was just looking for the old school look, but with a bit of additional width particularly on the back, and with a lower stance/profile...

Eager S330 would be nice but i dont believe i can get 215's for 14 inch

im not really worriued about the brand... but yes the safety part is important.. but i do want the raised white lettering etc to suit the look
My 1980 GH Scorpion Restoration Project - The Oz Snowmans Scorpion - Meet B1 and B2 - The Grey Ghost
Scorpma82
Sigma-Galant Police (Global Mod)
Posts: 2119
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2011 6:48 am
Location: melbourne

Re: Tyre Widths

Post by Scorpma82 »

the eager and radials are the only tyres that have that raised white lettering (that i can think of)

U can always buy a white tyre marker and colour in the lettering ur self if ur desperate for tyhat type of image on your car


In a nutshell tho, if you drive within the speed limit (and every other related law), any tyre thats available for purchase would provide enough grip and safety for road use
Built with pride, Driven in anger
A112H
Posts: 7681
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2009 5:01 am

Re: Tyre Widths

Post by A112H »

Yokahama Y352

Bargain, better be quick though
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Yokohama-352 ... f09&_uhb=1
User avatar
theozsnowman
Posts: 137
Joined: Sun Apr 14, 2013 4:00 pm
Location: Mount Clear Victoria
Contact:

Re: Tyre Widths

Post by theozsnowman »

nice but a tad to wide for my csa's
My 1980 GH Scorpion Restoration Project - The Oz Snowmans Scorpion - Meet B1 and B2 - The Grey Ghost
smithdavidjames
Posts: 96
Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2009 12:08 pm
Location: Blue Mountains

Re: Tyre Widths

Post by smithdavidjames »

Had a set of Yokohama 352s on my GE sigma for a while 205/60/14 on the front but they rubbed pretty bad on full lock on the back had 215/65/14 with no problems on a 6" rim. Yokos are no longer available but they where probably the best tire I have owned. I have scrounged some 15" stockies and plan to put some 215/60/15 bridgestone eagers on the back...

For all tire related matters a great web site is http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible.html help me out loads especially working out what happens to your speedo when you change tire sizes as well as loads of info and calculators for fitment.

Dave
webby
Posts: 1644
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 10:38 am
Location: Parkes, NSW

Re: Tyre Widths

Post by webby »

My Scorpion had 215/65's on factory alloys when I got it, it was an unsettlingly floaty prick of a thing to drive home. Replaced them ASAP with a set of supermarket-spec 185/60's and the floatiness and sidewall flex was cut in half, was a much better car to drive after that. My advice, leave the bulgy tyres to the people with cars that are useless outside a straight line and get tyres that actually fit.
Yokohama C-Drive, 195/60R14. Used to use them on my old Magna, pretty decent tyre for the money, just shy of the old Bridgestone RE001 in terms of grip.
-Josh.
Image
Daily: 7/96 EF Falcon, 4.0 SOHC, BTR95LE, 3.45:1 LSD/Lukey extractors, full 2.5” exhaust, EL intake, Tickford snorkel, 87DA cam, AU injectors, shiftkits.com.au single stage kit. PB 14.93@91mph.
Project: Red '81 Scorpion-http://www.sigma-galant.com/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=11889
User avatar
jvflash
Posts: 492
Joined: Sat Jan 29, 2011 5:26 pm
Location: Adelaide

Re: Tyre Widths

Post by jvflash »

I hope this helps, these tyres are all fitted to the same 14" Scorpion rims.

185
Image

195
Image

205
Image

The three in a row
Image
Image

Interestingly these two tyres are both 195, yet the one on the left looks wider (to me anyway) due to its tread pattern
Image
User avatar
theozsnowman
Posts: 137
Joined: Sun Apr 14, 2013 4:00 pm
Location: Mount Clear Victoria
Contact:

Re: Tyre Widths

Post by theozsnowman »

that puts it in perspective a bit...

Ive found some 215/70R14 Firestones and think i will go with these...

Image
My 1980 GH Scorpion Restoration Project - The Oz Snowmans Scorpion - Meet B1 and B2 - The Grey Ghost
User avatar
jvflash
Posts: 492
Joined: Sat Jan 29, 2011 5:26 pm
Location: Adelaide

Re: Tyre Widths

Post by jvflash »

That will look freaking awesome :thumpsup:
User avatar
theozsnowman
Posts: 137
Joined: Sun Apr 14, 2013 4:00 pm
Location: Mount Clear Victoria
Contact:

Re: Tyre Widths

Post by theozsnowman »

hrrrm just found out there appears to be 5 tyres left available only and they have stopped production on them :(

so not sure what to do after they wear out....
My 1980 GH Scorpion Restoration Project - The Oz Snowmans Scorpion - Meet B1 and B2 - The Grey Ghost
Post Reply