singer vogue tyres

[kevin]

ok, bought a 1965 singer vogue. collecting it soon.
the tyres are obviously rotted through as its been stood since 1989,so assuming they are 13", what are you people running on your classics. want them to look "correct" and period.

many thanks

keb

[Ian]

Drop Longstone tyres a line

http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/

[JPB]

Toyos are as good as anything, Michelin do some with a tread pattern that apes their XZX quite closely but the Singer would, had someone fitted radials, have had Michelin X, Dunlop Groundhog or similar, none of which can come close to the quality or performance of new tyres.
Longstone only do "period" replica tyres in a small selection of - seemingly mostly for Jaguar - sizes which counts out your 165@82%x13 so for the period look, then it's either shell out a fortune on cross plies which are very poor in the wet, on snow or anywhere other than a dry track on a hot day, so not too much use for a car that's more than a trailer quean, or compromise in a very small way appearance wise and buy new tyres from the likes of Black Circles.

There's no point to dealing with Longstone for sizes that are still in common use though if it's a 4.50x17 for a '50s Ford Pop you need, or some other now obscure bias belter then sure, try them as nobody else has taken the same trouble to have replicas made and their tyres are - for the limited range they serve - apparently as good as they would have been back then.
You've Toyos on the Mazda and you know how well they work, they're still on at £140 for four in the size that the Audax takes so it seems like a pretty easy hunt you have on, selecting one of the current range in that size from a supplier of new tyres based on price as few if any new tyres are actually bad, these things have evolved.

[suffolkpete]

The original fitment would probably have been 5.90x13 crossplies.The equivalent size radial is 155x13 with an 80% aspect ratio. If you stick to that then it should look authentic and should keep the speedo accurate.

[JPB]

They were supplied with 6.40x13 according to my 1960s/'70s Esso tyre fitment guide (yes, Esso branded tyres were still around back then if not actually that good), hence the suggestion of a 165 at 80%. Don't forget that cross plies - with very few exceptions - had an aspect ratio closer to 100% than the 82% of a standard radial. The car should have 4.5 inch rims, so anything up to and including 175 would be safe on there.

There's no reason not to use a 155 but it's not the optimum size.

[suffolkpete]

Yes, 165 would be correct if the originals were 6.40. Your mention of Esso tyres reminds me of the time I had a couple of Firestone crossplies I had to dispose of three or four years ago. They were bought in the late 80s but had been stored in a cool dark environment and seemed in good condition. I offered them free at the recipient's risk and a chap turned up in the most immaculate looking A60 I've seen, but the front tyres were Esso E110s and the sidewalls were all cracked and crazed and when he drove away the car was only running on three cylinders but he seemed quite oblivious of the fact.

[kevin]

thanks chaps

it still has an original crossply on the spare so once i have the car at mine i will look into it further..cant wait

kev