24 replies to this topic

[Pete649]

 

I use camacs. Mainly for the retro tread pattern, they seem to understeer a bit in the dry, not tried them I'm the rain but apparent they're not great.
Cheap though and dont seem to wear that much.

I had Camac's in the 1990s.  Don't know if they are the same these days but back then they had hardly any wet grip.

 

 

I had some of these on a Talbot Sunbeam back in the day. As others have said, absolutely no grip in the wet and they didn't wear out.

[Cooperman]

 

My first Mini, in 1963, had 5-20 x 10 crossplies when I got it. Soon changed to 145x10 Michelin X.

I expect you're still trying to wear out those Michelin X.

 

Yes, they did last quite well, especially as they were on an 850. The first Dunlop radial for a Mini was the 145x10 Dunlop Duraband BR1. Later came the SP3 and SP41. The new Blockley 145/80x10 and 165/70x10 has the same tread pattern as the SP3. Then came the SP44 Weathermaster (knobbly) which was great on gravel.

I will try the Blockley SP3 lookalike when next I need some tyres.

Edited by Cooperman, 11 February 2025 - 04:15 PM.

[DeadSquare]

In the mid 1970s, when prices were going up at 25% a year, the tyre companies made and advertised some very hard wearing rubberwear.

 

There were the "Firestone Frictionless",  "Goodyear Grip-less",  "Murderous Michelins", and bless them, the "Amazing Avons".

 

The Avons were soft, forgiving, predictable, and I used to race on "Avon New Safety" Weathermasters in the rain.

[gazza82]

My first Mini, in 1963, had 5-20 x 10 crossplies when I got it. Soon changed to 145x10 Michelin X.

I expect you're still trying to wear out those Michelin X.

My modern is fitted with Michelin Primacy HPs ... nearly 58k later and just under 8 years and they are STILL legal, no cracks, .... but they are going to get binned in the next couple of weeks.

And no, I don't drive like a granny and it's rwd so the "tail had been wagged" a few times (by turning the traction control off!)

[jomaoliveira79]

CAMAC 145 are dangerous in spirit wet driving and worse if they are + 10 years old (I know because I also like their classic thread pattern and use them).

I'm curious about the new Yokohama 145, although expensive, can be of the same rubber quality as the A008...

Nova Motorsport bought the Avon Tyre Company and recently also bought CAMAC... Probably Avon quality will decrease or CAMAC quality will increase.

Edited by jomaoliveira79, 09 February 2025 - 10:04 PM.

[Lplus]

The yokohama 145/80/10 Y350S has a very narrow tread.  It would look fine on a 3.5" rim for a standard car but is too skinny on a 4.5" rim.  I would change them but that's an expense I can't justify on pure looks alone.

[ac427]

On a 3.5 x 10 rim the Blockleys are probably the best available.
On a 4.5 x 10 I use A008's, although I think I will try the Blockley 165/70 x 10 next time as they have the old Dunlop SP3 tread pattern.
You should not need wheel arch extensions with a 165 section tyre so long as the datum offset of the wider wheel is the same as the 3.5" wheel.

Is the datum of the 4.5" steel wheel the same as the 3.5" steel wheel?

Edited by ac427, Today, 03:08 PM.

[Cooperman]

In the mid 1970s, when prices were going up at 25% a year, the tyre companies made and advertised some very hard wearing rubberwear.

 

There were the "Firestone Frictionless",  "Goodyear Grip-less",  "Murderous Michelins", and bless them, the "Amazing Avons".

 

The Avons were soft, forgiving, predictable, and I used to race on "Avon New Safety" Weathermasters in the rain.

Avon made some super tyres.

When I was a co-driver with Datsun UK/Old Woking Service Station with the 240 Z's we were on an Avon contract for UK events (Dunlops for International Rallies). We used the Avon Arctic Steel knobbly and they were great. Very puncture resistant with great gravel grip and excellent in muddy conditions.

Edited by Cooperman, Today, 08:24 PM.

[Cooperman]

 

On a 3.5 x 10 rim the Blockleys are probably the best available.
On a 4.5 x 10 I use A008's, although I think I will try the Blockley 165/70 x 10 next time as they have the old Dunlop SP3 tread pattern.
You should not need wheel arch extensions with a 165 section tyre so long as the datum offset of the wider wheel is the same as the 3.5" wheel.

Is the datum of the 4.5" steel wheel the same as the 3.5" steel wheel?

 

It depends on which wheels. The original 4.5" Cooper 'S' wheel had the same datum offset as the 'S' 3.5", but the offset for the 850/998 was different.

[timmy850]

If you consider the 3 common steel wheels and the Cooper S 4.5" as the middle ground:

 

Cooper S 4.5" LP883 offset +36

Cooper S 3.5" LP882 offset +44 - The outer edge of the LP882 is 21mm further into the guard

Standard 3.5" (various part numbers) offset +24 - The outer edge of the standard wheel is 1mm further into the guard

 

 

Basically any mini with 7.5" disc brakes on the front can use any of the 3 steel wheels and they fill fit under the guards. The 4.5" wheel sticks out the furthest, then the standard wheel, and the 3.5" S wheel is sunk in the most. You will need to test fit the wheels first to make sure they miss the calipers as apparently some standard wheels will foul the standard wheels. All the standard wheels I've tried on my 7.5" disc setup have fitted fine.