Will 205/55/15s fit a '68 911

[Jens]

Rookie question, I know, but...

Are there clearance issues with 205/55/15s and deep sixs on this car? Inside? outside? I know that there is always some asymmetry in that this was never a critical concern to the maker since the stock tires at the time were so skinny.

[Homemade 911]

Jens
A data point: I run 205/50/15s (Kumho Victo racers) on deep sixes all the way round on my '68, with a spacer on the rear. The car is lowered quite a bit, and yet I don't have any clearance issues. My thinking is that you simply wouldn't lower the car quite so much with the 55 height tire on it. If the car is stock height, you may want to lower it just enough to make the new tires look "just right" in the fender wells.

With stock sheet metal, a 205 is about all you're gonna get in there anyway, without resorting to even the most minimal fender mods on the rear...a good number of the guys I race with have 225s on the rear with mod'd fenders.

Hope this helps - good luck
cheers
Thom Kuby

[Jens]

Thanks Thom. I'll lower it some but not as slammed as I would on my other cars. My thoughts eggs-ackley on the filling of the wheel wells.

[ttweed]

Jens-

I run 205/60-15s on 6s for the street and 205/50s on 7s for the track on my '67S. The 7s require rolling the fender lips, the 6s don't. You should be fine with 55 series. The only clearance issue is on the inside front wheel well where you will rub the back of the tire on full steering lock, but his only happens at low speed when doing a tight U-turn. My car is lowered slightly but not slammed like a race car.

TT

[Jens]

Thanks Tom, if that's as bad as it gets, then it's no worries for me. My only real thought was if I get some rubbing at full chat with a risk of cutting a tire. I'll forge ahead!

[Zeke]

I have the same tire/wheel combos that TomT has and have the same observations. The 205/50s have a very small diameter. The 55 should help.

[jonnysocko]

Jens-

I run 205/60-15s on 6s for the street and 205/50s on 7s for the track on my '67S. The 7s require rolling the fender lips, the 6s don't. You should be fine with 55 series. The only clearance issue is on the inside front wheel well where you will rub the back of the tire on full steering lock, but his only happens at low speed when doing a tight U-turn. My car is lowered slightly but not slammed like a race car.

TT

Do you have any speedo discrepancies with the 205/60-15? I need new tires now, and want make sure I don't have any problems.

[Jens]

I used to have a link to the Miata tire calculator that was really useful for just such figurin', but my link doesn't work any more. You could enter in your original factory tire size and then enter any other tire to compare the dimensions of the different sizes. Holding a close diameters would maintain speedo function. Does anyone have the url to such a calculator?

[jonnysocko]

I found another one...

Turbo Saab Tire Calc

[HarryD]

I used to have a link to the Miata tire calculator that was really useful for just such figurin', but my link doesn't work any more. You could enter in your original factory tire size and then enter any other tire to compare the dimensions of the different sizes. Holding a close diameters would maintain speedo function. Does anyone have the url to such a calculator?

Jens,

Here you go: http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html.

FWIW, I have 205/60-15's on my '73 (6" cookie cutters) and the speedo has pretty good agreement with the speedgun at the track.