widest tires available?

I've done a little research since making my first post. I think I have an OK idea as to what is possible.

I'll have to do my actual research after I get the car. In any case it looks like it's going to be expensive, but that's fine.

Hello Mike; My uncle lived off of Bicentennial exit in Santa Rosa.

Where are you located?

You fish Blowedga (Bodega Bay?)...Mark

Welcome to the PI forum, and I'm sure you'll receive LOTS of good and helpful information here soon on your prospective Pantera purchase, and you have a PM, mostly for being so close to Sonoma!

Welcome aboard.

Since you are working with pre-existing wheel arch flares, you are aesthetically constrained to remain within the tire diameter limits dictated by the radius of the wheel openings of those fender flares. The second consideration shall be to keep the chassis level (parallel with the ground) without having to raise or drop either end of the car excessively. Group 4 flares are usually designed for a large difference between front and rear tire diameters, similar to the standard body versions. The GT5 and GT5-S flares are designed for only 1/2" difference between front and rear tire diameters.

Once you have the tire diameters figured out, you can begin looking at tire widths available in those diameters.

You'll find the best front tire selection in 17" or 18" wheel diameter, but you'll also find that as the tire diameter goes below 25" the availability of tires dwindles. The width of 17" rear wheels is limited by clearance with the lower rear control arm. You'll definitely want at least an 18" diameter wheel in the rear so that wheel width is not limited by this clearance issue. As for rear tires there are choices in both 18" and 19" diameter wheels, but tire choices are more plentiful with the 19" wheels.

quote:

Originally posted by mike the snake:
I'm wondering what the widest tires available I can get for the Pantera I may be buying?

It has huge racing flares, and I'd rather fill the wheel wells up with wider tires than go with spaced out wheels and only 335 tires.

I'd like to keep the wheel sizes to maybe 17" front and 18" or 19" rear. I want to retain the proper stance.

What's out there? Any help would be appreciated.

The wider tire available over the 335 is a 345. This is what a Group 4 car would have had i.e. 345/35-15 and in my opinion the only tire that truly looks correct on a wide body car. I don't think you can get 345 width in 17" any more, there used to be a Michelin Pilot Sport Cup, definitely more choices available in 18" wheels sizes.

Julian

In researching, it seems there are very few, if any options in 16" diameter wheels.

One option I'm considering is to simply continue to use the slicks but sype them so they have some appearance of having tread.

The car will see only limited street use, so I think I might be able to sneak by by syping the slicks, otherwise I'll have to look into getting different wheels and tires.

I discovered used sets of slick tires in the 16x14 and 16x11 sizes and also sets of the same sized tires in rain versions, With Tread!

This means I have options without having to buy new wheels and tires to keep the same look and stance the car has now.

Have you checked on Avon tires? They are high quality racing tires that are DOT approved. They would be a better bet on the street than slicks IMO.

They are imported from England (I believe) thru a few select dealers.

I posted a thread titled "New Guy" in the pub section asking about a car that had spectacular fender fill on his group 4 car. In one video linked, he had the Avons.
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Thanks for the info. I looked, and that car was running on 15" diameter wheels if I read correctly.

The car I'm looking at is running 16x14 rears and 16x11 fronts. I've looked, and can't find much in the 16" diameter, other than the actual race tires I mentioned.

If I ran the slicks I plan to groove them up so they appear to have tread, and I'll get some chalk and write "DOT" on the sides lol.

Probably though I'd just get a set of rain tires, same size and look, tread, fine for street, even better for autocross maybe(?) and I'll run slicks if I track the car at Sears Point.

Avon makes a tire that is the equivalent of a 355/35 16 in 'all weather', 'wet weather', and slicks.
http://www.avonmotorsport.com/...historic-all-weather

One other option is that Roger Kraus Racing in Castro Valley, CA (virtualy on your doorstep) will cut tread into a set of slicks for you.

This is an option (lowest cost) I seriously considered for my GT40 15" tires.

Julian

Roger Kraus is a Avon dealer as well.

Highly regarded track tires BTW.

www.rogerkrausracing.com
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