I have 20x8x13s cantilever Hoosiers on my GP Spitfire, and they are on 6"
wheels, which is the recommended wheel for the tire although my 2002 Hoosier
catalogue says they can go on wheels as narrow as 5" (BTW, if you go
Hoosiers, use the R45 compound)
In a bygone era, the basic tire for the Spitfire was a 21" tire. Nowadays
everyone runs 20"ers.
On my car, my front springs are GT6 springs with a coil cut off, which
lowers it. My hood is a fiberglass replica, and I have never gotten around
to putting flares on it. The tires stick out of the fenderwell a bit (Shhhh,
don't tell the tech guys!) and I do not have a problem with the fender
coming down on them, even when I brake hard enough the underside of the
swaybar mounts bang the pavement. Of course, the turning circle is so small
on a Spit, sometimes I rub the tires on the inner fender, which the 8" width
abets to some extent.
On my rear, I did have an interference problem a couple of years ago when I
put a new suspension on it. The car is already lowered -- the diff is pushed
up higher in the frame. With my old suspension I had no problem but the new
one I did -- don't really know why as the geometry did not really change. My
rear fenders were flared anyway and I had them re-flared for more clearance.
The original flaring was accomplished by cutting inside the fender lip, but
not cutting the lip completely off, then pulling the cut lip out and
fiberglassing in the new opening that had been created.
All that rather suggests: IF your car has been lowered, you might have an
interference problem with those 8" wide tires and the fender lip. If your
car has not been lowered, you might be okay.
If that is the case, consider a narrower tire, one that will fit more
completely within the existing fender
Hoosier makes a 20x6x13 intended for Formula Fords, and a 20x7x13 for FC and
S2000. I once used a set of castoff S2000 tires (when I had no budget, they
were free) for much of a Solo II season. They may not have been the most
"trick" tire out there, but I was able to play the game.
Another possibility might even be a new set of wheels which less offset so
you have a narrower track and "center" the tires within the fenderwell.
Consider that those tires *were* basically centered when the car rolled out
of the factory on 4.5-inch tires!
Good luck!
--Rocky Entriken
----- Original Message -----
From: <Robertten1@aol.com>
To: <fot@autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, March 26, 2002 9:03 PM
Subject: Fitting race rubber
> Amici Spitfire listers-
>
> I'm looking to fit race rubber to my LeMans replica, used for
autocrossing.
> The question is size? I do not wish to flare the fenders or beat the
inner
> panels for clearance. And the rims I am using are 13 x 5.5" Panasports.
> Suggestions, recommendations and advice appreciated.
>
> The advise I've been given so far is 20.0 x 8 x 13 cantilever tires, but
no
> idea of clearance problems. Currently I have, ancient, 185/60 x 13 Yoko
> A008rs2 on the car and there have been no clearance problems.
>
> Thanks for your help,
> Bob T.
> '64 Spitfire GT LeMans replica/autocrosser
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