Triumph Tires

The British made Triumph offered such great, fun, budget, sports cars from the golden age of motoring. Something for everyone to enjoy. What makes these classic cars so much fun is their light predictable handling. A critical part of maintaining this lightness is not over tire sizing these great fun little TR’s and also fitting a genuine period sports car tire that is developed in conjunction with cars of this period.

Triumph TR tires 

It is worth pointing out, that although low profile tires like 185/70R15 were available from 1968, Triumph did not fit them. They stuck with 165R15 tires throughout the TR6; because Triumph were aware that these little sports cars become less progressive when wider tires were fitted, so fitting modern tires like a 195/65R15 as some people are tempted to do will give derogatory effects such as braking away more violently, aquaplaning and tracking on uneven road surfaces so we would recommend sticking with correct period radial tires.

If you want a wider tire because you like the look of a fatter tire to fill the wheel arches, using a genuine period tire such as the 185/70VR15 PIRELLI CINTURATO CN36 will diminish these derogatory effects. These genuine period low profile tires were developed to suit cars of this period and it’s rounded shoulders will still handle in a progressive manner.

Triumph Spitfire Tires

The very first Triumph Spitfires came with 520-13 Dunlop bias ply tires. Dunlop currently do not make any genuine classic road tires sadly, and predominantly people prefer a radial tire because it makes them more suited to modern roads. In 1970 because radials were taking over Triumph upped the rim size to 4.5” on the MK4 Spitfire. For all these 1300 Triumph Spitfires we would suggest that the 145HR13 Pirelli Cinturato CA67 is the tire of choice. Todays current Pirelli Cinturato still has that period carcass that makes the handling fantastic, but it also has modern build quality and compounds to give it that bit more grip in the rain.

1500 Spitfire Tires

The extra turque of the 1500cc engine in the later Spitfire from 1974 allowed a taller tire for slightly longer gearing. For the Triumph Spitfire 1500, we recommend the 155R13 Pirelli Cinturato (coming soon).

Often with the 1500 Spitfire people fit wider wheels and like a wider tire. The best handling on a Spitfire would be the 175/70VR13 Pirelli CN36.