CHOOSING TIRES...
is always an interesting challenge. The best sizes (that match the original cars' profiles) do not offer many high-performance choices. With 15" wheels (7.5" and 9.5" wide), we recommend:
Front*: 235/60-15 (If you can't find 235s, 245/60-15 will fit the 427 after chassis 731)
*Avon tires seem to be sized a little differently. Use 225/65-15 instead.
Rear: 295/50-15
Other possible sizes (including 16" and 17" rims) are listed here.
Some Tire Sources
Technical information
Wheel Sizes For: 427 ------- FIA
Speed Ratings
In the USA, since you will never excede the legal speed limit,
speed ratings shouldn't be a primary factor in tire choice. But, it's nice to have a little safety factor anyway. As you search through the tire distributors' offerings, you will find that only Avon and M/T (S/R only) tires have a higher-than-T speed rating.
Currently the available brands that (may) offer both sizes include
- Avon FIA Rally CR6ZZ DOT (V-rated)
- BF Goodrich Radial T/A
- Firestone Firehawk Indy 500
- Goodyear Eagle GT II
- Mickey Thompson S/T
- Mickey Thompson S/R, sizes 26x10.00R15LT and 26X12.00R15LT (speed-rated H)
There may be others, so it never hurts to search around.
Speed ratings
- S = 112 MPH, 180km/h
- T = 118 MPH, 190km/h
- U = 124 MPH, 200km/h
- H = 130 MPH, 210km/h
- V = 149 MPH, 240km/h
- Z = 149 MPH, 240km/h and over
- W = 168 MPH, 270km/h
- Y = 186 MPH, 300km/h