I have a 1969, series 2 and I am thinking about getting new red line tires. I don’t really care if the car came with them, I just think that they will look good on a white roadster. Any suggestions as to type and availability?

I have previously posted this; however, I am still looking for a mechanic in the Houston area that would work on the above referenced car.

 

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/C...-vf-coker-tire

These are for 185s which IMO is too skinny for the car. I moved to 205s

https://www.bbwheelsonline.com/diamo...ire-205-70r15/

Important to find a tire installer who can handle wire wheels. if that's what you have.

Also consider rim bands, some owners use Duct Tape and some coat the inside with silicone.

https://cokertire.com/15-inch-rim-st...x&gad_source=1

See if there is a British Car club or Jaguar club in your area. They are the best source for parts and shops. Here is the Houston Club:

https://www.jcna.com/user/sc38

 

I agree with Valerie,
I have used 195/70 and 205/70 on rear.. black wall only, did not find redline in this size. All the same 185s will be fine. New tubes and rim bands a must.

The key is you will have to deal with the wire wheels.
Find a shop that has the cones to balance them. If that question confuses the shop tech, you need to find another shop.
Remove the 4 wheels from the car yourself and take them to the selected shop for de-mounting tires.
Clean and de-rust wire wheels, finish with good chrome wax
Using small tool tap all spokes listening for similar ring, if you hit a dud, it will be a loose or broken spoke.
Soak the spoke nut top and bottom over night with liquid wrench before tightening
Using the special spoke wrench (Moss Motors has them as well as tubes and rim bands) tighten until you get similar sound when you tap the spoke ( I had 1 or 2 broken spokes per wheel the first time I did this)
Install rim band, return to shop for mounting your new tubes, tires and balancing
After cleaning and adding anti seize grease to axles, mount wheel back on your car
Follow up with a shop that can check and adjust toe-in front aliment ( most shops will give you a computer print out of including castor and camber, these you should do your self, as the shop will not have shims or understand the procedure)
Rgds
David

 

Thank you Valeria and David…all good information. Has Anyone used the 2-eared knock-offs sold by Moss? I realize that they were originally fitted to Series I, but I like the look and Moss says that can be used on any Jag. Thinking about them for my ’69 series 2. I have one on my desk as a paper weight and it is a heavy puppy.

 

And for cleaning and polishing, some wide white shoelaces for each spoke will help clean off grime and polish residue. There are shops in my area that do tires, but they don't want to take on putting the car on a lift to take off the wheels. I don't have a lift anymore, so would have to take one off at a time, take each to tire shop and then repeat 3 more times. I have no way to remove the tires from the wheels, so the spoke work would encompass additional planning. Fortunately my former E tech has now relocated to a new shop and they have all the capability of doing the tire replacement. Hope to get it done this spring.
As for the eared knockoffs, many S2 owners have done that. Be sure that the hub splines are in good condition and that your 'new' knockoffs' threads are compatible. You may want to find that wood tool to protect the ears from damage. Also a good opportunity to make sure your wheel bearings are in good shape.

https://www.englishparts.com/product...ner=googlebase

 

Valerie,

When you moved to 205 tires did you have to make any body mods to keep the tires from scarping?

Congrats of getting your FHC out of the shop; it looks great.. Mine was in the "Infirmary on and off for 6 months after I bought it, but is pretty well sorted now - just need to make a few carb adjustments for idle speed. You happen to have a good You Tube reference on making these adjustments?

Phil

 

My 69 is stock, no body mods before or after I bought him (springs/shocks etc.) . No indication of scraping or anything rubbing. When I first put new tires on him, way back, probably 34 years ago, the tire store that did it knew their stuff and said the 205 75s would work. Here is a good site for tire measuring:

https://www.lesschwab.com/article/ti...-sidewall.html

For all those years I had been traveling around with a probably, 1970 spare tire.. a redline Dunlop, original sizing. It appeared unused. Finally came to my senses and decided I'd better get a replacement. I wasn't interested in buying a 205/75/15 that then wouldn't fit in the spare tire tub. I read all the tire measurement sites ( would tire be too fat for boot boards to fit back in place?) Lucky that my shop (at the time) just happened to have one and I made the deal that if it fit in the tub, I would buy it from them. All good and for $60 I have a much newer spare!

Thank you for your kind wishes on having Mr. E back home. Tomorrow/Wed Dec. 11 is the big day.

Yes, I have the Haynes Zenith Stromberg book, also step by step directions. None of that would have helped me because the shop that did the body repair is also superb at mechanicals and tech found something way inside the intake that gave the front carb too much air. I would not have had any idea how to diagnose or fix that. I also now have a new shop to work with. My former tech relocated to new business (and they are close by) so I am not going to have to go outside my paygrade to do things I'm not experienced with.

 

Valerie,

Are your original rims 5" or 6" width? I'm thinking of new ones from Moss and again worried about frame interference with wider rim/tires.

Phil

 

From all I've read, it's the 5 inch wheels on this car.

Here's more info:

https://www.wheel-size.com/size/jaguar/e-type/1969/

You can input what year/series you have, just to make sure. The bottom entry shows a 6 " rim for 205s, not sure how that works.

I found the 205/75/15s to fit, others have 205/70/15s Here are photos with the 205/75s

 

Thanks, Valerie.

Phil

 

All, Thank you for the many comments and recommendations for tires for my Series II. I sprung for five new Coker Classic Redline 185RX15 (with Coker Tubes). Again, I think that the redlines will look good on a white roadster and I am also adding new 2 eared knock offs all around. Car will be in the shop for a while having a bunch of miscellaneous work; however, I will post a report once I get behind the wheel again.

 

Please post a pic when completed!

 

I would like to do a trial fit with one of the 185s on my car but had no spare when I started my resto. The tanks now out so not sure if that’s why there was only a spare wire wheel in there.