Hi Everyone, I am looking at updating my tires on my 1979 XJ6 only because they are getting old. I currently have P215/70R15 White Wall Elite series. I can't seem to find these anymore. Any idea what I should use instead?

 

Your car and every XJ (series I, I and III) delivered to Canada and the US right up to 1982 and the introduction of the (awful) Pirelli P5 tires had narrow-band white walls from the factory - so they are quite "correct" and they look very good on these cars. It used to be quite easy to find these in the 205 and 215/70 sizes but it is more difficult now. You might have to go to a different aspect (65)...Michelin made white band tires for the Lincoln town cars that might fit. Speed rating is not a factor in North America as it is elsewhere for insurance purposes - probably because there is nowhere that we can drive fast for prolonged periods! But a T-rated tire handles better than the softer S-rated.
Sorry

 

thx for the reply, too bad you can't get these anymore. They seem fine but I am worried about the actual age of the rubber now. They were new in 88

 

Dont know about correct, but there is a bit of discussion about tires in this thread:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...87-xj6-165348/

This is one of those religious topics like oil, spark plugs and fuel grades where I usually just watch the action Although at times I get sucked into the vortex

 

try Longstone.

They have two whitewall options and given pound weakness this may be the cheapest you ever get them. they are the 205s which were used before the 215s

 

My old 1980 XJ6 had 205/70 VR15, the V12s got the slightly wider 215. This was for the UK, of course. These tyres have got harder to obtain as the years have rolled by. As re65 says, try Longstone Tyres in the UK they ship to the US and Canada. They are actually based in the lovely village of Longstone in the Peak District National Park.

Putting on the genuine tyres maintains the original ride quality but they aren't cheap as they are not a mass-production tyre. On my car, I fitted Avons as they were a good price but the Dunlops were the original tyre specifically developed by Dunlop for the XJ6 in the mid-60s, (the XJ came out in 1968). I see that Longstone list a whitewall tyre, Hercules, and it is very cheap, compared to the others, so probably made in the Far East. It's cheap because the speed rating is low, but if you're OK with this in the US, and not tramping around at high speed they'll be OK. If you're not bothered about a whitewall tyre, fit the Avons. Hercules seem to be a US-based company, so you should be able to get these locally.