Is that a Frank Lloyd Wright? Which and where?

PS Your black car looks awesome with those wheels.

 

I'd say get the fattest 17s you can get your hands on. 18 might look good with the right design. Also seems the larger diameter you go, the car needs to be lowered just a touch in front to make it look right. Not sure if / how this affects handling and / or alignment. I'm sure a good shop could probably compensate for it.

 

So did the XJS always come as factory standard 16" rims?

 

Started with 15" - forget what you call them - same type as on the early XJ6. Then came the chunky 'starfish' alloys. Then the BBS style basket weaves in 15" and rare 16" - then the 5 star alloys and the various 20 spoke versions with the facelift. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong. Going from memory drooling over the brochures.

 

I think mine would be considered the "chunky starfish alloys" ? Sorry my signature pic is small but you can see em if you look carefully. is that them?

Heh so when did they start bringing out the XJS in the Lattice Alloy (like in this pic i found on the net) and were they 15 inches?

 

The ones on your sig pic are the starfish alloys... The Lattice are available in 15 AND 16". Though I think 16" was only offered on the facelift (though will fit the prefacelift).

If I remember correctly, they were introduced with the sports pack on the 3.6l. So that should be around 84(!?)

 

thanks Daim

so, do you guys have preferences for tyre brands that you 'd swear by?

eg. Toyo, Goodyear, Pirelli etc?

A friend of mine was teaching me today that the XJS came standard with 70's. How wide have you guys gone with replacement tyres? Does it affect performance?

I understand you change your wheel height, it affects speedometer but what about width?

 

My XJ-S has Toyo at the front, Pirelli at the rear. Don't ask me what Toyos but the Pirellis are P6000 (not P600). Size all round: 225/60 R15. The speedo is off by about 4 mph (last time I checked which was as I drove her from the UK to Germany).

If I can get my hands on some, I'll be looking into Hankook or Kumho (am very satisfied with their tyres on other cars) but the 235/60 R15 (original size for the Lattice rims under V12 power) tyres are such a rare size... I doubt anyone else other than Pirelli with the P600 make normal car tyres. The size is a common 4x4 size... But you can't really fit those tyres to an XJ-S

 

I just put a fresh set of 215 70 15s on my starfish rims (also have a set of BBS lattice 15s). I've run 225 60 15s in the past because it was and is more difficult finding a 150+ mph speed rated 215 70 15. At the time, I was able to find a somewhat reasonably priced z rated 225 60 15, and I'd been running the car at track days, not racing but more like HPDE. Still, the car would be running over 120 mph on the course back straight. At any rate, the 225 60 15s I ran on the track were a BF Goodrich z rated tire and they took the abuse of extended periods at high speed and hard braking and cornering. Of course, they also left the track with the wear you'd expect.

Caveat is that this was on a light-weight 84 xj-s 3.6 stick shift, not a heavier v12 car. I would focus on speed rating and handling characteristics more than manufacturer, generally.

Rob

 

thanks for the advice Daim and RRT

Ok so sorry to divert a little, but in regards to rims, are the bolt patterns given a code or a particular number, or do you just have to go by measurements? I mean like a tyre has its number as we mentioned (eg. 215/70 15) so how do you describe bolt patterns and were the XJS bolt patterns the same for Starfish as they were for lattice alloys?

 

Thanks!
It's actually brooklands green. The only brg-type color from the factory in 1991. It's a pretty dark green, and overcast, at least in the house photo.

And yes! It's the stockman house in mason city Iowa. It wasn't a destination, but we were just driving through on our way across the country, and saw a sign that said "Frank Lloyd wright house this way", so we went.
Good eye! It's nice to see that we jag owners aren't only into our cars.

Oh, to stay on thread topic, pauly, I've been using michelins all around now. You pay a premium, but for ride/noise/grip/wear I don't think they can be beat.
(Not sure they exist in the 15in sizes required though)

 

The bolt pattern is 5x4.75. Or 5x120.65 for those who are metrically inclined.


5x120.65 is not the same as 5x120. But, there are those on the forum who have used them. Do a search, you'll find some of the approaches for using 5x120.

The xjs uses the same pattern throughout its production history. Along with some other jaguar models.

See here:

http://www.ebay.com/gds/Wheel-bolt-p...9549999/g.html

 

Here are a couple of references: Jaguar _ Vehicle Bolt Pattern Reference

MotorcarsLtd.com Used Jaguar Wheels & Salvage - Motorcars Ltd.

Pretty sure the 16"s were only on the last couple of years of XJS (other than the special ed. alloy lattice mentioned earlier). My 1992 facelift came from the factory with lattice 15x6.5 wearing 235/60-15 Pirellis. Has BF Goodrich Comp T/A now in same size. Search the XJS forum for lots of talk about wheels.

 

the wide tire look accented!! plus an exhaust you can hear.

might be a little over the top,tho.

 

the sportspack with Lattice alloys (called Sports alloys) was introduced in 1987 (in Autumn, I believe)

The 3.6 models between 1983-1987, before the sportspack, were fitted with pepperpots alloys
the 235/60 with Lattice alloys were fitted first in the 3.6, and then in the V12 (beginning of 1988)

 

That's why I wrote "(!?)"

I wasn't sure, that is why I speced the V12

 

cheers guys

 

I don't think I have ever seen a 20" wheel available factory on even a facelift model XJS, I have original brochures for 1994, 1995, and 1996 and the largest wheel any of them list is a 16", in fact by '95 and '96 all of the wheels was 16" according to the brochures, the only difference was which style you get.


I fact I have a question that my brochures don't mention specifically (just says not all wheels are available on all models). Are these wheels ONLY available on the V12?

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...2&l=38fc077be8

 

20" wasn't mentioned but 20 spoke was, they are 16" & they were fitted to the last of the line V12 cars IIRC.

Rgds.

A.

 

damn i just googled the 20 spoke. They look nice !