195/70-14 on a 14x7 ?

[cozye]

My Z has a brand new set of Michelins on it, that I'd rather not replace. However I'm considering a 14x7 rim as an option. I know that the stock tire size should fit on the rim, but I'm wondering if it will look a bit off with the wider rim or if it will still look natural. Does anyone have this setup or a pic of a 14x7 rim with said tire ?

Thanks,

Eric

[ChrisZ]

7X14 Appilance with 195/70X14 Michelin

[5thhorsemann]

235/60r14 on 8" wheels

[cozye]

7X14 Appilance with 195/70X14 Michelin

Thanks Chris. I'm assuming yours is lowered and the wheels are offset a bit? Looks close to rubbing?

Do you think your tires look like they are being stretched out on a wider rim from the front or rear angle? Hard to tell on our pics.

Thanks.

FWIW, what I had in mind was getting some Konig Rewinds in 14x7, and just moving my 195/70-14's over from my stock steel wheels. That is of course if I can't find the factory alloys for a 78 to my liking.

[cozye]

I'm still researching. I like the look of the smaller 14x7 wheel, it looks a bit more period correct to me and gives the illusion of a deaper wheel. Plus the tires are a bit taller. the profiles of tires back in the 70's weren't as short as they are today.

Anyone else have any input? Chris, not sure if you saw my reply. Any chance of a photo from more of a low angle to show the width of the tire on the rim ?

[tlorber]

My car (the grey one in the pic) has 14x7's with 215/60's on them. Once I wear the tires out, I plan on putting on 16 inch rims. I'm still debating on 16x7's, 16x8's or 8's in the rear and 7's in the front. I plan on Rota RB's.

[cozye]

My car (the grey one in the pic) has 14x7's with 215/60's on them. Once I wear the tires out, I plan on putting on 16 inch rims. I'm still debating on 16x7's, 16x8's or 8's in the rear and 7's in the front. I plan on Rota RB's.

You don't like them ? clearance issues ? Does it have lowering springs on it ?

[FastWoman]

Wow, you learn something everyday. I thought the OEM was 15, not 14.

Cozye, FAIW, I'm running 195/60R15 Grids on 15x7 Panosports. The PO had 215's on those rims, as I recall. I had to go skinnier to clear the wheel well. Anyway, I don't think the narrower tires look weird on my 15x7 rims, and if they don't look weird on mine, the same width shouldn't look weird on 14x7 rims, particularly with approx 1/4" greater total tire radius:

I wish I had a better pic for you, and I'd take one, except my car is covered in snow.

Edited December 17, 2010 by FastWoman

[cozye]

My car (the grey one in the pic) has 14x7's with 215/60's on them. Once I wear the tires out, I plan on putting on 16 inch rims. I'm still debating on 16x7's, 16x8's or 8's in the rear and 7's in the front. I plan on Rota RB's.

Wow, you learn something everyday. I thought the OEM was 15, not 14.

Cozye, FAIW, I'm running 195/60R15 Grids on 15x7 Panosports. The PO had 215's on those rims, as I recall. I had to go skinnier to clear the wheel well. Anyway, I don't think the narrower tires look weird on my 15x7 rims, and if they don't look weird on mine, the same width shouldn't look weird on 14x7 rims:

I wish I had a better pic for you, and I'd take one, except my car is covered in snow.

Covered in snow? Sinner!

Thanks for the input. It may work out. Your tires are the same width as mine, all thought the sidewall is 20mm shorter. FWIW, tire size calculator says your speedometer reads about 3mph faster than the stock tire, so you can do 82mph instead of 79..

Also, I have to be a bit careful. The car is about 1" lower now that I put the eibach springs on. Definitely don't want to be rubbing anywhere.

I think I'll just end up getting the 14x7 wheels and try to reuse my 195/70 tires. If it doesn't work, I'll try something else

Edited December 17, 2010 by cozye

[FastWoman]

Yeah, the life of a daily driver... I'll have my car garaged in perhaps a year's time.

I think you're going to have to be pretty careful about tire rubbing. My 215's were approx. stock radius and rubbed on the leading lip of the right fender arch. You might need a lower profile tire with a lowered suspension. Dunno...

FAIW, I found a local tire shop that had a 30 day ride satisfaction guarantee. If I wasn't satisfied with my tires, I could exchange them for free. I asked if that included wheel rubbing, and they said it did. I actually didn't pay much more than tirerack prices -- less than $5/tire, installed.

BTW, my speedometer reads about 10% high anyway. I wish there were a way to adjust it. At least 10% is an easy number (e.g. 55 is 50, 66 is 60, etc.).

Edited December 17, 2010 by FastWoman

[ChrisZ]

cozye, sorry man for not responding, i will have to dig down and see if i have a photo of my Z from the back, my Z i also covered at this moment, not in snow but in my garage at my summer house.

Regarding the streched look, it all depends on the tire, so what you should do is to check the with of the "pattern" before ordering tires, my Michelin, is not 7" wide so they do look a tiny bit streched, on the other hand, if they haven't been like that i wuld have had some rubbing (offset)

Chris

[mgood]

Here are 215 - 60 - 14 (first picture) and 205 - 70 - 14 (second picture) on my stock height 280Z on appliance 6 1/2 or 7 inch appliance wheels. The tires are Goodyear GT radials (first picture) and 205 - 7- 14 (second picture). The wheels I purchased with the car when I purchased it new in 1976.

I went with a taller tire to fill the wheel well because my car is stock height and now both front and back are the same size, before the fronts were 205 and the backs were 215.