contemporary tire reccomendations

dav1323 · #1 (**permalink**) 03-06-2002, 07:58 AM

I have a 1982 Contemprorary 427 S/C with Compomotive Rims
Rears are 10" wide. I am currently running 275/60 R15's and the tires a rubbing. Seems they are too tall. Would like to switch to BFG Radial TA's Want the widest width with less height, but i still want the wheel well to look full. 295/50 15's seem too short walledand possibly too wide. I also want a white letter tire. Any reccomendations?

48 IDA · #2 (**permalink**) 03-06-2002, 05:02 PM

HI dav1323,
I HAVE A CONTEMPORARY THAT I PURCHASED AND BUILT IN 1982. THE TIRES THAT WERE RECOMMENDED ARE BF GOODRICH TA RADIALS
FRONT P 235/60X15
REARS P 295/50X15
THEY DO NOT HANDLE VERY WELL.
THE 295/50 DID NOT RUB. I NOW HAVE 275/60X15 ON THE
REAR AND THEY RUB. I AM UNSURE WHAT TIRES I WILL INSTALL
NEXT. I HOPE THIS HELPS.

PS. HOW LONG HAVE YOU OWNED YOUR CAR? DID YOU PURCHASE
AS A KIT, AND BUILD, OR USED? YOUR CAR SHOULD BE A EARLY
CONTEMPORARY.

DON.

dav1323 · #3 (**permalink**) 03-06-2002, 05:23 PM

Don, Thanks for the info on the tires. My decision for the rears will probably fall on the 295/50's unless I hear of a better suggestion. Peter Bayer suggested the same size but "wasn't" sure. Unfortunately, I do not have adjustable coilovers in the rear. They are dual Koni coilovers but no adjustment. The car is an early car built by Supercars of Cold Spring NewYork and featured on the cover of August 1982 Pop. Mechanics. I recently purchased the car and look forward to the nice weather.
Happy motoring.
David

Clois Harlan · #4 (**permalink**) 03-07-2002, 05:41 AM

I am running 295-50 x 15 rears and 235-60 x 15 front. I started out with the 275-60 x 15 rears and they also rubbed all the time. I didn't have adjustable coil overs on my rears either. I really like my 50 series tires even though they stick out about 5/8" from the wheel well. I used them at the run Run and Gun in St. Louis last fall and had one of the better times with street tires and a slightly modified 302 (best time was12.86). I also ran them on the road course but was not as competitive as some of the other drivers were with 17" tires. Of course it could have been the driver!

I have now switched to a 428 CJ and don't know how the car will handle with my new set up until the weather gets better. Good luck w/ your decision.

Clois

Denny S. · #5 (**permalink**) 03-08-2002, 05:40 AM

My Contemporary is running 305-50's in the rear. I have no rubbing problems and 245-60's in the front. I don't drive the car balz out everywhere I go , but they seem to stick pretty well. I do have an AMP billett rear and quad koni's on the rear. I don't have much of a problem with them breaking loose unless I want to to loosen them up. My car handles quite predictably.

SCOBRAC · #6 (**permalink**) 03-13-2002, 08:13 PM

The Backspace / Offset of your Comopmotives are wrong for the Contemporary I think the Compomotive back spacing is 3 3/8.. I was thinking about buying some from Pete C. but upon inspection I found they "stick out" ( not backspaced enough) further than is specified.

Contemporary specified a 26" overall diameter tire and the 295/50-15 is 26.1". At this point I would cut my losses and sell the Compomotive wheels to an ERA owner or cut the wheels to a "custom" $ize..

Regards,