My 1968 Daimler 250 v8 had 205x70x15 tyres on steel wheels, and manual steering(very heavy). So on fitting wires, I put 185x65x15, hoping to lighten the steering, but the wheels LOOK TOO small.Only done one front wheel so for, but dont know if I should continue with this tyre size, or get 185x70 15, any ideas welcome

Go with 590/15, my choice. I love them.

Thanks for the reply, could you explain 590x15, im used to 3 measurements,

Blockley 185 VR 15
Correct size ,nice period tread pattern, this size should give the best balance of weight and feel with manual steering and standard wires.
Fill the wheel arches ok but a little skinny looking

I've got mine on an inch wider Aston Martin rims with Daimler/Jag splines,fill out the wheel arches nicely, but fortunately I've got power steering,
Hope this helps.
Regards
Stu

Fitted my 1968 V8-250 with a full set of Vredestein 185/80/15 tyres last month; an excellent tyre with very good road manners. In addition to that and price wise they are far more affordable than other makes being sold by companies such as Longstone tyres, who will try and convince you that only Michelin or Dunlop at a ridiculous price is the way forward. Which is absolute rubbish.

5.90x15 is a crossply tyre that is the original size when the cars where produced albeit the above radial size was an option. Crossply tyres will provide a lighter steering feel if the car is NOT PAS, but is of little consequence if you do have power assistence. Crossply tyres do have a tendency to pick up every rut / tramline in the road and will reduce the "comfort" element transmitted through the tyres whereas radial tyres absorb far more road surface irregularities.

If you live in an area that is affected by snow laying on the raod, crossply tyres will provide in some circumstances better grip purely to their profile and size.

As has been telegraphed, some owners love crossply and others prefer radial - it is personal choice and neither choice is incorrect.

Your car is non-PAS and the chpice of crossply tyres may well be the way forward.

Regards.

Richard.

So , 590x15 is the original cross ply size. ( what does this translate to in todays sizes), because 185x65x15 which I have fitted , seems to provide too much gap between tyre and wheel arch ,I didnt want balloon like tyres, but I think I've cut it too tight with the "65" profile.

"80" is the correct profile,for radials
"65" is incorrect
If you're 250 is a late one it would have had 185 HR 15 radials fitted from the factory, which are 80 profile
Early cars had cross-ply tyres

Stu

I discovered that Vredestein make two diameters for 185/15 tyres, so if you want tyres that don't look too small in the wheel arch, choose the larger diameter 185 HR15 91H. I chose them and I'm satisfied. They were a lot cheaper than Michelin XAS.
Be careful that large diameter tyres don't touch the body on bumps or corners, but I think original crossply tyres were probably about the same diameter. Wider tyres might touch something. When my car had Pirelli Cinturato 165/15 tyres they looked much too small.

guitarman1951 wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2019 8:18 pm Thanks for the reply, could you explain 590x15, im used to 3 measurements,

Original crossply tyres have only 2 measurements.

Josef Eckert wrote: ↑Sun Mar 17, 2019 2:45 pm

guitarman1951 wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2019 8:18 pm Thanks for the reply, could you explain 590x15, im used to 3 measurements,

Original crossply tyres have only 2 measurements.

Just to elucidate further, crossply tyre sizes are are specified in inches. The first number specifies the width of the tyre in inches, although these days the decimal point is usually omitted, and the second the wheel diameter. Thus a 590x15 is 5.9" wide and fits a 15" wheel.

Just to be perverse, radial tyres are specified in a combination of metric and imperial values, the width being measured in mm but the wheel diameter is still measured in inches; so a 185R15 is 185mm wide and fits a 15" wheel (the R indicating a radial tyre).

Additionally radial tyres come in a range of aspect ratios where a number following the section width represents the height of the sidewall as a percentage of the width. For example a 185/70R15 tyre has a sidewall height 70% of the width. If this number is omitted then the tyre can be assumed to have a sidewall height of roughly 80% to 83% of the width.

Crossply tyres are rarely available in different aspect ratios, the sidewall usually being between 90% and 100% of the width.