Tyres needed

Shane Finn · January 04, 2006, 05:39:18 AM

Doing some maintenance today I noticed I have corded a front tire after a charity race day (on street tires - it was supposed to be a go slow day ;35). I am told that tires in the right sizes may be available (that is delivered to the docks in Australia) in mid March but no guarantees! However all the tires are shot not just the one front and would not last me until March anyway.

I need to buy whatever is available right now and see if it will work for my daily driver. Anyone know where I can get some 265/40R17 and 295/35R18 tires? At a pinch +/- 10mm sizing would also work. All advice gratefully received.

MADVET · January 04, 2006, 08:34:51 AM

You could try 275/40/17 for the front as they are readily available and only increase the rolling diameter by 8mm, not sure what you could find for the rear though.

Vette Obsessed · January 04, 2006, 01:51:20 PM

275/40/17's are (relatively) readily available in Sydney. Expect to pay around $300 per tyre (give or take $50) for cheapies (usually Falken's or Sumitomo's).

69 DIRTY RAT · January 04, 2006, 09:43:17 PM

Cant you order some through TireRack in the US and ship them yourself air-frieght? Thats probably what I'll do every 6 months!!!!

Vette Obsessed · January 04, 2006, 10:26:48 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by 69 DIRTY RAT
Cant you order some through TireRack in the US and ship them yourself air-frieght? Thats probably what I'll do every 6 months!!!!

Last time I had a set of four tyres airfreighted from tire rack it cost me about $500-600 in shipping (at least five years ago). Mind you I saved that much on the tyres the cost of the set was competitively priced with what I could get things for locally - and I had more choice. Got the tyres in seven days. ;eek

When you get to the size of a set of tyres you have no choice but to use UPS or Fedex which = big $$$.

If you can order them from tire rack and put them on a container you will be on a winner IMO (I kow that defeats the purpose of the time factor here).

BTW, ZEDohSIX, I have a spare pair of 275/40/ZR17's (worn -but I think they're legal) that you can borrow to get out of trouble if it is going to help you.

Shane Finn · January 06, 2006, 01:25:15 PM

Thanks for the ideas guys. I found some Toyo T1Rs in standard C5 sizes that will work for me.

When I air freighted a set of rims from the USA about 18 months ago it cost not quite USD$1000 plus AUD$200 for customs.

White88 · January 06, 2006, 04:41:02 PM

Hi guy's,
I got a quote from Tire rack for 4 x Sumitomo's HTR Z 275x40x17 the tire price was $88.00 each and $240.021 for shipping by Fed Economy (3-5 days ) all in US dollars but i thought was still cheap.As yet I haven't done it. Cheers.

Vette Obsessed · January 06, 2006, 04:46:43 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by White88
Hi guy's,
I got a quote from Tire rack for 4 x Sumitomo's HTR Z 275x40x17 the tire price was $88.00 each and $240.021 for shipping by Fed Economy (3-5 days ) all in US dollars but i thought was still cheap.As yet I haven't done it. Cheers.

That is a good quote. You will also need to factor in duty as customs will definitely "notice" an item that large.

White88 · January 06, 2006, 04:52:30 PM

Yeah that's what worries me and why I'm hanging on so long VO.

Vette Obsessed · January 06, 2006, 04:56:56 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by White88
Yeah that's what worries me and why I'm hanging on so long VO.

Duty shouldn't be too bad although I have to say that shipping quote looks too cheap. I was quoted $300US to ship a 21pound bar (in a big box) via UPS from New York to Sydney late last year...

If you can wait a few months you could have them shipped to LA and put on a container too if the shipping quote works out to be wrong (so you can save on shipping).

Love your sig pics White88 :v

White88 · January 06, 2006, 05:10:08 PM

Thank's VO you probably know them as they post heaps of good info on the corvette forum site in the US the first one is Ski_ down_ it (forum name ) and the other is Dave's C4. The white one runs 10.1 sec quarters at 134 mph, 434c.i.

69 DIRTY RAT · January 06, 2006, 09:39:03 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by White88
Hi guy's,
I got a quote from Tire rack for 4 x Sumitomo's HTR Z 275x40x17 the tire price was $88.00 each and $240.021 for shipping by Fed Economy (3-5 days ) all in US dollars but i thought was still cheap.As yet I haven't done it. Cheers.

Can I, Can I say it................TOLD YOU SO!
OR why not get another cheap US brand....no duty! They have heaps of US made cheapies!
Thats probably what I'll do when I get some drag tyres.....M/Ts or Hoosiers.

Vette Obsessed · January 06, 2006, 09:46:47 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by White88
Thank's VO you probably know them as they post heaps of good info on the corvette forum site in the US the first one is Ski_ down_ it (forum name ) and the other is Dave's C4. The white one runs 10.1 sec quarters at 134 mph, 434c.i.

I recognised Jesse's (ski_down_it) car and Dave's looked familiar. Haven't spent much time in the C4 section for a while though so I'm probably a bit behind.

I want Jesse's motor. :spook

(sorry for going a little off topic guys). ;-)