Austin Healey Tyres
Austin Healey History
In 1945 a successful engineer and race driver from Warwick named Donald Mitchell Healey designed and built a 2-seater sports car with a 2.6, 4-cylinder engine called the Healey 100. The car debuted at the 1952 Earls Court Motor show to a great deal of interest not only from the media, but from the general public, with great demand to produce the car. The car went into production later that year with financial backing from the Lord of Austin. The Austin Healey 100 was born.
The next generation car was produced in October 0f 1956, the Austin Healey 100/6. The new car had undergone more development than its older brother and was fitted with a 6 cylinder engine, hence the name 100/6. This all came about due to the Austin Healey 100 being so successful on the motor sport scene. As is still true today, back then success on the track reciprocated with success in the showroom.
More success and more development led to the third car to leave the Austin Healey stable. The Austin Healey 3000! Still widely regarded as one of the greatest British motorcars ever produced.
Tyre options for Austin Healey have long been a problem area. Original fitment for the early cars was a 590x15 Dunlop RS5, with the most common known radial alternative being a 165x15. Another common radial tyre size for the Austin Healey is a 185/70x15, with this particular tyre size being more suited towards the road rallying scene.
The best tyre option available in a 165x15 is the Michelin XAS, the best option in an 185/70x15 is the Michelin XWX or Avon CR6ZZ.
One of the major problems that the Austin Healey throws up when it comes to fitting a suitable tyre is that the cars are naturally very low and there isn’t a great deal of ground clearance under the chassis. To this end the major problem with tyre fitment to Austin Healeys arises with the fitment of modern wide, low profile rubber that is all to often too wide and low for the car, causing the car to have heavy numb steering and also bottom out.Through Longstone Tyres vast experience of dealing with classic cars such as the wonderful Austin Healey we have ascertained another radial option, the 180x15 Michelin XAS (designed by Michelin to fit the Citroën DS during Michelins ownership of Citroën). The 180x15 Michelin XAS helps to combat these issues. This particular tyre gives a better ride height being nearly the same overall diameter as the original 590x15 Dunlop, also the narrow footprint of the tyre will give the car a lighter more responsive feel through the steering. The differences can be obviously seen in the pictures below!
