I've been searching around for low profile & semi performance tires in a 13". I'll never need all of the performance, just want the low profile sidewall (smallest diameter for lowering). So far the best selection & price seems to be from Tire Rack.

Has anyone dealt with Tire Rack before?

Looks like two choices: Sumitomo HTR200 & Yokohama AdvanAO32R

Sumi - 175/50HR13 w/ 20" diameter for $42 ea

Yoko - 175/60HR13 w/ 21.3" dia. for $110 ea

I have Sumi 185/60 HTR100's on one 1200 right now w/ no complaints yet (no rain use yet). The Yoko Advans had rave online reviews though.

I'm open to anyone's experience & opinions. (on tires )

Also will be needing low pro 12's soon. Haven't found ANY yet.

i'm surprised you found any. Ever seen any 195/50/14? or something lower profile than 195/60/14? ( but not 195/55/14 those are fairly easy.)

The nominal diameter for the original 600 x 12 tyres as used on 1200's is 574mm & generally speaking, this is close to the minimum recomended diameter to use.

The 175/50/13 tyre at 20" OD equals about 500mm & this is a reduction in diameter of about 75mm or 3" This in turn would bring the car down by half this figure, or 1-1/2" But it also leaves a 1-1/2" bigger gap between the top of the tyre & the fender, which some regard as an unatractive look.

This reduces the diameter by about 13% compared to a stock tyre which has a direct bearing on the overall gear ratio if used on the rear. It will accelerate like stink, but highway cruise would definately be a problem.

175/60/13's are 540mm in diameter which looks like a 6% reduction from stock while the 185/60/13 is nominally 552mm. This is only 4% smaller & is regarded by many as the best balance of size, price, availability, & apearance for the 1200 by a good many owners,.... & I agree.

If you want the car to be lower, I suggest that you look for some lower set springs, & these can usually be found without overmuch trouble. While you are changing them, take the chance to upgrade the shocks if yours are in any way sub standard.

Don't know how the fender gap was on the older cars stock, i lowered mine a lot. Pedders 1.5 ( or 2" dunno now ) in the back and it still sits high when unloaded. I have at least 1.5" or more lower in the front. but i have coilovers and this is actually about mid way on the adjustment, I could get it lower, but then i'd have to drive very slow all the time.

Dodgeman, what would happen to the accel & final gear if I went w/ the shortest tire but added the 210 5 spd? I know there are various gearings, but generally speaking. Also, since the speedo will be way off, is there an aftermarket solution to getting an accurate speed for me to read, thereby reducing more tickets? Thanks for any info. I'm buried deep inside the tech section lately & only come out for a wiz & more beer.

That gap above the tire, that won't be there when all's done.

Thanks again all for the tech section. I've used up a complete ink cartridge printing stuff out.

i've delt with tirerack and I never had any problems with them, in fact one of they guys at tirerack had a 1200. I ordered a set of 185-60-14's (sumi) and a set of 185-55-14's (pirelli). auto x's like the sumi 200's.

one more thing, a local has a sedan w the 210 5-speed, 175-50-13 Ao32r's and according to him, running that set up is like having the stock wheels and 4-speed. However I could not confirm this since I did not ride or drive the car myself.

Quote:Well, with a 13% smaller diameter & approximately 13% shorter circumference, I guess you will have 13% shorter gearing overall & I don't think that the 210 five speed has a 13% overdrive ratio, so you will be still falling short. A 3.54 to ! diff might help, but personally, i'm not a fan of tiny tyres as they, in my view, make the car look funny.

Here's a thought. Cut out two 20" cardboard discs & paint tyre a of the correct wall section on them. Jack up the car, remove the wheels from one side only Then lower the jacks to put the body at the desired ride height, place your new cardboard wheels & tyres under the wheel arches & take some digital photos, then refit the wheels.

Load the pics on your computer & 'view as slideshow' View them on & off for a couple of days & see how you feel about the overall look.
Might save you some financial grief later on.

I bought tires from Tire Rack, they arrived quickly and as promised.

I want a set of 60-series 12s ... like the good old days of roller-skate wheels.

I have the opposite problem here...13" tyres are plentiful in loads of sizes but 13" rims in a decent RWD offset are hard to come by. I've gone to 14's with 185/50x14's. I haven't measured the rolling diameter but at a guess i'd say it was a little smaller than stock. 12" rims are not that common here now and neither are decent tyres to fit them.

-Ed