XK120 DHC tires

soapy water !! laundry detergent seems to be slippery-er.

Bob, you seem to have quite a long straight gear-lever there - Mk VII, perhaps? I have a straight one on my 120, but I’m pretty sure it is significantly shorter?

Chris

Chris,

You have a sharp eye and now that you say, yes it’s much longer than the standard XK 120 or 140 straight version. This gear-lever came with the car (in one of the many boxes with parts) and I didn’t pay attention to it until now. But probably would have noticed it when the body is placed on the chassis (hopefully this week).
So another item on my list of “missing parts”. Thanks for your input!!

Bob K.

Of course I looked at the archives. The issue is NO SHOP within 50 miles of me will install tires on wire wheels! I but my regular car/truck tires form Americas Tires (Discount Tires) and even they wouldn’t do it.

I keep two sets of wheels and tires. My usual for all around driving are new Dayton 60 spoke wheels with 185X16 Veredestein Classics. Great handling and stopping in wet. My concours wheels are the original Dunlop wheels (restored) 54 spoke with Avon Turbospeed bias tires. When installed for a show these are poor handling compared to the radials. We all drove with these back when! Concours rules under JCNA require the bias tires unless you are showing in “Drivers” Class D1.

Do them yourself.

Just called them. They don’t sell tires for older cars, especially in the 50’s. I asked if he could get 185/80R16’s and he said no.

Who is “them”?

I recommend Coker Tire, and there are Universal Tire, and Lucas Tires, all in the USA. I believe they will all mount their tires on your rims if you send them.

Lucas Tires will not. I’m not shipping them anywhere to mount them. The cost would just be ridiculous on top of over 1200 for the tires, then tubes, balancing, etc. I may just buy the tools and mount them myself.

Call Mike Sheehan @ (949) 646-0481. He’ll know someone in OC that will mount them. I guarantee there’s someone in or around Newport Beach that will.

When I was mounting/dismounting a lot of race car tires, I would use Murphy’s Oil Soap. It seemed to be the most slippery and easiest, and it’s also what almost all professional tire shops use.

Wheel warehouse in response to “Killer 58”. Called Coker. They have them so will probably have to go with them and mount them myself or find a worker willing to do it for a “tip”.

hard to imagine that in the car crazy world of So Calif…you can’t find a shop to mount a wire wheel…go to Cars n Coffee…find a wire wheel car and owner…
Nick

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That’s why I suggested calling Sheehan. He has a shop in Newport and will know everyone in the trade within 20 miles.