Wheel brand Calibre has announced the release of its new nine-spoke alloy wheel, the Vertigo, in 15”-18” diameters. The brand says the wheel is inspired by classic designs from the tuning scene, with “a deep bolt bowl and finely sculpted spokes.” The Vertigo “offers superb caliper clearance and light weight in a stunning heat treated package”, with a lacquered sparkle silver finish.
The Vintage wheel range produced by Alcar Wheelwright brand Calibre is described as a best-selling product. Introduced just over a year ago, the Vintage range’s retro styling has endeared it with owners of a broad spectrum of vehicles, from Mini Coopers through to Sierra Cosworths and a plethora of kit cars. The original 17-inch fitments have now been complemented by new staggered 18-inch sizes. Both the 17 and 18-inch versions are available in 8 and 9-inch widths and with a wide range of four and five stud PCDs available ex-stock. Blank rims for drilling can also be supplied.
VTS is now offering 185R15 Dunlop Aquajet tyres. Following some subtle changes to the tyre’s construction, the tyre technicians responsible for the [re]creation of this classic product have reportedly been able to increase the maximum speed capacity of this tyre from 130mph to well in excess of 150mph (240km/h) enabling the tyre to once again be v-rated. This is particularly good news for any six cylinder E type Jaguar owner. It now also comes with a reduced price of £149.00 + VAT.
Hampshire based Vintage Tyre Supplies have become exclusive distributors of the Camac range of classic crossply and radial tyres. The company says this is good news for many 50s, 60s and 70s classic car owners who will remember fitting them to the likes of Beetles, Minis, Cortinas and Anglias.
Beaulieu based classic tyre specialist Vintage Tyre Supplies has recently expanded its Waymaster range of budget cross-ply tyres by adding 500/525-16, 575/600-16 and a 450-17 sizes. The new tyres are p riced at £62.50, £72.50 and £62.50 (+ vat) respectively. Their addition brings the range up to 28 tyres and covers cars and motorcycles from the early 1920’s to the later post war years.
Vintage and classic specialist Longstone Tyres is saying benvenuto to Italian customers, and to cater for car enthusiasts from this part of the world the South Yorkshire based company has launched an Italian language website. Longstone worked with a translation company in Sheffield to prepare the www.longstonegomme.it site, and proprietor Doug Cawley states the website has already been a "great success" and obtained good search results from Google.it and frequent Italian traffic.
Vintage Tyre Supplies reports that “2010 is set to be a record year” for the Waymaster brand, and eight new sizes will soon be added to the line-up. These sizes are: 715×115, 895×135, 450-17, 500/525-16, 550-16, 575/600-16, 560s15 and 520-14. All of these tyres, Vintage Tyres notes, will “uphold the Waymaster brand values of quality, authenticity and cost-effectiveness.”
Those of you fortunate to have an example of the classic 1950s Mercedes 180 or 190 in SL or saloon guise tucked away in your garage now have a new tyre at hand for your baby. Hampshire based Vintage Tyre Supplies now stocks the new 640/700SR13 Vredestein Classic Tyre, a radial featuring a raised curbing rib and suitable for speeds of up to 113 mph (180kmph).
UK classic car tyre supplier, Vintage Tyres has the answer to that perpetual question, what would someone with a passion for older cars enjoy putting on their wall? The company has released a poster that details the fitment and pressure for tyres shod on British cars between 1945 and 1975, providing, in its own words, “an invaluable reference guide for any classic enthusiast”. Proving the supplier’s point about the poster’s indispensability, Vintage Tyres is offering the poster to everyone free of charge.
In other Vintage Tyre Supplies news, the Beaulieu based specialist comments that, in the current climate of “recycle and reuse”, the company is well aware of the need to dispose of worn out classic tyres in a responsible way. VTS reports that its tyres are always collected and processed by an ethical tyre processing company; many tyres reappear as children’s playgrounds, conveyer belts and even new car tyres.
Recently however, VTS has been able to use its old worn tyres in a different way, as part of the new “World of Top Gear” at the National Motor Museum, located just a hop, skip and a jump from Vintage Tyres’ headquarters.
Mon Dieu, have owners of the unmistakeably French Citroën H van experienced difficulties sourcing their unusual metric sized tyres during the past few years. To remedy this Eiffel Tower sized problem, Vintage Tyre Supplies has been working closely with Dutch manufacturer Vredestein towards the goal of reintroducing an appropriate fitment.
The vintage tyre specialist reports that the 17R400 Vredestein Classic is now in stock at £117 + tax and is the only tyre currently available for these important classic vehicles that combines the correct size and load capacity
Another member of the elite classic tyre fraternity is North Hants Tyres, which was founded in 1948 when company founder John Pettifor senior realised that there was a market for tyres and second hand spare items that were hard to obtain in the post-war Britain.
As well as reporting from the this year's Tyrexpo Asia Show, April's Tyres & Accessories magazine includes features on High Performance Tyres and Vintage Tyres.
Tyrexpo Asia
Reports from this year’s Tyrexpo Asia exhibition in Singapore have been positive, with show attendees commenting on a good turnout and definite signs of flourishing business despite current global conditions. Following a full schedule of meetings with industry representatives at the show, Tyres & Accessories is proud to bring you its 2009 Tyrexpo Asia review. A comprehensive report on the Singapore show can be found in our next edition.
Born to Perform
If any aspect of the tyre business can at all lay claim to coolness, it is the high performance tyre segment. Manufacturers naturally make the most of this when promoting their wider product ranges, yet the performance tyre sector is a very important business in its own right. Healthy profit margins mean companies are keen to see continued market growth, and the production of high performance tyres is increasingly becoming a means of continued existence for plants located in higher cost countries following the flight of mass-market manufacturing to other parts of the world. Don’t miss the May edition of Tyres & Accessories, when we feature the latest news from the high performance tyre world.
Enjoying an Active Retirement
As we get older we are admonished to regularly exercise our bodies, to – ‘use it or lose it’. Vintage and classic cars are no different. A full appreciation of yesteryear’s vehicles can only be gained by keeping them on the road instead of gathering dust in a static museum display, but for a full and active retired life, these cars require a little more TLC than average – including the correct tyres. Thankfully, number of firms have dedicated themselves to ensuring these tyres remain available long after wider volume production ended. In May, Tyres & Accessories returns to the world of cross-ply and beaded edges to bring you its vintage tyre feature.
Hampshire based Vintage Tyre Supplies has confirmed that, after an absence of more than a decade, the Dunlop Aquajet in 165R13 size – original equipment on many cars in the late 60s and 70s, including Lotus and Ford models – is once more available. The addition of the H speed rated tyre, which is both E-marked and DOT approved, brings the size of the current Aquajet range to six tyres, ranging from 10 to 15-inch rim diameter.
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