255's on a Bora in the rear is an iffy proposition. I only did it for track usage as there weren't bumps on the track like there are on the roads. I never ran over the rumble strips you find on some tracks such as Watkins Glen 's inner loop. But I also drove the car to and from the events with those tires which were particularly narrow ones for a 255/60 series tire (they're not all identical) so it was fine on the track under load in turns. Those tires were great actually, as they let me slide the the car in four wheel drifts quite effectively. I didn't dare try that intentionally in any other tire at the time. Hand up high in the air, yes I've spun my Bora in a few turns! But if you were driving aggressively on the street and hit a bump in a turn those tires would squeak a bit and polish those ribs on the inner fender well! What an amazing piece of forethought in engineering that was. The Bora has so many remarkable design features for it's time. Very underappreciated. So I'm not sure 255s are a practical choice on the rear of a Bora. 245s are no issue with 1/4" spacers and the stock rims. The 235's on the front will rub the sway bar at full lock a little but you're never driving THIS car at full lock unless you're parking.
I understand that wbaeumer is tracking his Merak on 16" original BBS wheels. Tyres may be 225/50 front and 245 or 245 back on 8"/10" rims respectively. Probably he has had his suspensions adapted for better handling. Would be interesting to know his views comparing the original and modified behaviour. Image Unavailable, Please Login I also have the project of fitting 16" BBS wheels with modern tyres on my Indy. I probably will have to be more conservative with the choice or tyres and rims not to jeopardise handling as this car is not as suitable as a Merak or Bora for using wider tyres. Only waiting to have the car back from restoration to start the experiment and I will report there: https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/classic-maserati-modern-wheels.224404/page-4
Those 60 series XGTs and Gatorbacks let you get away WO needing different rim widths. I wonder how long those tires will remain available? Both are at least 1.5 inches smaller in diameter too. Based on my experience of several days with an Indy it can hardly afford to give up any reduction in diameter as clearance getting on and off of a drive on lift is pretty difficult.
For the Merak: rear 255/50 R16: 26.04 inches vs 215/70 R15: 26.85 inches, so 0.8 inch smaller diameter front 225/50 R16: 24.86 inches vs 195/70 R15: 25.75 inches, so 0.9 inch smaller For an Indy (or a Ghibli or a Khamsin) with 215/70 R15 allround original setup: if 255/50 R16 back and 225/55 R16 front (BFG Sport Comp2 makes that) is too demanding in terms of handling (and clearance) for these classic GT's, 225/60 R16 "premium" modern W-rated tyres, having practically the same perimeter than the original, would be the way to go, understanding that the handling may be less precise but more grand tourer. And vastly cheaper! To be checked. And maybe a discussion to be pursued in a "tyres" thread...
that is exactly the point i am making; the Bora is not a Muira, Countach or Boxer. I was referencing those cars as examples of cars that came out during the production of the Bora and Merak on far lower profile tyres than Maserati chose to fit to their Bora or Merak. In that if these Maserati cars would have driven better on wider lower tyres Maserati would have fitted them because they were available, and it was an easy way to impress the press.
Thanks for clarifying your intent. It's a tread that unfortunately continues to this day here with roads the keep getting worse. The tires have gotten better than the early attempts at performance improvement and auto manufactures have become much better at delivering much better suspension performance and comfort with these lower profile tires but ... you can't avoid rim damage and the subsequent tire failure when using such low profile tires. Something has to give. Those XGTs were an amazing balance and not having to use new rims was a huge plus. But that's a minuscule market nowadays what with so many of these cars becoming concours queens. Driving vintage cars vigorously isn't exactly the safest thing to do even if they are in tip top shape. I'd but them in a heartbeat but I'm not sure many others would.
build quality of tyres have got much better. quality control is considerably better, particularly with the better brands, where manufacturing to high quality rather than low price is the goal. Compounds are cleverer and greener. these 3 of the most important features all apply to the Michelin XWX and Pirelli Cinturato ranges as well. chassis design has got clever and enabled cars to cope with ever increasingly wide tyres and actually derive benefits from them, with the massive amouts of camber and adverse camber modern cars run. this is my Lotus Elite being driven hard (but rubbish off the start line.)
Always difficult to rate drivers or car setups WO knowing all the details. Driver talent and maturity is the biggest factor. Then there's just how much risk an owner or driver is willing to take with a valuable car. The younger guys in the cheaper cars are the most dangerous at the track IMHO. I tried to avoid events like that but I got nailed once by an event with a crappy organizer and some idiotic drivers. As one of the senior guys once remarked after my " off track excursion" "There's those who have and those who will.". He wrecked his car at that event the following year. It can be an expensive hobby.
I er toward the passive side. I cut my teeth racing pre war cars where you just don't want to come in contact with any one. i probably should have made a lunge at that 275GTB much earlier, but i played cautious. I was winding my lap times up later in the race, and managing to take the "No Name" right hander almost flat out, ended up in a slight excursion on the grass at St Mary's. But i only started to get a bit brave when i wasn't among traffic. I share that car with my friend. It isn't the fact that i can't afford a crash t hat is the restricting factor. It is other peoples safety, and the fact that it is a lovely car and i don't want it getting messed up during my tenancy.
