14" Track Day Tires - Do they exist?

Amongst the possible track day cars I'm contemplating is a Caterham Seven.  Most have either a 13" or a 15" wheel/tire package.  The car in the photos below has 14" wheels, which I think is perfect visually.  (The way the car sits on it's wheels is also perfection, to me.) The hang up is this: It seems almost no one makes a 14" track day type of tire.  And if they do, it's only in one size. (The car in the photo has a 195/60-14 rear.  I can't see the front size well enough but I'm imagining it's a 175 or 165 section tire.)  I haven't done an extensive search though so I thought I would ask the collective expertise here if they can think of a manufacturer that makes the tire in the sizes I would like. 

And yes, I understand that aesthetics shouldn't be my highest priority but I'm a designer and this car will be more than just a track tool to me.  Visuals always matter. (Within reason) 

Is there a reason not to have track day wheels and tires along with everyday wheels and tires? Or does the car need to look right on the track for some reason?

In reply to paddygarcia :

No room?  Whatever car I end up with will be driven to the track.  Don't really want to put a trailer hitch on a Caterham, though it's not completely out of the question.  

You can get a Falken Azenis RT6600 in a 195/60R14 but that's the only size offered in that diameter. Yokohama does the Advan A052 in a 185/55R14 but, again, that's it for a 14. For other smaller track tires, I'd also check Toyo and Nankang. I see trying to do a staggered fitment will likely be tough. Would slicks work? 

I'd also wonder what the future holds. What 14-inch track tires will be available in a few years? It's not exactly a growing a size.

Could you make a 205/50R15 work at all four corners? That opens up a lot of options.  

The car does look mean, though, so I hear you on the aesthetics. 

In reply to msterbeau :

Depends how far you have to travel to the track, though. If you stay with street legal TW100 or TW200 tires you could swap over the wheels before you drive to the track.

Demon Tweaks is a good bunch that has shipped international in the past out of the UK.

14 different 14" race tires

Nitto's

Toyo R888's

Hoosiers

Are all a google away from US sellers.

I think 13" is the usual go-to for Caterhams. That's what most of them will look like if you're talking about aesthetics. 

I'm thinking, w/o a lot of track experience which I can call upon, that a Falken Azenis R615K or RT660 in 195/60R14 would be enough tire for your Caterham.  Unless you are really, really fast or it is really, really heavy.

Don't most of these cars have a square wheel/tire setup?

Hoosier TD-Rs come in 14s. They are a bias ply race tire; many of us who vintage race use them. 

I did 13x8s with either r888r (225 wide) or nankang ar1 (235 wide)

We used the 195/60R14 RT615k for a little while. Great tire. And square sets are more convenient anyway.

BoxheadTim said:

In reply to msterbeau :

Depends how far you have to travel to the track, though. If you stay with street legal TW100 or TW200 tires you could swap over the wheels before you drive to the track.

35-40 miles for Waterford Hills and the M1 Concourse. in the Detroit area.  TW100 or TW200's would be fine.  I just want a tire that works well in a track setting.  I'm not looking for absolute best lap times.

David S. Wallens said:

The car does look mean, though, so I hear you on the aesthetics. 

Right.  This car's owner got it exactly right. 

David S. Wallens said:

You can get a Falken Azenis RT6600 in a 195/60R14 but that's the only size offered in that diameter. Yokohama does the Advan A052 in a 185/55R14 but, again, that's it for a 14. For other smaller track tires, I'd also check Toyo and Nankang. I see trying to do a staggered fitment will likely be tough. Would slicks work? 

I'd also wonder what the future holds. What 14-inch track tires will be available in a few years? It's not exactly a growing a size.

Could you make a 205/50R15 work at all four corners? That opens up a lot of options.  

15's could work with the right size and aspect ratio and there are certainly far more sizes available, but (again) I really love the 14's.  They allow for a somewhat meaty sidewall, which I feel looks good on older cars. Apparently there's a 14" option on the 420S but with a Avon ZT5 instead of the ZZS that you get on a 420R with 13" or 15" wheels.  I definitely prefer the staggered tire size look.  Some Caterhams have a square setup, some are staggered.  The 13's seem to be the preferred wheel size for track cars as they give a more progressive breakaway than the lower aspect ration 15's.

84FSP said:

Demon Tweaks is a good bunch that has shipped international in the past out of the UK.

14 different 14" race tires

Nitto's

Toyo R888's

Hoosiers

Are all a google away from US sellers.

I was thinking like you are - there might be better options in the UK.  Thanks!

Keith Tanner said:

I think 13" is the usual go-to for Caterhams. That's what most of them will look like if you're talking about aesthetics. 

Most have 13's or 15's.  I think the 14's are a better looking option but I suspect they aren't used often, especially now, because of the lack of tire choices in that size.  Story of my life.  I'm always too early or too late to the party.  

DrMikeCSI said:

Don't most of these cars have a square wheel/tire setup?

I've seen them pretty equally both ways.  I prefer the staggered setup.  The 420R can be optionally equipped with 175/55/13" front on 6" wheels and 205/55/13" rear on 8" wheels which is what I would do if I ordered one. Base wheel/tire package is 195/45/15" on 7" wheels all around.

Tom1200 said:

Hoosier TD-Rs come in 14s. They are a bias ply race tire; many of us who vintage race use them. 

Those might work, though they seem to be the same outside diameter. I've never driven on bias-play tires before. How do they compare to radials?  

In reply to msterbeau :

The bias ply Hoosiers stick every bit as well as radials. They are actually lighter (the 20.5 x 6.5-13s I run are 11lbs) and are a bit shorter tire, so you end up with lower gearing.

As for the actual driving experience bias ply tires move around more. I'm an ex-motorcycle racer so I'm ok with that. Truth be told I find them to more fun than the radias becuase they move around.

The other thing is they need less camber. Hoosier recommends no more then -1.5 of camber.

Note the TD-Rs don't have a lot of tread so they suck in the rain. I live in Vegas and we don't get much rain here. Typically I run/race in the rain only about once every 4-5 years. They are not in undrivable in the rain but again they're not great.

You might also look at Avon. They make a bias ply tire as well. I think it was their ACB9. I've used them as well and they work better in the rain.

That thing looks like a TON of fun

I say take the practical choice of going to 15s and give yourself the illusion of the ideal wheel size through careful selection of the wheel design. Wheels where the spokes extend to the very outer edge of the rim appear larger, such as Konig Dial-Ins or Advanti Storms, and those that have short spokes and stepped lips appear smaller, such as those purple "figs" in your original post.

Dealing with the tire selection in 15s in hard enough in this age of 17~19" wheels, don't make things extra difficult.

Edit: Also think about futureproofing. I'd bet 14s and 13s are going to dry up sooner than 15s.

Edit2: One more trick on making wheels appear larger/smaller than they really are: Tire fitment can also have a slight effect. A stretched tire fit or smaller sidewall makes the wheel appear larger, a squeezed fit or larger sidewall makes it appear smaller.

In reply to GameboyRMH :

There are literally thousands of vintage race cars world wide running on 13 tires.  I'm not expecting them to dry up anytime soon.

In reply to Tom1200 :

True, but there are far more golden-age Japanese cars running on 15s, so I still think that 13s will dry up first, especially for non-race tires.