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Corgi tire sizes

Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2021 12:55 am
by Squid
I recently acquired a Corgi 231 Triumph Herald with a split tire. Before I sent along the order to Steve Flowers, I measured one of the good tires. It measured 15mm in outside diameter, so I ordered a set.

The order arrived today, and I put the new tires on the Triumph. And whaddya know...they were a terrible fit. One can see daylight between wheel and tire! A return trip to Flowers' site showed the following listing:
Corgi small mini size fits Mini, Corvair, A60 Herald etc. 12mm O/D
Now I'm thinking that the Triumph maybe should have 12mm outside diameter tires. Either that, or the 15mm are substandard. One of the other parts in that order was substandard, so I'm hoping that's not the case with the tires.

What size is correct for the 231 Triumph Herald? Even better, is there a guide out there, somewhere, that lists correct tire sizes for vintage Corgi models?

Edit: thanks to anyone who can help after reading all that (sorry, I got a little verbose)!

Re: Corgi tire sizes

Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2021 2:07 pm
by Diecastmolester
The 12mm tyres shared with the Mini, Corvair, etc, are indeed correct for the Herald. The 15mm "standard" tyres are for the bigger saloons and sports cars.
Not sure whether there is a guide out there somewhere, but it would be very brief indeed - from 1956 to the mid Sixties, there were only two tyre sizes for the cars.
By the late Sixties they had added the slightly bigger ones that you find on the Batmobile, Lehman Petersen Continental, etc, and changed the profile of all other tyre sizes.

Steve Flowers quality is slightly hit and miss lately, but what is the alternative?

Re: Corgi tire sizes

Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2021 6:35 pm
by Squid
Diecastmolester wrote:Steve Flowers quality is slightly hit and miss lately, but what is the alternative?
Good point. Buying up junkers and hoping the parts you require are serviceable is the only real alternative.

I will get a set of the 12mm tires on the Herald today...I bought two sets thinking I'd re-tire Minis. Now I have five parts with no model to put them on, so I'll have to find a Corgi in need of new 15mm tires!

Thank you for confirming what I should have known from the get-go!

Edit: the Herald now has the correct tires on. They went on fairly easily, and the car looks much better and functIons as intended. Pictures and blog post a-comin' soon!