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Sylva J15/J16/Vectis front end clearance
guyschofield - 9/12/20 at 08:36 AM

Hi folks,

I'm about to buy wheels for my Sylva J16 and I'm wondering what size wheels and tyres people are running? I've currently got original MGF wheels from the donor car but these are too big: they rub the front edge of the front wheelarches with the steering set to anything other than absolutely straight ahead. What size tyres are you guys putting on your front wheels?

Also, the bonnet only just clears the top of the radiator mounts. Is this normal? Has anybody else found this to be a problem? Have I got all the bodywork mounted too far back?

Cheers!!
Guy

lordbenny - 9/12/20 at 01:27 PM

quote:
Originally posted by guyschofield
Hi folks,

I'm about to buy wheels for my Sylva J16 and I'm wondering what size wheels and tyres people are running? I've currently got original MGF wheels from the donor car but these are too big: they rub the front edge of the front wheelarches with the steering set to anything other than absolutely straight ahead. What size tyres are you guys putting on your front wheels?

Also, the bonnet only just clears the top of the radiator mounts. Is this normal? Has anybody else found this to be a problem? Have I got all the bodywork mounted too far back?

Cheers!!
Guy


I’ve got mini black plastic wheel arch extensions on my J15...not are they easy to fit, they enable a wider track giving the car a better stance and better looks!

Wheels CXR's 6.5inch all round with an offset of ET01 185/13’s up front and 205/13’s on rear.

I don’t know if you’ve seen it but the builder Jenko on here wrote an amazing build blog... if you are building a J15/16 it’s a must read... http://paulsj15.blogspot.com/2012/09/it-starts.html

[Edited on 9/12/20 by lordbenny]

guyschofield - 9/12/20 at 04:47 PM

Thanks @lordbenny, that's great.

I'll work out what diameter that makes your wheels but that sounds smaller and wider than mine which makes sense.
Yes, I've used Jenko's blog as a reference for loads of my build, your car looks amazing. Hope you're enjoying it!

Cheers,
Guy

lordbenny - 9/12/20 at 05:09 PM

13” wheels.

Had the car 6 months now...absolutely love it. Ive made one or two improvements and modifications but must say...it’s very well built and looks amazing. I’ve have 4 other kits and a few head turning cars but this J15 is on another level. Be prepared to be literally flagged down in the street and have people hanging out of cars on their phone taking videos and pics!

Kdempsie - 9/12/20 at 11:03 PM

Guy,

I’m on the same Compomotive CXR 13” wheels as Lordbenny. Front tyres are 185/60R13 for me with standard track. The rears are 205/60R13. My rear brakes are very close to the inner diameter of the wheel.

My radiator is pretty close to the bonnet too but clears by about 15mm.

Keith.

guyschofield - 10/12/20 at 05:52 PM

Thanks Keith!

I've just measured my wheelarches and even those sizes would be pretty tight: the wheelarches are really tight on the forward edges of the front tyres. I'm wondering whether all my bodywork is slightly too far back.

As far as I can tell, the only point that determines how far forward all the bodywork should be is behind the seats, where the rollbar and upper seatbelt mounts pass through the cockpit section. On your car, is the fibreglass right against the bit of chassis that has the upper seat belt mounts in it?

Cheers again!
Guy

Kdempsie - 10/12/20 at 08:02 PM

Yes the tub goes hard back against the rear seat back.

The front of the front wheel is a lot closer than the back due to the shape of the arch.

There are some pictures here showing the positioning.
https://jpsc.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1209&start=30

I can send some more pictures if they would help.

Keith

davetheboat - 10/12/20 at 09:16 PM

Hi All

My J15 is still in a long term build & not on the ground let alone the road.
During lockdown I got round to 1st fitting the bodywork. I found that the front wheel arch clearance was very small. So tight there was not even enough clearance to turn the wheels fully.
I am using puma wheels to set everything up. I know these don't have the correct offset but even allowing for that it was way to tight. In the end after much deliberation I moved it all forward about 10mm. the tub was tight against the rail. It all looks much better. keeping my fingers crossed I have not dug myself a hole!

David

guyschofield - 11/12/20 at 08:31 AM

Cheers Keith, that's great.

As with most things on the car, I'll probably have been worrying for nothing. I'll move putting the correct wheels on to the top of the to-do list and see what happens!

Thanks for the link to your build, I hadn't found that one before and I'm sure it'll be really useful. That exhaust looks amazing btw!

CC Cyclone - 11/12/20 at 01:48 PM

Good to see some other J15 & J16 builds in progress. I was beginning to think I was the only one.

Here is my J16 in current progress. I know what you are thinking, I have posted the wrong image, but no it is a J16. It is a long story. There is a build thread on this link if anyone is interested:

https://kitnet.uk/community/threads/xetos_gt-build-thread.211/


[IMG]https://kitnet.uk/community/media/04c18a88-bb9c-4332-9fb8-5edec79deb4b.1804/full[/IMG]

[Edited on 11/12/20 by CC Cyclone]

lordbenny - 11/12/20 at 02:02 PM

quote:
Originally posted by CC Cyclone
Good to see some other J15 & J16 builds in progress. I was beginning to think I was the only one.

Here is my J16 in current progress. I know what you are thinking, I have posted the wrong image, but no it is a J16. It is a long story. There is a build thread on this link if anyone is interested:

https://kitnet.uk/community/threads/xetos_gt-build-thread.211/


[IMG]https://kitnet.uk/community/media/04c18a88-bb9c-4332-9fb8-5edec79deb4b.1804/full[/IMG]

[Edited on 11/12/20 by CC Cyclone]


I’d like to see your car but that link just takes me to a log in page!

CC Cyclone - 11/12/20 at 02:09 PM

Hmm. I seem to be struggling with image upload here.

let's see if this works:



I forgot that kitnet is a years subscription, but you can register and view for the first month without joining. Worth a look.

lordbenny - 11/12/20 at 02:17 PM

WOW! I don’t know where the J15 ends and where whatever else is in there begins!

padrc66 - 11/12/20 at 02:29 PM

On the first J15, Jeremy used 185/55R14 tyres and on the vectis recommended 175/50R15 which are about the same diameter. I've used 185/55R14 which have no clearance issues, shown here:



i did put on worn 195/50R15 for the IVA to give me a bit more headlamp height but they were tight and did touch at some extremes of steering lock and suspension travel - i wouldn't be happy to use them all the time. unfortunately, this does lead to a shortage of options for grippy trackday tyres, i may change to 165/55R14 or 185/60R13 on the front at some point to give more options. I angled the radiator backwards to give enough clearance, you may be able to tell from this picture:



that last car looks amazing cc cyclone, tell us more!

CC Cyclone - 11/12/20 at 02:48 PM

It is very much work in progress and has been for the last 5 years...

It is the last JP J16 Chassis running MGF VVC running gear.



guyschofield - 11/12/20 at 05:04 PM

Thanks once again padr66: those tyres are the size I'm going to end up with so it's good to know that should work!
Your minilites look great, I was torn between those and steelies.

CC Cyclone, that looks awesome!

The bodywork reminds me of the Raffo Belva, is it from another kit or did you design it yourself?
When did you get the J16 chassis then? Mine was bought in 2014. I wonder if anybody knows how many Jeremy actually made and out of those, how many have made it onto the road?

Cheers!
Guy

padrc66 - 11/12/20 at 05:14 PM

Thanks

Jeremy Philips told me he sold 42 J15 and Vectis but he didn't know how many had been sold by the new owners.

CC Cyclone - 11/12/20 at 06:08 PM

I bought mine from David after he bought the company but it was the chassis that Jeremy made him as a control for future fabrication. I think only one other was made by Sylvia post JP but I might be wrong.

lordbenny - 11/12/20 at 06:29 PM

quote:
Originally posted by CC Cyclone
It is very much work in progress and has been for the last 5 years...

It is the last JP J16 Chassis running MGF VVC running gear.


Love it...it’s Lotus Exige meets Lancia Stratos meets GTM.

CC Cyclone - 11/12/20 at 07:46 PM

Sorry Guy, I really did not mean to hijack you thread about wheel sizes and front bodywork. It is not something relevant to mine

davetheboat - 11/12/20 at 08:26 PM

Hi All

Padrc66 What offset have you gone for on your wheels? Pretty sure the Prisoner used ET40 on 15" rims.

CC Cyclone that looks really nice agree its very reminiscent of the Raffo Belva a car I have always liked.

Keith or anybody else if they have time a measurement front the forward edge of the front wheel arch to wheel centre would be a great help!
Would be good to have a definite datum point before I go too far.

My chassis is a 2009 bought part built in 2012 The bodywork I bought from Jeremy just before he sold up.

David

lordbenny - 11/12/20 at 08:40 PM

13” Is the way to go....anything bigger doesn’t look right IMO

davetheboat - 11/12/20 at 08:46 PM

Know what you mean I do like the look of 13's suits the car.
But will they fit over sierra callipers? The kit came with rebuilt sierra callipers so had intended to use them.

David

guyschofield - 12/12/20 at 09:45 AM

quote:
Originally posted by CC Cyclone
Sorry Guy, I really did not mean to hijack you thread about wheel sizes and front bodywork. It is not something relevant to mine


No worries, it's super interesting. Lots of ideas there!

@DaveTheBoat, I'm hoping to get my wheels on in the next few weeks, I'll measure up the gaps and the centre to wheelarch and let you know when I do. Is yours a J16 too or a J15?

Cheers,
Guy

CC Cyclone - 12/12/20 at 10:06 AM

I do know that JP’s j16 was running the standard 15inch MGF wheels and tyres if it is any help.

CC Cyclone - 12/12/20 at 11:15 AM

We started out with salvaged parts of a fire damaged Raffo Belva. It has come a long way since then, the only I modified panel is the front hatch cover. All four wings have been cut off and reprofiled, not to mention stretching it through the doors 100mm to match the wheelbase of the J16.

The problem is it is very much ongoing, i do one thing and then realise it changes everything and something we had already ‘finished’ needs a tweak to make it all look right together. We have been at it 5 years so far and still not finished the bodywork mods. There is an 800 post build diary on Kitnet if anyone is a member and one or two videos.

Still a very long way to go, I must be mad.

https://youtu.be/fQYPZvmCOtk

Kdempsie - 12/12/20 at 02:37 PM

Guy,

I’ve measured mine and it’s 290mm from the wheel centre to the horizontal edge at the front of the wheel arch. My car is currently on axle stands so it might be a bit closer on the ground.

Keith.

davetheboat - 12/12/20 at 06:46 PM

Guy

Mines a J15 on ford bits. Have always assumed the wheel offsets would be different?

From the measurement Keith has supplied looks like I may need to move my bodywork back! Mine currently measures 300mm its also on stands & I moved it forward by 10mm. Fortunately haven't hinged the front clam yet.

Obviously need to look again at wheel/tyre choices to get the clearance issues sorted before going any further.

David

davetheboat - 12/12/20 at 06:58 PM

Just done a wheel size comparison.

The build wheel's I have been using are 1" larger in diameter than Keith's 185/60 R13's So definitely need to move my bodywork back.

Keith do your 185/60R13's clear the body work when turned to full lock whilst on the stands? & do you happen to know the offset?

Thanks for the help its certainly helping me. Hope its helping Guy too it was his post originally after all. .

David

Kdempsie - 12/12/20 at 09:35 PM

Yes everything clears OK through the whole suspension movement. I’ll need to double check what offset the wheels are. I’ll look it up and let you know.

peter030371 - 13/12/20 at 09:38 AM

quote:
Originally posted by davetheboat
Know what you mean I do like the look of 13's suits the car.
But will they fit over sierra callipers? The kit came with rebuilt sierra callipers so had intended to use them.

David


Many Strikers run 13" wheels over Sierra brakes. It is tight and some 13" wheels are to small but CXR and Team Dynamics pro race (if you can still find some) fit.

Kdempsie - 13/12/20 at 09:46 AM

My front wheels are 13” diameter, 6” wide and ET32mm offset.

Keith.

davetheboat - 13/12/20 at 02:08 PM

Thanks guys that's a great help.

Now to start the search for wheels



David

Kdempsie - 19/12/20 at 12:28 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Kdempsie
My front wheels are 13” diameter, 6” wide and ET32mm offset.

Keith.


I need to make a correction to this, my front wheels are 6" wide with ET24 offset.

I happened to have them off the car and decided to give them a good clean and noticed the stamping marks.

My initial email discussion with Compomotive was around the 32mm offset for reasons that I no longer remember.

Keith

guyschofield - 19/12/20 at 02:54 PM

@CC Cyclone,

Yeah, I thought so...and I'm not sure how!
I've got the same original MGF wheels on at the moment and they barely clear the wheelarches even with the steering dead straight ahead. I've ordered 185/55/R14 tyres for the 14" wheels I've got so maybe it'll all come clear!

Cheers,
Guy

davetheboat - 19/12/20 at 05:44 PM

Thanks for the update Keith.

I've tracked down a 13" x 6" rim with et32 offset (Mk1 Xr2) it should arrive early next week. it looks like ET24 will give me about the same projection as the puma wheels which may be ok?
Will have to have look in the garage when I get chance. On the bright side ET24 seem to be much easier to get than ET32

David

guyschofield - 19/12/20 at 07:26 PM

Hello chaps,

Sorry, I just realised I missed a load of replies, thanks a lot!

Keith, thanks: I'll measure up mine tomorrow and see where I am!

CC Cyclone: that looks like a massive but awesome project. Are you going with the K-series engine then?

Davetheboat: I'd assume the offsets will be different as the hubs are different but I've just realised that although I've always assumed the J15 and J16 bodies are exactly the same but actually I don't know if that's the case. Is the J15 and J16 wheelbase exactly the same? The front suspension's quite different isn't it? Did Jeremy use the same body mouldings without any adaptations?

Thanks for all your info so far guys, as a newbie it's great to see there's a few folks with these cars active on the forum!

Cheers,
Guy

guyschofield - 19/12/20 at 07:26 PM

Hello chaps,

Sorry, I just realised I missed a load of replies, thanks a lot!

Keith, thanks: I'll measure up mine tomorrow and see where I am!

CC Cyclone: that looks like a massive but awesome project. Are you going with the K-series engine then?

Davetheboat: I'd assume the offsets will be different as the hubs are different but I've just realised that although I've always assumed the J15 and J16 bodies are exactly the same but actually I don't know if that's the case. Is the J15 and J16 wheelbase exactly the same? The front suspension's quite different isn't it? Did Jeremy use the same body mouldings without any adaptations?

Thanks for all your info so far guys, as a newbie it's great to see there's a few folks with these cars active on the forum!

Cheers,
Guy

davetheboat - 19/12/20 at 09:23 PM

Hello Guy

Not certain but had also assumed the bodywork was the same. Cant see Jeremy going to the trouble of making two sets of bodywork. I guess he just made the changes to suspension etc so they matched? Suspension is indeed different both ends.

David

[Edited on 19/12/20 by davetheboat]