Hello, I am currently trying to firm up on the replacement tyres ( all five) for my 1947 Rover 14 P2 project. Based on my research and trying to match original tread pattern, width and diameter I have arrived at two options these being, Waymaster 30 525/550 -17, and Avon Supreme 525/550 - 17.
However the Avon is currently not available and currently there is no forecast or even certainty if or when it may be available.
So that leaves the Waymaster 30 as my only choice. So the question is does anyone have any experience / feedback on running these tyres on a similar P2. Thanks for the help and as always much appreciated.
Waymaster 30 tyres on 1947 Rover P2
Re: Waymaster 30 tyres on 1947 Rover P2
It's a shame the Avons are unavailable and another example of the shambles of buying British at present. However, here goes. Over the years I have bought and used 'them all' with varying results. There are original photos from the 30s rather than maybe the 40s which show new tyres which are literally 'bristling' and I find it slightly unfortunate that, at any price, it doesn't seem possible to recreate exactly that appearance with any of the current offerings.
My closest escapes in terms of grip on the road have both been with Firestones - brakes locked, no adhesion on poorish (loose stone) surfaces, one a set of 525/550 x 17 on a 6 cylinder Rover and one 450x19. Maybe it was coincidence and as Henry Ford relied on Firestones , and his grandson married Miss Firestone, they should be good especially at the price - when available. They seem particularly resistant to sidewall cracking.
I had a set of Waymasters on an RM Riley, 6.00 x 16 and they squealed at every opportunity. However, I have a set of Waymasters on a car with 4.75x18 tyres and they display no failings so far other than not looking particularly period, a defect I believe the '30' series avoids.
I have 550x17 Avons on three 6 cylinder Rovers, perfectly adequate, no complaints. Other than looking the part and with the right name on them, do they justify the extra cost? I'm not entirely convinced but I would like to keep them on Avons if they were still available.
The make I have had most mileage with is Excelsior. They have proved excellent and my only very slight 'negative' has been some serious (as in, take them off and throw away) sidewall cracking in a set which were fitted new to a car about 25 years ago (not by me) which then did no mileage. The car had been in the dark a long time and my expectations were maybe too high but I have only seen this amount of cracking on the one set so there may have been particular circumstances at work. Apart from that, I have covered many thousands of miles with at least three sizes of Excelsior in 16",17" and 18" diameters.
However, at long long last, North Hants Tyres are supplying 5.25/5.50x 17 tyres made by T/T Roadmaster. I have a set of these on each of two 12s with 18" wheels and I can only say so far they appear very good. I have had other sizes of this brand and it is hard to work out what the extra money in Excelsiors does other than that I think there may be more actual real rubber in the Excelsiors.
(My father had many years working in quality control for a multinational rubber company and I remember him saying that if you wanted more real rubber in something, buy it from a company that made the product closest to where the rubber comes from as shipping it round the world was the greatest cost.. The makers elsewhere bulk out the rubber with lime but makes like T/T say"niylon:' on the side so presumably that's what they are made with.,)
I fit my own tyres and that has given me the chance to literally "weigh up" the differences among various makes.
Something to be aware of is that there are serious differences in the balance as supplied of some makes. I bought a pair of a well known expensive crossply which is not available in a Rover 17" but the story is worth telling.
They were to replace a worn pair of Englebert (Michelin) tyres I had from about 2001 and I wanted a matching 5 stud pattern. However, as supplied, the new tyres had serious out of balance issues to an extent I have never had with Excelsior or T/T. Extra weights may compensate for balance issues but add to unsprung weight as well as not looking particularly good.
I have a dislike of undersize looking tyres on older cars although too large a tyre can be problematic for spare wheel covers or compartments.
It is unfortunate that the single most expensive purchase for the older car the average owner may make, and have to live with for many miles and years, is the one that is not covered by the (European) legislation that was designed to help people make proper choices when purchasing tyres. I think the data from the tyre tests on the new mass market tyres does support a view that it is not always the case that paying more buys you a better product.
One lesson I had in that some 25 years ago was a set of new Dunlop 17" tyres I bought which were absolutely rock solid and a real bind to fit compared with a set of Excelsiors which were "just right" and with the degree of suppleness that you would want in a tyre. Given the choice, I go for better rain performance and grip over the other considerations and there can be considerable differences among the available offerings with a cheaper to purchase tyre exceeding a supposedly better make.
I hope you have several replies to this question as it would be interesting to know what a wider range of owners think. I also think it is a pity that the Avon Duotread design is no longer available as surely (if the sidewalls lasted out) these would have been the green alternative for today as we end up throwing away an expensive environmentally unfriendly carcase when it could have had a longer life.
My closest escapes in terms of grip on the road have both been with Firestones - brakes locked, no adhesion on poorish (loose stone) surfaces, one a set of 525/550 x 17 on a 6 cylinder Rover and one 450x19. Maybe it was coincidence and as Henry Ford relied on Firestones , and his grandson married Miss Firestone, they should be good especially at the price - when available. They seem particularly resistant to sidewall cracking.
I had a set of Waymasters on an RM Riley, 6.00 x 16 and they squealed at every opportunity. However, I have a set of Waymasters on a car with 4.75x18 tyres and they display no failings so far other than not looking particularly period, a defect I believe the '30' series avoids.
I have 550x17 Avons on three 6 cylinder Rovers, perfectly adequate, no complaints. Other than looking the part and with the right name on them, do they justify the extra cost? I'm not entirely convinced but I would like to keep them on Avons if they were still available.
The make I have had most mileage with is Excelsior. They have proved excellent and my only very slight 'negative' has been some serious (as in, take them off and throw away) sidewall cracking in a set which were fitted new to a car about 25 years ago (not by me) which then did no mileage. The car had been in the dark a long time and my expectations were maybe too high but I have only seen this amount of cracking on the one set so there may have been particular circumstances at work. Apart from that, I have covered many thousands of miles with at least three sizes of Excelsior in 16",17" and 18" diameters.
However, at long long last, North Hants Tyres are supplying 5.25/5.50x 17 tyres made by T/T Roadmaster. I have a set of these on each of two 12s with 18" wheels and I can only say so far they appear very good. I have had other sizes of this brand and it is hard to work out what the extra money in Excelsiors does other than that I think there may be more actual real rubber in the Excelsiors.
(My father had many years working in quality control for a multinational rubber company and I remember him saying that if you wanted more real rubber in something, buy it from a company that made the product closest to where the rubber comes from as shipping it round the world was the greatest cost.. The makers elsewhere bulk out the rubber with lime but makes like T/T say"niylon:' on the side so presumably that's what they are made with.,)
I fit my own tyres and that has given me the chance to literally "weigh up" the differences among various makes.
Something to be aware of is that there are serious differences in the balance as supplied of some makes. I bought a pair of a well known expensive crossply which is not available in a Rover 17" but the story is worth telling.
They were to replace a worn pair of Englebert (Michelin) tyres I had from about 2001 and I wanted a matching 5 stud pattern. However, as supplied, the new tyres had serious out of balance issues to an extent I have never had with Excelsior or T/T. Extra weights may compensate for balance issues but add to unsprung weight as well as not looking particularly good.
I have a dislike of undersize looking tyres on older cars although too large a tyre can be problematic for spare wheel covers or compartments.
It is unfortunate that the single most expensive purchase for the older car the average owner may make, and have to live with for many miles and years, is the one that is not covered by the (European) legislation that was designed to help people make proper choices when purchasing tyres. I think the data from the tyre tests on the new mass market tyres does support a view that it is not always the case that paying more buys you a better product.
One lesson I had in that some 25 years ago was a set of new Dunlop 17" tyres I bought which were absolutely rock solid and a real bind to fit compared with a set of Excelsiors which were "just right" and with the degree of suppleness that you would want in a tyre. Given the choice, I go for better rain performance and grip over the other considerations and there can be considerable differences among the available offerings with a cheaper to purchase tyre exceeding a supposedly better make.
I hope you have several replies to this question as it would be interesting to know what a wider range of owners think. I also think it is a pity that the Avon Duotread design is no longer available as surely (if the sidewalls lasted out) these would have been the green alternative for today as we end up throwing away an expensive environmentally unfriendly carcase when it could have had a longer life.
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DaveHRov14P2
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2025 12:20 pm
Re: Waymaster 30 tyres on 1947 Rover P2
Thank you for the very comprehensive and informative reply. I did consider the Excelsiors but discounted them on the basis of width as the section width of them is 4.5 inches which is more than an inch smaller than the other options.
The tyres currently on the car are Waymaster, however I suspect they have been on the vehicle since its original restoration in the mid 90's and although they visually look ok, no evidence of cracking / crazing, I suspect the rubber will have hardened and they will be flatted as the vehicle did not move in fifteen years. Since my original post I have found another alternative these are a Lucas brand available through Longstone, and from what I can find, I can see no adverse comments and they certainly appear to look right. https://lucasclassictires.com/tires/525 ... blackwall/ They are however recognised as a budget tyre.
So at the moment the decision is between Waymaster and Lucas but I'll give it a week or so to see if I gat any other comments. So far I have only had one adverse comment on the Waymaster and this was from a dealer of a different brand, but I can find no documented adverse comments.
Thanks and regards
The tyres currently on the car are Waymaster, however I suspect they have been on the vehicle since its original restoration in the mid 90's and although they visually look ok, no evidence of cracking / crazing, I suspect the rubber will have hardened and they will be flatted as the vehicle did not move in fifteen years. Since my original post I have found another alternative these are a Lucas brand available through Longstone, and from what I can find, I can see no adverse comments and they certainly appear to look right. https://lucasclassictires.com/tires/525 ... blackwall/ They are however recognised as a budget tyre.
So at the moment the decision is between Waymaster and Lucas but I'll give it a week or so to see if I gat any other comments. So far I have only had one adverse comment on the Waymaster and this was from a dealer of a different brand, but I can find no documented adverse comments.
Thanks and regards