I'm looking to replace the tires on my 1973 S. I'm thinking 195/65 R15's of some kind. Who here is running them on a longhood? If so, what make/model do you have?

I have Michelin XwX's on there now (old ones). I'm not going to spend $200+ each for new ones. I don't really even want to spend over $100/each. But, I would like to have a tire without a bunch of crap on the sidewall (designs, letters, flames, carebears, whatever... you know what I mean?). Any ideas?

........ oh and here's a pic.



-Jake

 

What was the question? All I hear is orange longhood.

That's a question for Bill Verburg, I think. ....and this won't help much but still...

http://members.rennlist.org/911pcars/WheelWts.html

http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...technical-info

 

You have a car that is worth 6 figures and you're not willing to invest $800 to put proper tires on it, the most important component to proper driving and handling. I'd quote Ferris Buehler here but I'm not sure it's necessary.
Phil

 

Beat me to it.

But, you know, we all ran 205/60-15 as a street tire for a few decades.

 

Totally concur here. Tires are THE most important factor in a 911's handling and the last place to pinch pennies.

Its the ONLY thing that holds the car on the road.

After seeing enough (preventable) wrecked cars over the past 40 years due to poor tire choices, it always pains me to witness history repeating itself.

 

You can buy "rim protectors" at Walmart. Real tires comparable to your car's capability will cost you a little more. Once you have had good tires, you wont go back. I would hate to think how old those XWX's must be?????

 

You guys are funny!

Maybe I wasn't clear in my original post..... so lets try this:

The tires on the car are what came on it when I bought it (last Oct). I've driven the car exactly TWICE, for 5 miles, to my shop and back. The car has 35,000 original miles on it. BEFORE I drive the car anymore, I want to get new tires for it. I don't want to buy a new set of XWX's because they are old tech AND they cost ELEVENTY BILLION DOLLARS each http://www.cokertire.com/185-70vr15-michelin-xwx.html ... To recap: current tires are crap, not going to buy crap, and want a new tire designed in this century that doesn't look like they belong on a '95 Civic. (If I ever sell the car, I might think about putting "period correct" tires back on it. But, I won't be selling the car in the near future)

So... anyway.... anyone have any experience with a good 195/65-15" tire that they like?

 

take a look at these-http://www.vredestein.com/car-tyres/search/size/175/70/15/H, not exactly what you want, but they are" period correct"
Phil

 

Well, you were pretty clear in the OP. You didn't want to spend $200+, and preferred sub-$100. A quick check of what I used to run for a street size in a 205/60-15 mounted to a 6" rim on my '73S (back when they were $15-20K cars) shows various H and V speed rated all season tires for $60-80/per.

If it were my car I'd just go with the Yoko R compound showing in that size, albeit at $225/per, and be done with it for an arguably mid-six figure car.

 

Thanks for your input, Ken.

(Pssst.... just a hint.... the only tires in 185 or 195 width in a 15" tire I could find OVER $200 were the Michelin XWX. ) ..... 205 width tires are too wide for my car (in other words- I'm not considering them).

 

Steve, what would your opinion be on the "proper tire" for my car?

Thanks,
Jake

 

Hate to thread jack, but anyone here running 930 sized wheels on a reg 84 coupe. Minor rub issues with stock 205/225 sizes. Would most people drop tire size, height or just use correct sized wheels.

 

Purchased a set of 195/65-15 Goodyear Eagle Sport A/S today from Tire Rack. The HQ is about 45min from me in South Bend, IN. Nice folks there and they pulled one of every tire on my list for me to look at. Had it narrowed down to these and BFGoodrich Advantage T/A's. The BFG's are a design that is a couple years old and they were more expensive. They were also heavier. The Goodyears were 2lbs lighter and a better looking tire.

..... I'll let you know what I think after I put them on.

 

congrats. Tires for older 911's with 15" wheels are becoming a real issue and there are not many solutions. Your era car looks ok with the taller tire but the wider fender cars need a shorter and wider tire to look correct. I can find front tires but the 225/50 tire for my rear is almost non-existant.
I would agree that if you only drive your car on a limited number of days, the R tires or streetable race tires are the way to go. I like to drive my 911 too much to consider one of those tires.