Original replacement tire.. what to use? Options

[tod914]

Looking for something as close to the original Dunlop SP for my car. As close
to the original size as possible. What do you guys suggest?

Thanks,

Tod

[tod914]

Jim, 75 is sold and went to Brazil, to a collector. have to update my data. I replaced it with 74 with 25K on the clock. Think the prior owner had 22k on it when he 1st purchased it. Unfortunetly I have to keep the miles down to keep the value up. Might end up selling it and get something else. Have to see.
The Michelin XZX I recall seeing on some 914's before. Mainly as spares. Being the tires that are on it now are brand new by the PO, I should be able to sell them and offset some of the costs.

[Tom_T]

Jim, 75 is sold and went to Brazil, to a collector. have to update my data. I replaced it with 74 with 25K on the clock. Think the prior owner had 22k on it when he 1st purchased it. Unfortunetly I have to keep the miles down to keep the value up. Might end up selling it and get something else. Have to see.
The Michelin XZX I recall seeing on some 914's before. Mainly as spares. Being the tires that are on it now are brand new by the PO, I should be able to sell them and offset some of the costs.

Tod -

Below are links to the tire sources which I've recently found for 165HR15's for my 73-2L, but many of these tires look like "sedan treads" instead of sport tires which would have been OE on 914's. That's especially true for the Vredstein's, so I doubt that they'll handle well on a 914. The Pirellis & Michelins below look the closest to good sport tires so far.

And careful web & physical shopping plus wheeling & dealing, can probably get a good set for less than their "list prices", as I've seen on some other 914 & 356 posts! Hey - it's a tough economy & sales are WAY down for these folks - strike while the iron is hot, as they say! You can always order them at a distance online/phone to be shipped & mounted/balanced locally - or just go to your local tire guy & tell him to do the leg work & order them for you (most will).

I've also found out that Dunlop is now a brand/marketing name for several manufacturers - depending on where you are in the world - with it just being a label for each, and they're Goodyear here in the US. Semperits are a label of Continental, but only in Europe. Kleber is & was a subsidiary of Michelin.

I disagree with the above post about the 914's handling characteristics being just "fun", since the 914s can build up a lot of heat & stress in just moderately aggressive driving, as one would do in any sports car. 914s have always been notorious for "eating tires" - the "softer" & better handling the tire, the faster you went thru them - for those of us who actually drove/drive them! And Dunlops were the worst for short wear, but boy were they sticky!!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Certainly my service records from my daily driver days attest to that! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

That is why Porsche put SR's on the 1.7/1.8's to exceed their spec. top speed with a 119 mph speed rating, and HR's speed rated to 130 mph to exceed it's spec. top speed of 115 mph. I personally was glad for that 15 mph cushion, when I got mine up to 126 on I-15 between Las Vegas & Salt Lake! Okay - it was a downhill stretch in the wee hours with no/minimal traffic, but still winding through a canyon! Mine has F&R factory sway bars & Bilsteins (now Konis Rear in `83), so it was at the upper end on handling of non-modified "street" 914s.

In my humble opinion, I would highly recommend HR or VR (149 mph) speed rated tires on any 914, and the 195/65-15's induce a minimal error & are enough wider to improve the handling, while still clearing the wheel wells (they would've been my next tires after the Klebers, had she not been hit 5/85 & garaged since). The 205's some teeeners use tend to limit the travel of the front tires in turning, ergo reducing the native excellent turning radius & response in even stock cars.

But like you, I'm now thinking of running down some acceptable 165's with a sport tread, and so far the Michelin XAS & Pirelli CN36 appear to come the closest - but my "personal jury" is still out on this issue! The choice for each individual owner is probably more exact-OE/concours vs. a bit more handling.

165's:
http://www.lucasclassictires.com/PIRELLI_OPEN.html
http://www.longstonetires.com/productPage....p;productID=739
http://www.356registry.com/forum/viewtopic...a51a07ed95f6cf9
http://www.longstonetires.com/search.php?s...chTerm=165+X+15
http://www.universaltire.com/
https://store.coker.com/165hr15-vredestein-...kwall-tire.html
http://www.performanceplustire.com/product...HR15#prodAnchor
http://www.americastire.com/dtcs/searchTir...d=15&cs=165

195's:
http://www.americastire.com/dtcs/searchTir...d=15&cs=195
http://discounttires.com/ads/brand/contine...CFRYiagodEXacSA
http://www.bridgestonetire.com/tireselecto...Size=P195/65R15
http://www.bridgestonetire.com/tireselecto...ze=P195%2f65R15
http://www.hankooktireusa.com/support/tire...searchtype=size
http://www.kumhousa.com/FindATire.aspx
http://www.michelinman.com/action/tires/fi...eRimDiameter=15
http://www.michelinman.com/action/tires/fi...eRimDiameter=15
http://ssl.delti.com/cgi-bin/rshop.pl
http://www.yokohamatire.com/Search2.aspx?t...65&tire3=15


I'm pretty sure that the OE tires & mfgrs. varied with 914s over time & even within model years. Here's a pic of the type of "sport tread pattern" from the Semperit spare which was on the car when I bought it, and I was told they were the same type as OE on my 914-2. It is a 165HR15 Rayon/Steel Belted Radial marked on the sidewall as "SST" & "V1", along with what appears to be a production date of 2-1973, and my next replacement set were the same or similar (long gone now) but called "401" on the invoice.

My current 1983 Klebers look nearly new, but they're actually 26 years old and unsafe to drive! ...so I'm in the hunt too & happy to share! Note that even the decade later Kleber has a more "passenger car" looking tread patten than the Semperit - so perhaps the 165 Vredsteins will handle okay?
Does anyone know first hand about how the Vredsteins handle in 914 driving??

Semperit "SST V1" 165HR15 Rayon/Steel Belted Radial production date 2-1973 from 73 914-2.0 - 2nd Set Spare:




Kleber 165HR15 mounted in 1983 with about 20k miles on them:




As Compared to Vredstein:




...and Michelin XAS:




...and the "Period Classic" Pirelli CN36:




Hope this helps Tod & others!
...the links & pix that is, not just my humble opinions! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[anderssj]

Does anyone know first hand about how the Vredsteins handle in 914 driving??

I've been running Vredestein Sprint+ 165SR15 for the past few years--haven't pushed them very hard, but they've seem to be a good all-round street tire (and they've been very good in heavy rain the few times I've gotten caught). Not as soft a tire as the original Dunlop SP57s, not as hard (slippery) as the Michelin XZX. They seem to wear pretty well--very evenly too--they remind me of the old Semperit M401s I had long ago. I think I got them here:

http://www.vredesteintire.com/products/SPRIN.asp

around 80 a tire more or less.

Hope this helps!



Hope

[Tom_T]

Does anyone know first hand about how the Vredsteins handle in 914 driving??

I've been running Vredestein Sprint+ 165SR15 for the past few years--haven't pushed them very hard, but they've seem to be a good all-round street tire (and they've been very good in heavy rain the few times I've gotten caught). Not as soft a tire as the original Dunlop SP57s, not as hard (slippery) as the Michelin XZX. They seem to wear pretty well--very evenly too--they remind me of the old Semperit M401s I had long ago. I think I got them here:

http://www.vredesteintire.com/products/SPRIN.asp

around 80 a tire more or less.

Hope this helps!



Hope

Thanx for the input Steve.

That pic of the spare's "dog bone" tread in my earlier post was a Semperit M401 or its predecessor (V1 - SST ?). I too ran the M401s until they had the M166's (maybe a replacement?), and really liked them.

If yours is a 1.7 which specified an SR rated tire, then Vredstein's Sport+ is okay, since it is SR rated. However, for the 2.0 & 1.8 914-4's they specified HR rated tires. Those relate to the maximum maintained speed for which the tire is designed. If you're in the latter engine category &/or souped your engine, then you'll want at least the HR rated tire by whatever maker available.

You should match the tire's speed rating to exceed your atual maximum speed potential, because it's also designed to withstand higher lateral forces - even if you don't maintain the top tated speed, & which is why Porsche specified a particular type (plain ole "R's" aren't rated at all, I don't believe). This is what I was told by both Porsche's & several Tire Companies' "experts" back in the 70's & 80's. The SR rating is for up to 119 mph, the HR is up to 130 mph, & the VR is rated up to 149 mph.

This is the link below, to that same place for the Vredsteins HR rated "Sprint Classic" tires, which you may want to try for your next set. They show $110+/-, but I've found them for $105 elsewhere on the web. So you might want to check the Sport+ prices at those other links in my other post above, to see if they offer a better price than at your link.

[anderssj]

Thanx for the input Steve.

That pic of the spare's "dog bone" tread in my earlier post was a Semperit M401 or its predecessor (V1 - SST ?). I too ran the M401s until they had the M166's (maybe a replacement?), and really liked them.

If yours is a 1.7 which specified an SR rated tire, then Vredstein's Sport+ is okay, since it is SR rated. However, for the 2.0 & 1.8 914-4's they specified HR rated tires. Those relate to the maximum maintained speed for which the tire is designed. If you're in the latter engine category &/or souped your engine, then you'll want at least the HR rated tire by whatever maker available.

You should match the tire's speed rating to exceed your atual maximum speed potential, because it's also designed to withstand higher lateral forces - even if you don't maintain the top tated speed, & which is why Porsche specified a particular type (plain ole "R's" aren't rated at all, I don't believe). This is what I was told by both Porsche's & several Tire Companies' "experts" back in the 70's & 80's. The SR rating is for up to 119 mph, the HR is up to 130 mph, & the VR is rated up to 149 mph.

This is the link below, to that same place for the Vredsteins HR rated "Sprint Classic" tires, which you may want to try for your next set. They show $110+/-, but I've found them for $105 elsewhere on the web. So you might want to check the Sport+ prices at those other links in my other post above, to see if they offer a better price than at your link.

Hi Tom,

I agree with everything you say regarding matching speed ratings and car's potential . . . . When I got the V-steins my car WAS a 1.7 so I was comfortable with the SR rating. Also, my old AmRacing wheels (VW offset) limited me to 165/15. Now that I'm running a larger engine, I've got a set of Pedrinis (and a set of Fuchs) and am moving up to 195/65VR15s . . . you know, modern stuff (safe and useful as Pat says) . . . . (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Best,

Steve A-