Has anyone snuck a 215/60R15 into a narrow 914?, Thinking about P6000s Options

[Larmo63]

You might need a set of these too.

[horizontally-opposed]

So the next stop was Vredestein Sprint Classics in 185/70R15. I think these are great for casual drivers who want that period look for a Sunday driver. I loved the delicate steering input, but missed the grip of a modern tire in corners and under braking. I don't think I kept them for very long...

[horizontally-opposed]

So I wrote a column for some lousy magazine about how hard it is to find 15-inch tires and got a note from an insider making fun of me. Turns out, he bought a truckload of the last Yokohama A-008Rs—and had already shipped a set to me. Wow.

So of course I put them on. That was about 2006 or 2007. Then the car went away for paint. The photos below are the day after Rennsport Reunion IV, so late 2011. The old-school A-008Rs looked fabulous, but were two all left-hand tires and, well, old and hard. They were older by the time the car came out of paint. I drove on them for a while, and the saving grace probably was that they were R compound to begin with—but I never felt comfortable pushing on them. And then they just kept getting older. But the car had to go back in for paint, and was about to come off the road for a new engine, so I left them on for a while as rollers.

Did love the look, though... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif)

[Larmo63]

Somebody is tire obsessive. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

[horizontally-opposed]

By 2012-2013, it was time for fresh tires. A lot of time on TireRack suggested that a set of Dunlop SP Sports in 195/65R15 might be a decent pick. Bummer was that they were all-season tires, but I reasoned that they were still probably way grippier than any road tire of the 1970s, and they had a non-alien sidewall design along with a tread pattern that didn't look too modern. Turns out, two people far smarter on hot rods than me recommend them to their customers, too: Rod and Gary Emory. And they were much cheaper than the P6000s. So, I pulled the lever.

Thing is, they embodied the "all-season" tire cliche: They're (kind of) good at everything, but great at nothing. And they didn't move the needle for me aesthetically. I left them in place while testing out the new engine and getting the car running, but they're about to come off.

[horizontally-opposed]

Lest you think I tried everything, I haven't. Skipped Michelin XWXs for reasons noted in a post above, and a whole host of stuff on TireRack because it looked like a dog's dinner.

I did, however, briefly consider two other options:

1) Hoosier TD 5.00-15 or 205/60R15 Speedster tires, but research suggested they are awful on the street until they're hot (not easy to do on the street, most of the time). Also, I hear the folks at Hoosier won't talk to you if you mention street use. That told me everything I needed to know. The Avons are well proven on the street, and are a tarmac rally tire in addition to a vintage racing tire. You won't get a lot of life out of them, but I figure I'll be replacing them on a time rather than mileage basis. Unless, of course, I just can't keep my rear end out of the seat with those Avons... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

2. BF Goodrich Radial T/A in 205/60R15: Talk about old-skool. Had been wondering if they were too Trans-Am/Burt Reynolds for a 914, and wondering if they had been updated, but just couldn't get my head around them. Still curious. Will say that the vintage sidewall, vintage tread pattern, and price make them appealing. Maybe even very appealing.

First Hoosier pic is a 5.00-15 tire on a 15x6 wheel, second one is a 5.50-15 on a 15x7R.

[horizontally-opposed]

Somebody is tire obsessive. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

Don't get me going on dampers. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

They're next, when the piggy bank recovers.

[Matty900]

Porsche lists the 215/60R15 as an N1 tire approved for 914-6, and I am considering them as they solve the too-small diameter problem I want to avoid. Currently, I'm on 195/65s. I used to run 205/55s and 205/60s, but all of these are too small in diameter.

I know the cars vary, but I was able to run various 205/55s with no rubbing and 205/60 Yoko A008Rs years ago with only a bit of rubbing on the inside (too much negative camber at that time). I'd be running these on 15x6 911 wheels, but may pop to have them turned into 15x7Rs by Weidman and do custom spacers. Big thing is to get a summer performance tire in there with, well, performance—and the right look.

That period look with any kind of performance is getting tough to find. If anyone has 215/60s on a narrow car, and can provide pics, I'd be very thankful!

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

pete

The car I just picked up has 225 /50 R15's on Fuchs

[horizontally-opposed]

Porsche lists the 215/60R15 as an N1 tire approved for 914-6, and I am considering them as they solve the too-small diameter problem I want to avoid. Currently, I'm on 195/65s. I used to run 205/55s and 205/60s, but all of these are too small in diameter.

I know the cars vary, but I was able to run various 205/55s with no rubbing and 205/60 Yoko A008Rs years ago with only a bit of rubbing on the inside (too much negative camber at that time). I'd be running these on 15x6 911 wheels, but may pop to have them turned into 15x7Rs by Weidman and do custom spacers. Big thing is to get a summer performance tire in there with, well, performance—and the right look.

That period look with any kind of performance is getting tough to find. If anyone has 215/60s on a narrow car, and can provide pics, I'd be very thankful!

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

pete

The car I just picked up has 225 /50 R15's on Fuchs

Wow, interesting.

That's a lot of tire on a 15x5.5-inch wheel. Have the wheels been widened on the inside? Weidman's Wheels does that quite a bit for the 911 crowd, turning 15x6s into 15x7s, and I've seen at least one set of 914 alloys custom widened.

[horizontally-opposed]

You might need a set of these too.

At some point, yes, I may...