tire options for 15", street and track Options

[jmitro]

I have 3 sets of 15" rims, so I'm not interested in upsizing to 16"

I have 15x7/8 and looking for street tires (should be pretty easy) and track tires (seems pretty difficult). Street tires - 205/60R15? but I'm having a hard time finding similar size DE tires.

Suggestions?

[horizontally-opposed]

I have 3 sets of 15" rims, so I'm not interested in upsizing to 16"

I have 15x7/8 and looking for street tires (should be pretty easy) and track tires (seems pretty difficult). Street tires - 205/60R15? but I'm having a hard time finding similar size DE tires.

Suggestions?

I've got a long thread on 914world.com somewhere detailing the search for good street/track or street or track tires for 15-inch wheels. Ah, found it...
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...39516&st=20

I eventually went with Avon CR6ZZ 185/70R15s all around and like them. Would have preferred a 205/60R15, but the only game in town is the Yokohama A048. That's a good game, if the tread pattern doesn't bother you and 205/60 all around does it for you.

If you want period looks and good performance, there are two strong options:

Avon CR6ZZ in 185/70 and 215/60R15 (available in 2-3 compounds, from rally to race)
Pirelli CN36 in 185/70 and 215/60R15 (old looks, modern compound, tested well in Europe)

Roger Krause is a good supplier for the Avons, and I've been happy with them. Went with the hardest compound, as mine is a street car, and they still probably have more grip than some performance 205s...which are NLA anyway...and way more grip than an all-season 205/60. If you don't care about looks, or like 50-series tires, Toyo RA1s in 205/50 and 225/50 is another option.

Everything else I saw were all-season tires. YMMV...

[914forme]

I just pulled 11 205/50-15s in street / track compounds

G-Force Rivals
But I would go with the Bridgestone Potenza RE-71s

But that is me

[jmitro]

205/50/15 is too small a diameter; I want the tire size to basically match the OEM diameter.

Thanks h-o - I'll look those tires up. I've always like yokos. EDIT - great information in your thread above. You've done a lot of research and that helps a lot!

[Tom_T]

Try Lucas Tires & look at their UK group Longstone too, since they can get anything from there at Lucas, including Avon & Dunlop race tires.

http://www.lucasclassictires.com/

http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/index
http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/page/porsche-914

For street, I like their Blockley OE size 165R15 (/80) as a close match to what the original Dunlop SP57s were like & the Semperit M401/M501, & they also make them in 185s.

http://www.lucasclassictires.com/165VR15-B...Radial-504p.htm
http://www.lucasclassictires.com/Blockley_c30.htm

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
///////

[horizontally-opposed]

I used to run 205/55s, and would consider these 205/55s if:

a) I wanted to go back to short sidewalls
b) I wanted the performance and was planning to put a lot of miles on my 914
c) I could deal with the sidewalls (same as a 2012 radio in a 1973 dashboard)

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?ti...romCompare1=yes

I do hear good things about them...

[rick 918-S]

I used to run 205/55s, and would consider these 205/55s if:

a) I wanted to go back to short sidewalls
b) I wanted the performance and was planning to put a lot of miles on my 914
c) I could deal with the sidewalls (same as a 2012 radio in a 1973 dashboard)

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?ti...romCompare1=yes

I do hear good things about them...

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) Short sidewalls have their place. At an AX event, track day etc. I am totally into a period correct look. Fat tires with sidewalls on cars that were designed to run on them.

[Bgyglfr]

I have run direzzas on my narrow 911s and love them. I was considering doing them for my 914 too.

For DE you might consider RA1s. 225/50/15 and 205/50/15 for 7/8 x 15. Very sticky tires that have a good life span. I know a lot of 911 guys that run them on the street and get 10k or so miles. Again, short sidewall but that should help performance by shortening the gear ratios.

[horizontally-opposed]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) Short sidewalls have their place. At an AX event, track day etc. I am totally into a period correct look. Fat tires with sidewalls on cars that were designed to run on them.

I just wish we could have our cake and eat it too, with a 205/60R15 re-pop of the A-008 RSII—or that tire tread and sidewall design on the current A043.

205/60R15 is the perfect size for narrow 914s and 914-6s. A-008s may be a bit off on period, but they're plain enough and 30 years old—so I'll call them "period." They're what were on the cars by the time I noticed people having fun with them! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chowtime.gif)

[wndsrfr]

I have 3 sets of 15" rims, so I'm not interested in upsizing to 16"

I have 15x7/8 and looking for street tires (should be pretty easy) and track tires (seems pretty difficult). Street tires - 205/60R15? but I'm having a hard time finding similar size DE tires.

Suggestions?

I'm on Toyo RR's for the track, 225/45/15 & 225/50/15....I'm flared, dk about narrow car. Second the suggestion about RA1's for both street & track. BTW, getting the RA1's shaved for the track cuts heat buildup & squirm....

[jmitro]

great, thanks so much for the help (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

my car has GT flares by the way.

probably what I'll do is use 205/60/15 for the street and 225/50 for the track. The overall diameter is a tad small but probably not that big a deal.

[stugray]

I run spec Miata Hoosiers on the track.
Look up 'Hoosier SM7' (205/50ZR15).

They fit on my 7" wheels fine, so should be OK on 8 in wide as well.
(they actually work on my 5.5 inch FUCHS too, but not optimal)

[pvollma]

great, thanks so much for the help (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

my car has GT flares by the way.

probably what I'll do is use 205/60/15 for the street and 225/50 for the track. The overall diameter is a tad small but probably not that big a deal.

If you want to assess the impact of the difference in tire diameter (actually, revs/mile), then feel free to use my Gear Chart Program. It will produce a chart of MPH for each 200 RPM from 2000 RPM to your entered maximum for the given tire size.

[GeorgeRud]

With all the early 911s and 914s out there with 15" wheels, you' think some enterprising individual (or tire company) would make a batch of tires in appropriate sizes. They could even do a preorder program so they'd know what their market would be.

Having said that, a friend just shod his 911SC with Cooper tires and is very satisfied with their performance. I think many of today's all season tires may be the equal of the 'hot.shot' tires of yesteryear.

[914dave]

Try Lucas Tires & look at their UK group Longstone too, since they can get anything from there at Lucas, including Avon & Dunlop race tires.

http://www.lucasclassictires.com/

http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/index
http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/page/porsche-914

For street, I like their Blockley OE size 165R15 (/80) as a close match to what the original Dunlop SP57s were like & the Semperit M401/M501, & they also make them in 185s.

http://www.lucasclassictires.com/165VR15-B...Radial-504p.htm
http://www.lucasclassictires.com/Blockley_c30.htm

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
///////

I used Longstone for Pirelli P Zeros. 225/50/15 for my flared car. They were HALF the price of tire rack delivered.

[Dougal Cawley]

Hi

For 205/50YR15 there is the Porsche homologated P7 N4 http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/page/205-5...rato-p7-n4.html and a 225/50 http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/page/225-5...rato-p7-n4.html

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.longstonetyres.co.uk-20953-1490288338.1.jpg)

But there is also a 215/60 Cinturato CN36 N4 http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/page/pirelli-cinturato-cn36

But a 914, i think would originally fit http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/page/165hr...urato-ca67.html

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.cinturato.net-20953-1490288339.2.png)

then maybe after 1968 they introduced the http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/page/165vr...to-cn36-n4.html

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.cinturato.net-20953-1490288340.3.png)

[Justinp71]

I've been running Nitto NT-01's 225/45/15 on a set of 7/8 for about 5 years now. I love them, they almost grip too well the car always feels hooked to the ground.

This is what they look like-

[Dougal Cawley]

Have you thought about these http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/page/18-60...helin-tb15.html

They are amazing

[Mark Henry]

But nothing decent in a 205/60-15 to fit a narrow body. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)
Almost thinking I should sell my real 6x15 fuchs and buy the euromiester 7X17" rims.
I'll have to make the decision before I start my bodywork this fall.

[yeahmag]

For autocross I've had great luck with the Z214 in the soft compound in 205-50-15:

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?ti...romCompare1=yes

For street I run the previous generation of this tire and like it fine:

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?ti...romCompare1=yes

...also makes a decent autocross "street" tire. Obviously neither of those are a "60" side wall...