New OEM style tires, Looking offer recommendations Options

[914Next]

All,

It's time to put a new set of tires on my car for spring. The ones on it now have only 8,000 miles on them and look like new; zero cracks or checking but they were put on the car by the previous owner in 2000! Time for a new set.

Definitely want to stay with stock OEM appearance and size since the car is all original. Tom you mentioned at one point the Bockley's at Lucas tire but I noticed that they say that they are new old stock manufactured in 2011?

I'm thinking of the Vredestein sprint classics. Any suggestions for better OEM type tires with original appearance? If not, I'll go Sprint Classics.

Thanks in advance.

[Tom_T]

All,

It's time to put a new set of tires on my car for spring. The ones on it now have only 8,000 miles on them and look like new; zero cracks or checking but they were put on the car by the previous owner in 2000! Time for a new set.

Definitely want to stay with stock OEM appearance and size since the car is all original. Tom you mentioned at one point the Bockley's at Lucas tire but I noticed that they say that they are new old stock manufactured in 2011?

I'm thinking of the Vredestein sprint classics. Any suggestions for better OEM type tires with original appearance? If not, I'll go Sprint Classics.

Thanks in advance.

Steve,

I would say that the Vred's are a good period look & correct size tire that is more economical, but for your "cherry" 73 2L, you may want to go with more period correct options from Pirelli or Michilin, or the Blockley period look of the Dunlop SP57s in correct size.

I checked with Lucas last month about the Blockley's being NOS, & they weren't selling enough to keep them in stock (probably not enough vintage Porsche, BMW, Audi & MBZ, etc. owners didn't know about them).

However, if you call them, they can order them via their UK sister company Longstone Tyres.

They also carry the radial Pirelli CN36 & Michilin XAS in 165R15 (HR & /80), as well as their XZX in 165R15 but only in SR rating (/80), or the period correct optional/upsize XWX in 185/70VR15 (actually used back in the day by the 914 weekend AXers & racers).

I liked the Blockley because it looked like the old school OEM Dunlop SP57 "dog-bone" tread tires most often fitted on the 73 2.0Ls, but made with modern rubber compounds & materials.

Contact Russ:

<snipped from emails>
Russ Willis <lucastiresales@gmail.com>

From: Russ Willis
Sent: Jan 16, 2018 9:07 AM
To: Thomas Trischler
Subject: Re: Contact Us Requested

Thanks Tom,

We stock the Pirelli Cinturato 165VR15 CN36 which is N4 marked by Porsche specifically for Porsche applications and that is a very popular tire for our Porsche owners and the tire we would recommend for that size and vehicle.


-----Original Message-----
From: Russ Willis
Sent: Jan 15, 2018 10:02 AM
To: Thomas Trischler
Subject: Re: Contact Us Requested

Hi Tom,

The radial Blockleys did not sell as well here in the states as we had hoped so the remaining new old stock items are all that we have left. New stock would have to be dropshipped to you directly from Blockley. I can get you quote for that if you would like?

Russ Willis
Sales Representative

2850 Temple Ave
Long Beach, CA 90806
(562)595-6721
(800)952-4333
www.lucasclassictires.com
<end snip>

Also, you don't say what the "old" tires' brand/model/size from 2000 are - but if they're period correct & still look CW level, then you could keep those on the original wheels to use just at shows & concours for judged events (not driving much), & get a second set of 4 nice Fuchs 2L alloys to put on the newer "driving tires" from Vredstein (165HR15 or 185/70VR15)or any others.

PS - You want 165R15 in /80 profile, or 185/70R15 - in order to avoid "ghost mileage" on your odometer due to the speedo error due to larger diameter tires in other sizes 914ers use for their DD cars.

Hope this helps! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
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