...you're looking at tires for El Caminos and Trans-Ams. But such is the state of affairs in 215/60R15 if you want that vintage look. And they definitely have the look down, with super simple sidewalls and vintage tread pattern. Wondering if they actually work, too.

There are the Pirelli P6000s in 215/60R15, and with an N2 rating from Porsche, but they are big dollars and people don't seem to love them. Eric Shea drives on P6000s, too, so that's another knock against them.

Has anyone run Radial T/As on a 914 for spirited driving? Research suggests BFG (read: Michelin) has improved the sidewall technology and one has to assume the compounds are better now, as well. I'm wondering if they are already vastly better than tires of the 1970s they look like, and going +40mm in tread width is quite a bit of added grip all by itself.

Anyone? Crazy talk?

Thanks!

pete

Not sure about them these days but the last time i dealt with them about 15 years back they were hard as a rock (brand new off the shelf) and had lousy traction, especially in the rain.

Good feedback above...thanks! I think they've changed the compounding since then, or should I say Michelin has?

I wonder if BFG could be convinced to do a "Radial T/A R" or "Radial T/A S" for vintage sports cars using the same tread and same molds, but with stiffer sidewalls and better compounds. A few sizes to make the vintage BMW, VW, Porsche, etc. crowd happy...like 185/70R14, 195/65R15, 205/60R15, and 215/60R15.

Doubtful, but a guy can dream...and, unlike the rest of the manufacturers who aren't offering anything that will work, they already have the molds and distribution channels.

I would agree with the P6000 comment, I used to run Goodyear Eagle NCT2 on the 911 and they were great, then I swapped to the P6000, OMG sidewalls wobbling all over the place on the rear

Might sound crazy but I currently have Marangoni Vantos on her now and they are great & had lots of size choices in 15" and put some on my now sold 914. At the time of purchase I was told by racing tyre specialist that they were built on the same casing as some of Marangoni's old racing tyre designs & just had road legal treads added. Sadly they are NLA and superseded with Versos

Timely thread.
My Dunlops are at the end of their service life, and I have been frustrated at the lack of tires for my 15x7,15x8.
I am going down tomorrow to order some TA's in 205/60/15
and 225/60/15.
Will keep you posted.
They don't make them in 50 series so 60's it is.

Now, do I mount them with the white lettering out?

Totally get the vintage BFG look in 215's. The first time I had my Alien out in 2004 I was on Yokohama's 215/60/15's on the front and I think 235/60/15's on the rear. Couldn't get a matched set of staggered tires so I had to change wheels to 16's. Got Yokohama's again. Burned up a set of 255/50/16's on the on the rear. Yokohama discontinued the size in 16's Had to change to Dunlap's to get a staggered matching set.

The T/A's are a great looking vintage tire. The way I look at it there comes a time when we have to just run what we can get.

Please do...

And if I go this way, I'll do black letters out for a subtle look. I kind of like white letters in some applications, but not sure this is one. YMMV.

pete

www.cokertire.com if you have money running out of every orifice.

So that's why I fell head over heels for your car back then. The car just had the look, and it had to be due in part to those beefy tires. It looked like it had just driven in off the movie set of the original Gumball Rally, and in a very good way. If I had a 914 with M471/GT/916 flares, I'd have to get Michelin TB15s on 15x8s and 15x9s, cost be damned. But not sure I'm ready to step up to the 215/55R15 TB15 on 15x6s at $2k a set—and I want taller sidewalls anyway.

The Radial T/As may not be as good for a sports car as a lot of other choices that look "wrong" (to me) on a 914, but...can they be worse than what came on the car in 1973? As for grip, the leap from 165SR15 to 215/60R15 would be +50mm at all four corners. I also suspect today's Radial T/A is a better tire than it was way back when. Michelin's ownership of BFG might be part of that, as I've seen indications that the sidewall has been redesigned while keeping the vintage tread and sidewall skin intact. I have to think the compound has only gotten better with time.

Or, they could suck goose eggs.

pete

Pete,
I was (half)way joking on the white lettering. Not sure I could live with that every day.
I looked at the TB's, but they are not in the budget.
My car is flared, I will post a picture after they go on.

If you mount Raised White letters out be prepared for "NASCAR" comments. Ask me how I know. On the other hand I have gotten a lot of PM's asking about my wheel /tire combo.

I now have moved to 5 lug and 16" - my NASCAR wheels/tires are in the corner of the garage.

Click to view attachment

LOL on the NASCAR bit. That almost has me wanting an extra set just for PCA events.

Have to say I really like white letters in some applications. Like this one... The BFGs are actually pretty close.

(Photo props to "The Man" Tilton)