Hi Guys,
I just got my wheel's back from Fuchs Restorations and I want to get everyone's opinions about which tire looks the best on the wheel.
I have Pirelli P4 195/65 - 15's on the '74 and they look ok but what do you guys think look the best? Continentals? Perielli? Michelin? Dunlop? Something else?
I want to stay with a modern tire and I'm flexible on the size so long as they fit within the stock fenders.
I know the question about tires has been asked many times before but, I'm looking at it from a performance AND looks standpoint.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Mike

To each their own, but best looking/best performing tire in a 195/65R15 is probably the Pirelli P6000 N-spec. They are too expensive (!!!), but they may be the only summer performance tire in that size right now, the sidewall bulge is very (!) nice, and there's a factory/Euro-ish vibe to the tire despite the more modern tread pattern and sidewalls.

After that, I'd probably look at Michelin, but they'll be "normal" tires. So few choices in 195/65R15.

185/70R15 gives you access to the Avon CR6ZZ and Pirelli CN36, both of which look period correct and perform well—but if you want to fill the fenders, 195/65 is better. Or you go up in width and down a bit on OD its vintage BFG Radial T/As…and I hear very good things from a friend who runs his 912 hot rod hard and knows his 914s and 911s too.

These might also be okay. Sidewall looks pretty simple, but they're all-seasons, too...

How do the wheels look after restoration?

Our rust free project came with 195 15 tires. The front inner fender wells are scraped up from tire contact. They have decent tread but are some off brand. When I get her running I am thinking a 175/70. I have never been a fan of wide tires. If I recall the stock size is 165 15.

@930cabman Here's a before and after picture of them. I have new center caps that are not all beat up.
I like the stock look that they were restored to.
@horizontally-opposed I like the Perelli P6000's as well but, you're right, very expensive. I will take a look at the Michelins as well. The Sumitomo's for 85.00 are almost worth just testing out.

Your wheels look fantastic!

I almost hate to say this, but…

The right tires are not only critical to a 914's performance, they can have a major impact on its aesthetics. This, spoken from experience—and I don't want to discuss how many tire sets I went through on my way to Avons.*

*But the cost would have covered the delta to a set of Avons or P6000s.

Back when I was four bolt I ran 195/65-15 on fuchs no problem.

Now I'm 5 bolt and I run both 205/60-15 (on fuchs) and 205/55-15 (cookies) but they are a wider 6" rim.
A bit on the short side but I like the 205/55 because they are a Mazda spec sport Yokohama.

You might want to take at look at these by Momo. My friend in Europe said they received very good reviews. I think the M20 Outrun is a summer tire in the 195/65-15 size.
https://momo.com/en-us/momo-tires#:~:text=W...cing%20heritage.

Are they?

When I used to road race motorcyles, I initally tried to save money by milking tires more than one race weekend. On a motorcycle, you quickly realize the crash damage, personal body damage, and lack of competitiveness due to not having good tires isn't worth the money saved.

It's the same in a car. It just takes longer to realize it.

Tires are what keep you alive. They are often the difference between having an accident or not. Good summer performance tire shave feet off stopping distances vs. all-season tires.

I put Pirelli CN36 on my Alfa - very happy with them, very sticky so they perform like a wider tire and they look appropriate for the period/ year:

Wow. The restored wheels look gorgeous. Well done and congrats on those beauties.

A few questions ...

1. Who did the restoration?
2. What was the cost (if you don't mind sharing)?
3. Was any paint used or strictly sanding and polishing?

I just took my original Fuchs off (which I intent to restore like yours) and replaced them with a back up set of 4 lug Fuchs that I had painted black with silver polished lips. I'll post those pics and show you those wheels as well as the Goodyear Eagle Sport tires I have on them, which I love (from a street performance perspective as well as aesthetically).

Goodyear Eagle Sport tires on my 4 lug Fuchs.

195 60 R15

Front angle

+1, this also is my choice

I'm actually a big fan of N-spec and OE rubber whenever available. But it wasn't long ago that the P6000s were about $100 less a tire than they are now—and they appear to be the same tire. Also, when a 195/65R15 and 215/60R15 summer tire is priced on par with 20-inch tires for, say, a 991, it does seem a bit pricey. But…volume.

We're aligned on the idea that the last place to save $400-800 is tires. I have had the driving experience in good cars greatly diminished by bad tires, and I've had so-so cars that great tires really improved. I went through a series of so-so tires on my 914 trying to find something that worked. The Vredestein Sprint Classics that several people raved about (nice steering response and ride, but not enough grip and the sidewalls were way too soft), Dunlop all-seasons (yuck), and on and on. Finally bellied up and bought Avons, which work great.

Peak 15-inch tires on a narrow 914, for me, came circa late 1990s, when the AVS Intermediate and A-008RS were still available in 185/70R15, 195/65R15, and 205/60R15, among others. Like some of the other tires in that era, they were "enough newer" that they had a major advantage over the 914's OE tires, but still within the realm of the 914's performance and looked right with simple sidewalls and tread patterns. There's just nothing available like that. With that said, even a $360 set of Sumitomo tires is probably vastly superior to the tires these cars came on new…

I went with the Avon CR6ZZ last time, which are still about the same price they were last time around—or about the same as P6000s now. No regrets. I think the Avons look great on an old car, and grip better too (in the dry, anyway). I was speaking with someone at Roger Kraus Racing this week, as I weigh out when to order a new set and which compound, and he mentioned something that got me to thinking: "They use good preservatives in these tires." He went on to say a lot of customers are extending their use from 5-6 years to 7-8 years (not that he recommends doing so). And, you know, he got me to thinking about something: Unlike the modern tires on my other cars, which seem to brown immediately, or the 3yo tires on my dad's wheelchair van, which are cracking but the tire shop says are just fine (cringe), the Avons still look like the day I bought them years later. They've never flat-spotted despite sitting for months at a time, either, despite being sometimes under-inflated.

Goodyear Eagle Sport 195/65-15 on Minilite 6.5"-15" wheels. No issues with tire / fender interference and car handles like a well behaved roller skate / go kart.Click to view attachment

They were restored by Fuchs Restoration in Orange county, California. https://www.fuchsrestoration.com/
With shipping and tax they were about $350.00 each.
I asked Ed to bring them back to the stock anodized look and feel, so they were stripped of the paint but, not sure what they did after that.
They really look good and I can't wait until they are on the car.

^ Love this car, and those tires look great on those wheels.

Tire Rack showing just one left on closeout at $98, though they seem to be out there from other vendors. Wonder if they're NLA, or about to be?

Thanks for sharing that info.

I went with classic tire Vredestein 195/65 to replicate the original tire here in US which was a Dunlop which had a tread pattern close to the Vredestein remake.

Are they the absolute best tires for performance ? No. My Pirelliis were great and were 205 and fit just fine, road well , handled well and cornered well. Michelins are the absolutely best tire for performance made for 914.

However, the tires posted here do not at all look period certain so just for me and my taste, they look like absolutely crap.

I love the looks of the Vredestein. I drive my Porsche 914 to show it off and not for performance so I love the look and don't regret it whatsoever.

BUT I don't take corners at 60 mph either.

+2 for the CN36 for both performance and appearance. Installed a set on deep 6's on my '67 911S and they are superb.

I keep hearin' good things…

Guys,
Thank you for all the advice here so far.
I'm going to research each one and figure out which one I will go with.
I appreciate the help here.
Have a great Memorial Day!
Mike

Should weight be a factor when selecting new tires?
I note the weight for a 195/65 R15 across brands ranges from 19 lbs (Michelin), 20 (Pirelli, Dunlop) to 21 (Goodyear).
Does 2 lbs per corner in unsprung weight make a noticeable difference in handling?

How are you using the car?

Tire construction will play a bigger role. If you can sense 2lbs/corner, well, you should have been a race driver.

Sometimes more weight means a smoother ride. Sometimes more weight is just more weight.

@Racer I'm just a stock 4 Sunday driver, currently shod with 195/65 Dunlop SP 5000s, although they feel greasy after a bit in the twisties. I ran Pirellis for many years but they were often hard to get balanced right. I'm tempted by the Vrederstein Sprint Classic for the period look and 180/70DR15 size. I like Michelins so leaning towards the Michelin Defender T+H although that's not really a summer performance tire. I would spend more and go for the Michelin XWX or Pirelli CN36 but I have too many projects right now. Decisions, decisions...

fyi, Discount Tire has $110 Instant Rebate on Michelin tires when purchased online today (6/11) through Sunday (6/13). I opted for the Michelin Premier A/S in 195/65R15.