wanted to let everyone @914World know that EMPI exclusively offers high-quality Yokohama GT Special classic tires in 165/80R15 and 145/80R15 sizes. These period correct tires have the rounded shoulder and tread blocks of an OE-style tire for correct suspension geometry and handling response and feature modern radial construction. They are manufactured by Yokohama in Japan using state-of-the-art rubber compounds for safety and longevity.
Please see your nearest EMPI dealer to get them for your 914
https://empius.com/products/yokohama-g-t-sp...tire-165-80r15/
https://empius.com/products/yokohama-g-t-sp...l-classic-tire/

$315 for the 165/80 at Sierra Madre. I don’t see the appeal.

https://sierramadrecollection.com/products/...6d48747c6d56d2c

I thought 315 for a set of four, not bad...

WRONG!
That's 315 each!

$1260 for a set of 4!

OUCH!

I guess period correct doesn’t apply to pricing.

no.

-------

whats the appeal.
(Though i am not sure about yokohama repros, have not seen those before).
i have michelin XAS on my 1.8.
the only thing my 1.8 does is go around corners.
factory sway bars front and rear and billys.
it corners.
and it corners on the XAS harder than it did on previous 195 BF Goodrich TA lower profile. i swear. and with more confidence. i think even slide a bit or roll over on their sidewalls. whatever it is you do not feel as if the car is going to suddenly break away on you. best that i can describe it.

bonus. it does not jar over bumps. got my factory ride back.
and factory look. and most importantly of all that original factory steering FEEL.
whatever the XAS are made of its way softer compound than your average tyre and whatever it was back in the day.
do they last, no. but do i do serious miles. no. will they wear out before due date, no.

i;m pleased i did it.
got to have some pleasure in life.
they are VERY GOOD tyres. and right for the car.
are they worth the money...........not really.
but any serious tyre here in aus is around the $220 mark minimum each. and i shelled out $300 per XAS. so it hurts but its relative.

all these repro old school tyres are small production runs out of tyre companies.
thats part of the cost.
and there is some serious re-engineering in them to make them all way better than they were back in the day (and they were good tyres back when but are even better now).

each to his own.
i have a stock 914.
and the high quality repro tyres make it.
because really all i can do with it is go around corners. faster and faster.
it ain't no straight line thrill thats for sure.


and yes @technicalninja - its OUCH in capital letters.
but i can say its not a what have i done after you do it.
however given their cost you really got to be sure its not just a for looks tyre.
i had a couple of early 911 guys who ran the XAS tell me in no uncertain terms i would not be disappointed. these were guys that actually drove the early 911s and drove them hard. so.......i shut my eyes and coughed it up.

but you want to be bloody sure when it comes to these repros that they do perform.
the 911 guys have all gone over to the pirelli repros now. supposed to be even better.
but cost proportionally more than the XAS did.

I’ve driven early 911’s with narrow high performance tires. It’s different but very enjoyable.

I feel like I add this in just about every tire thread, but:

Vredestein offers tires in our OEM sizes with either vintage or modern tread patterns. I've been very happy with the T-Tracs on my '74. They're very reasonable and excellent quality.

yeah.

its completely another thing.
but they got to be good skinny tyres.
and...........$ are involved sadly in our 21st century era.

i'm glad i have done it. i probably won't have the $ to do it again.
but i'm glad i did it. it did actually bring out the best in my dopey 1.8.

now if you had a tricked 914. different story.

buy 165x15 michelins from Coker. Cannot get any better for period correct and original

Also available from Tire Rack, with some other appropriate choices.
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSearchRe...performance=ALL

And if you are close to Delaware, you can stop into the tire rack warehouse. Save shipping and tax. It’s a couple minutes off 95.

I just put some new Nexen 165 80 15 tires on mine yesterday for $109 ea.

I am running the Nexen 175 80 15, has a great feel and corners awesome. $320 for the set complete

hard for me to justify Michelin original type for over $300/per

It aldd as I depends how much you really drive your car. Many tires age out well before they wear out.

I really like the idea of these original style skinny tires for the lower powered cars. They fit a 1.7L mindset better than over tiring one and making it slower and adding heavier steering - imho. I’ve got a newly rebuilt 1.7 engine that I’d planned to use very temporarily til I got around to a larger engine - but these tires kind make me wanna just keep it and embrace the slow/nimble thing a bit. Just push the hell out of the little engine with these tires.

In RE: steering, I recently replaced my 185s with the Michelin 165s. Very surprised at how much difference in steering effort with the 165s. Its literally 1 or 2 finger steering now, nearly effortless. +1 on the Michelins.

BTDT.

Or just drop a /6 in her and keep the nimble thing with a nice kick

yeah absolutely.
i could not believe just how much better mine felt on the michelins through the steering wheel. just fantastically effortless. and nowhere near as prone to tracking around.
just gentle wiggles from the front tyres through the steering wheel at speed.

I installed Michelin Defenders on my 914 a few of years ago and think they handle marvelously. I do not know if the XAS was in production then. How do the XAS compare with them, does anyone know?