What type & size of tires to use / what fits? / "best" tire?

[Paul Lima]

I have 5.5x15" wheels with Bridgstone RE960 Pole Positions 195/65R15 all season tires on my Roadster. They have been awesome tires on a car that I drive with "spirit". Unfortunately, these tires are no longer available, and I find nothing in that size that looks interesting. I know 185/70R15 will work and I've found Avon CR6 ZZ ties at Roger Kraus in Calif. I find almost no useful info on this website regarding this tire; are there any users here that would comment on this tire? As an alternative for roughly the same (huge) price are Pirelli Cinturato CN36 in 185/70R15. There are some positive reviews in this thread re this tire in 165/80R15 but none in this size; so same question!

[Dougal Cawley]

You are in for such a treat taking off the 195/65-15 tyres, unless it is just a point and squirt straight line car. The curved bits will handle so much nicer on either a period 185/70-15 but even better a proper 165-15.

Your going to love it.

Avon CR6ZZ are great.

https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/vintag ... cr6zz.html

They are not a period tyre by any means, but they are a tyre built to compliment the chassis set up of cars of that period, so they will handle nicely certainly better than a 195/65. You might expect a slightly harsher ride than the CN36, because the CR6ZZ is at heart a race tyre, so also has race compounds which if your tyre is going to stay fitted for a good few years isn’t ideal. However the CR6ZZ is a tyre that gives progressive handling and loads of grip.

As does the CN36, but it also has the benefit of Being a road tyre, and with that a genuine Porsche tyre. Oo and they look cool. Pirelli everyday of the week for me.

But I would really go 165-15.

In the US the Pirelli come from Lucas Classic Tires.

[Greg Spreeman]

I have 195, 65, 15 all around and turning is a real pain in the butt. Sounds like a lot of rubber squeezing by the body. What was the original tire size for front tires on a 1965 356 running 15" rims?

[David Jones]

165 x 80 x 15

[Greg Spreeman]

Thanks. Just ordered 2 new front tires. Got fed up with turning the steering wheel and then hearing rubber squeak by the wheel wells.

[Dougal Cawley]

fitting these on the front will make the steering a whole heap better.

https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/165hr1 ... -ca67.html

But putting them on the rear too will make a massive improvement to the progressiveness of the handling.

Don't by accident buy modern tyres, they don't handle as well on your car. I know they are cheap, but they are not as good for your car. (modern tyres on modern cars give loads of grip. but when fitted to silly old cars they are not progressive so don't go round corners as good)

[Paul Lima]

WRT tire comments regarding my Roadster. The car had Hoosier 5.50-15 VINTAGE TD on it for many years while vintage racing. When I converted to street use, the Bridgestone 195/65 RE960 were the closest DOT tire to the Hoosiers. Their performance has been awesome, and I'm not looking forward to giving up the great handling, cornering and overall terrific performance I've had with them. In the '60s I drove a 911 that came with 165/80x15 and the car was severely limited by those tires. When Michelin introduced the 185/70x15 XWX that car was transformed in a very positive way. That 1968 911 and my 1960 Roadster deserve better than those skinny tires.

[Ashley James]

165 x 80 x 15

I agree! My car has 5.5 Dan Gurney racing wheels and Continental 165/80x 15 and it handles extremely well even on bumpy twisty English country roads. The car is a C so I believe the best handling of 356s.

Basically it corners surprisingly quickly for its age and eventually it understeers a bit and if you keep pushing, the back end breaks way quite slowly and controllably.

I’ve put wider tyres on old cars, but not my Porsche because for me they’ve messed up the ride and made the steering heavier. They cope less well with bumps too.

I much preferred the 911s of the seventies on 185s and didn’t much care for the Turbo which was steered all over the road by bumps, overbanding etc, especially under hard braking.

However I live in the Cotswolds UK where roads are narrow bumpy and twisty, but on most main roads with few corners, tyre choice may not matter as much.

[Dougal Cawley]

165 x 80 x 15

I agree! My car has 5.5 Dan Gurney racing wheels and Continental 165/80x 15 and it handles extremely well even on bumpy twisty English country roads. The car is a C so I believe the best handling of 356s.

Basically it corners surprisingly quickly for its age and eventually it understeers a bit and if you keep pushing, the back end breaks way quite slowly and controllably.

I’ve put wider tyres on old cars, but not my Porsche because for me they’ve messed up the ride and made the steering heavier. They cope less well with bumps too.

I much preferred the 911s of the seventies on 185s and didn’t much care for the Turbo which was steered all over the road by bumps, overbanding etc, especially under hard braking.

However I live in the Cotswolds UK where roads are narrow bumpy and twisty, but on most main roads with few corners, tyre choice may not matter as much.

Yes they do handle best on a period 165-15. Pirelli CA67 I would suggest.

The suggestion of enhanced handling with wider tyres is down to a confusion of terminology. In Many places in the states it is straight line traffic light to traffic light, and yes fatter tyres will diminish wheels spin and slightly decrease the risk of locking up under braking in a straight line. But there are lots of sacrifices made with wide tyres.

However sticking with a period 165 will give the handling that I believe a 365 is all about.

The Cinturato CA67 is the only proper period tyre still made.

However the Michelin XAS is a 1965 tyre made, among other things to improve the road holding of cars that were originally designed in conjunction with cross ply tyres. And the Asymmetric carcass really help high speed cruising on motorways. These current V rated ones are also N homologated and we’re Porsche fitment in the later 1960s.

https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/165vr1 ... n-xas.html

The Pirelli CN36 is again a carcass suited to these cars, as an early radial. Again Porsche homologated, and from 1968 when the CN36 cam out very much a Porsche tyre. But it was the CA67 that Porsche fitted in the early 1960s and the CA67 that was the radial tyre to fit to your 356 when it was new as they came out in 1952.

[Ashley James]

I’ve used various Chinese budget tyres on my old TR and my Porsche and found only a tiny difference if you push them to the limit and most don’t. Otherwise they last well and seem fine.

[Ken Tuvman]

I’m happy with the Vredestein Sprint Classic from Tire Rack

https://youtu.be/4XFIendCXH8

There’s room in my sandbox!

[Dougal Cawley]

There are budget options if price is your dermining factor and you are happy with the compromise. but i just think buying the best thing is better.

see what you think about this artile

https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/history ... 12463.html

That is from the Porsche Newsroom.

[Jim Breazeale]

There are budget options if price is your dermining factor and you are happy with the compromise. but i just think buying the best thing is better.

see what you think about this artile

https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/history ... 12463.html

That is from the Porsche Newsroom.

Dougal

I respect the fact that you are a tire dealer and want to hype your own product. Disparaging testimonials from actual users of 356s ain't cool IMHO, though. Posting a, totally biased, ad from Porsche proves nothing. I can personally attest to the performance of the Bridgestones mentioned earlier. They were mounted on aluminum 15 X 15 1/2 wheels on my 356 Outlaw. They were, hands down, the best tire that had ever been on the car. When it came time to replace them, I had to use something different due the fact that the Bridgestones were NLA. I chose 185 X 70 X 15 Vred Sprint classics. I was prepared to be underwhelmed but was surprised to find them really great. One small benefit over the 195 X 65s was a decrease in RPMs at 70MPH due to the slightly larger diameter that comes pretty close to the diameter of the original 165s. The tires grip like crazy and are very predictable, much like the Bridgestones that preceded them.. They performed very well on Sears Point Raceway, as I was lapping with a bunch of early 911 Hot Rods and I was far from the slowest car out there. I couldn't be happier.
By the way, price was not my first concern. Even though I am retired and on a "fixed income" I can afford any frigging tire I want. There you have it, a "hands on" testimonial from an actual user on an actual 356.

Regards

Jim

[Gary Shoemaker]

I need to replace my current 195/65/15 tires, and I'm wondering what Registry Folks think about replacing them with 205/65/15 sizes. No racing, no autocross, just friendly boulevard cruising.
Hope to hear about pros and cons....different "stance," changes in handling, steering differences, etc? Your experience greatly valued in this matter!

[Gary Shoemaker]

Oops, forgot to indicate I'm driving a '65 356SC Coupe. Thanks!