OEM tyre sizes

[Dougal Cawley]

Hi

Here is a short film about Early 911 tyres

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-14nuzPV7to

It doesn't go into the extra wide tyres like the TB's but shows you the basic standard tyres

[911MRP]

Thanks Dougal. Pleased the Pirelli cintutrato CN 36 in correct size front and rear are now available new for my Carrera RS. I'm in uk.

Couple of questions just out of historical interest:

1) were the original CN 36 fitted with inner tubes because I have a very old for show only cn 36 215 60 15 German manufacture pair for the Fuchs original wheels -- 7inch rears. They say inner tube.

2) who are /were Vieth Pirelli -- got old tyre display stand and early 70s catalogues from them see pm to be old German tyre business?

Steve

[RSTarga]

I had tubes in mine, can't remember which tyre I stopped using tubes.

[911MRP]

Thanks David. Sounds like you've had these cars a long time.

S

[RSTarga]

Yes Steve, I've had the 73 coming on 43 years in August.
The original tires were Dunlop with tubes, horrible tires, I then went to Michelin XWX with tubes, great tire in the dry, prone to aquaplaning in the wet. I moved to CN36 as soon as they were available in the states, fantastic tire all round, I think the first set still used tubes, then the second or 3d I went tubeless. None of these tires lasted very long, rears went every 5k miles fronts 10k. I was doing lots of high speed highway driving.
When I went to 7's on the back I switched to Yokohoma A008's then to Bridgestone S-02's then S-03, and now on 16's to RE-11's. The Bridgestone's, any of them, are far superior tires. I know Dougal has the road tests, but I have'nt changed anything on my suspension except for torsion bars one step stiffer. Euro ride height too.
Of course the new CN36 might be built on a more modern carcass, but my seat of the pants driving, each generation of tire I have used has gotten better.
I only went to 6x16 and 7x16 as no decent tires were available.
The only difference I noticed going to the 16's is that the car is not as "tossable" due to the higher grip. Of course, at higher speeds that is a good thing.

[911MRP]

Wow David impressively long ownership history. Thanks for sharing the history and insights from various generation of tyres. I've heard Dunlops were ropey -- iirc Harvey was less than complementary on them in his recollections elsewhere on forum.

I'll probably go for CN36 185 70 and 215 60 15 as they were original fit on the 6 and 7s especially as now available again here in UK through Dougal. For a classic car of now 45 year old seems the right compromise of usable performance and originality.

One example of the old 215 60 VR 15 Pirelli Cintutrato CN 36 tube tyre made interestingly in Germany -- old post in this thread claimed tubeless Michelin are lighter than tubed? The vintage Pirelli cn36 example in picture below is not on car and now only fit for static display due to concerns over age:


The spare in UK as explained elsewhere due to UK regulations was full size CN36 185 60 15 on a original 6" Fuchs, rather than the normally seen inflatable spacesaver. I believe this might be the unused original still with manufacturing "pimples" across the tread...but impossible to be sure.


Cheers

Steve

[RSTarga]

Main problem with the Dunlops was a lack of grip compared to the XWX. They also tended to fail on a fairly consistent basis.
For a stock fitment on an RS, i too would go with Dougal's Cn36. They look so perfect on the car, and in your climate, better than an XWX in the rain.

[911MRP]

Old Dunlop ad from 1973 German magazine may be making great claims for their product ... But whatever it says it doesn't exactly sell the Dunlop SP brand to English speakers with my low proficiency in the German language

[911MRP]

Couple of pocket sized Veith Pirelli branded booklets (about size of Porsche technical information booklet) with useful information about various tyre prices, fittment and other tyre info and e.g. wheel internal shape for tube vs tubeless. Historical interest, old tyre reference stuff published in English, French in addition German multi-language format on 22 July 1971. Covers the then current and number of the previous Porsche model ranges not just 911. CN 36 tyre was included among others.


Suspect Veith Pirelli were some sort of national Pirelli tyre "licensee / distributor" for Germany back then, but don't know that for sure?

Also got a neat metal tyre display stand with Veith Pirelli company logo similar to that on upper booklet, but that is not handy to photograph.

A 1973 Dunlop day per page format desk diary (unused).

[Dougal Cawley]

Really interesting to see a 60 profile tyre described as tube type.

This is very much the early period of low profile tyres. but these days they say don't fit tubes in tyres of a lower profile than 70%. so i would kind of be dubious doing it, because it is almost as if we could assume they stopped doing it for a reason. I do know we have had customers that have gone away and fitted tubes in low profile tyres and had punctures as a result.

Do the wheels that you need to fit a 215/60R15 to have a safety bead (hump)?