'65 911 Tire Selection

[rmfent]

Finishing up my '65 rest and looking for tires. Running stock 4/12x15's steel wheels original. Ive seen the Vredestein sprint Classics. Are they the only option and would they be the closest thing to original? Looking forward to seeing comments.
Thanks.

[HughH]

There are a couple of options here at Longstone in the UK (and probably at places in the USA as well)



most, if not all of the Kardexes I have seen for early (1965 / 66) cars show Dunlops or Phonix but I am not aware of any being reproduced

the lowest VIN with any other type of tyre I have in my files is 305422 made in August 1966 which had Pirelli tyres, presumably the ones shown in the picture above

[NeunElf]

Finishing up my '65 rest and looking for tires. Running stock 4/12x15's steel wheels original. Ive seen the Vredestein sprint Classics. Are they the only option and would they be the closest thing to original? Looking forward to seeing comments.
Thanks.

I have 165HR15 Vredestein Sprint Classics on my '65 911 and I'm very happy with them. Before the Vredesteins I had Dunlop SP21 economy car tires on the steel wheels and they were awful: in any kind of cornering without a lot of throttle they had a weird squirrely feel. I did most of my driving on 195VR15 Continentals on 5.5 inch rims.

The Vredesteins were so good I never put the wide tires on again.

AutoBild Klassik tested 185/75HR15 tires on a longhood Porsche back in 2016 and ranked them:

1. Pirelli CN 36 N4 (Porsche homologated)
2. Vredestein Sprint Classic
3. Michelin Collection XWX
4. Blockley Radial TL

You can download an English version from https://www.cinturato.net/porsche-911-tires.html but only the German version's small enough to upload.

It's worth noting that you can get Vredesteins for less than half the price of Pirellis.

[rmfent]

Has anyone used the Pirelli's on the '65? Very familiar with Sprint Classics as I have them on a 356A that I own. Just wanted to look at all options before I buy. I do have some XWX's on a 69S but I wasn't sure they would be correct for a '65.
Thanks for the replies so far.

[HughH]

you are correct about XWX's. They were launched in 1970 and the XAS was launched in 1965 as far as I am aware (or at least that is what the Michelin website states)

[Dougal Cawley]

Hi

Porsche recommend the 165VR15 Cinturato CN36 N4 https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/pir...rato/cn36.html as that is a tyre they have been instrumental in getting produced again by Pirelli. an d have done the testing with so that it qualifies for the N4 homologation.

The earlier Cinturato CA67 pictured in HughH's post is more period correct for a 1965 car. as is the Michelin XAS which came out in 1965.

I kind of believe that the XWX tread design came out in 1968, but it might have been called a Michelin X (I know that is a bit vague, but i thought it was 1970 until i came across a very early Ferrari Daytona from 68 with the XWX tread pattern on it). It sort of also doesn't matter what year the XWX came out because they don't do a 165R15. they only do a 185/70VR15 XWX and they certainly were not doing 70% profile tyres in 1965. we have to wait until 68 for that.

As for what is the best tyre to drive on. I would suggest either of the Pirelli CN36 & CA67 are brilliant, or the Michelin XAS. I was truly shocked by how badly the XWX did in the Autoblid Klassik article. i guess they were on old stock tyres, and the other thing in that test that they didn't test was high speed cruising, and longevity which are kind of Michelin strong points. and the tyre in that test is an XWX not the XAS.

i also think that the Cinturato's and the XAS are the only tyres currently manufactured that look right.

[304065]

I use the XZX (bought them from Longstone, cheaper with shipping from UK than buying from vendors here).

Harvey Weidman, who was there "back in the day," said that the XAS was not usually fitted on 911s in USA despite the fact that it came out in 1965. Perhaps he will chime in, but that is the precise conversation I had with him a few years back when he restored the steel wheels for '065.

I have a set of the 185 Sprint Classics on Flat Sixes painted to look like 4.5's. If I had it to do over again I would get a set of real 4.5s with the XZX and call it cool. The 185 tire is really too much for an SWB, it's very heavy, and so is the six inch wheel (comparatively, anyway).

[Frank Beck]

With most of the 64-66(?) cars originating with Dunlops it seems to me that demand may be there to make a mold and do a run? I don't really want to go into the tire biz but has anyone ever crunched the numbers to have this done?

[304065]

I would rather see the Firestone "Phönix" tires reproduced. There is a guy in Holland who has a NOS one that could be used.
Phönix Gummiwerke merged into Continental in 1970 so long since NLA.

[Frank Beck]

For purely selfish reasons I would rather do the Dunlops. (Would be interesting to survey 64/65 owners.)

Obviously greatest concern would be licensing or brand infringement.