Dunlop Sport Classic tires - any feedback?

[Arne]

I recently saw that Coker is now offering the Dunlop Sport Classic line. There are some nice possibilities in these, and it looks like they may have been available in Europe and maybe Australia for a year or two.

The Dunlop name for this part of the world is owned by Goodyear, and these tires appear to be made in Luxembourg primarily, which is where Goodyear often builds performance tires for Europe. The new tires are all either H or V rated. The Dunlop brand name on the sidewall is a bit oversize, but otherwise looks correct. The tread is simple, and not directional. Not really like any real vintage Dunlops, it looks a whole lot like the old Goodyear NCT/Eagle GT/Wingfoot tread to me. Not a bad thing, but more of a late '70s-early '80s tread design.

Most interesting for us as owners of vintage Porsches is the fact that they offer all 4 of the most common sizes that our cars came with new.

• 165/80HR15 (modern designation for 165HR15)
• 185/80HR14 (aka 185HR14, good for 5.5x14 Fuchs)
• 185/70VR15
• 215/60VR15

I see indications that in Europe and the UK the two low profile sizes are available both with or without N0 marking. In Europe and the UK, the N-marked tires are considerably more expensive. Coker's prices for those 2 sizes seem to be on par with the N-marked tires in the UK, so perhaps those are the only ones they are importing. Would be a good thing to check on before any purchases. In any case, while the 185/70VR15 is similar in price to the XWX and CN36, the 215/60 Dunlop is about 20% cheaper than the CN36.

Perhaps worth looking into? I'm not going to be ready for tires for some time yet, otherwise I'd be digging a bit deeper on these.

https://www.cokertire.com/tires/bran...lop-tires.html

[raspritz]

I believe the standard tires were Michelin, with Pirelli as an option. Dunlops came in later, I think.

[Bullethead]

I believe the standard tires were Michelin, with Pirelli as an option. Dunlops came in later, I think.

Nope. AFAIK Dunlop, Firestone, Goodyear, Michelin, Pirelli or Continental could be specified by either the buyer or the dealer taking delivery. My 9/2/66 S rolled out the door with Dunlops.
There are a few threads on specific tires for specific production periods, but no consensus because the only thing recorded on the Kardex is the brand, not model.

To the OP's query, the only info I've seen are the sparse reviews read while considering these. Still uncertain but the Avons look more appealing. Or Michelin XAS... mmmm

[Arne]

To the OP's query, the only info I've seen are the sparse reviews read while considering these. Still uncertain but the Avons look more appealing. Or Michelin XAS... mmmm

Well, lacking real feedback from Porsche owners, for those of us with either 165-15 or 185/70-15 these may be interesting, but not yet compelling given the well-known choices already available. Sure, Goodyear/Dunlop claims they are great, and even mentions some magazine test that claims they were better than the CN36. But I can't find the test anywhere online, so until I get more data I'm considering their claims to be normal advertising hype.

But for the other two sizes...

If I had 14" Fuchs on a 911, I'd want to look pretty closely at the Dunlop. The only other choices in the correct size (ignoring all the 6-ply mini-truck and VW Transporter tires) are Vredstein Sprint and Michelin MXV. I definitely don't care for the Vreds, and the MXV has never been all that wonderful. I think of all the mid-80s Honda Accords that had MXVs on them—soft ride, long lasting, but not much in way of grip.

Or if I was running staggered size on a hot rod, this gives another stock size option to the CN36 and Avons. Perhaps worth a look.

[frederik]

I had MXVs on my ‘81 Citroen CX (also with 14” alloy wheels) and they were great on that car. Not sure how well they would work on a ‘60s 911 though, and they’re really an ‘80s tire.

[davep]

There are a few threads on specific tires for specific production periods, but no consensus because the only thing recorded on the Kardex is the brand, not model.

Not entirely true. On many Kardex I see models as well as brands. For Dunlop I see SP and B7 referenced on 356 Kardex from 1961 through 1965. On a 1967 Kardex I see SP referenced once. I don't know if any road tests define the exact tire model used on any cars in the period.
Kleber Colombes V10 are used on several cars, and Phönix were quite popular as well. Semperit were commonly used on the 912. The factory standard brand changed occasionally, and 911 & 912 usually had different brands. However, brand of choice could be specified.

[Bullethead]

Of course you're right Dave, should have noted that... you see a lot more kardex than most of us. Also that Semperit, Kleber were in the mix and that Phönix tires came on a LOT of cars.

That so many choices were available says something about Porsche's desire to satisfy it's customers. A shame so few period-correct options are available to us now.

[fourteenten]

Interesting, my RS was delivered new with Dunlop tires. Now on Avons which are great looking and driving.

Cees

[runsub5]

.........

If I had 14" Fuchs on a 911, I'd want to look pretty closely at the Dunlop. The only other choices in the correct size (ignoring all the 6-ply mini-truck and VW Transporter tires) are Vredstein Sprint and Michelin MXV. I definitely don't care for the Vreds, and the MXV has never been all that wonderful. I think of all the mid-80s Honda Accords that had MXVs on them—soft ride, long lasting, but not much in way of grip........

Thank you for this. I was just about to order the Michelin MXV-P for my 14 inch Fuch wheels. Now you have me thinking about the 185 80 H 14.

[stout]

There are a lot of choices in 185/70 right now, with multiple picks in period accurate to period look performance.

Michelin XWX
Pirelli CN36 (also in 215/60)
Avon CR6ZZ (also in 215/60)
Vredestein Sprint Classic
Various race tires

There are good choices in 165R15, as well. Then there are the "period enough" performance tires, which are what interest me more—something that looks like a tire an enthusiast might have chosen in the 1980s or early 1990s. Yokohama A-008R or AVS. Simple sidewalls, non-exotic/directional tread pattern, round shoulder, and rounded sidewall.

These Dunlops look like they might fit the bill, though the sidewalls look a bit too modern for my tastes. But really nice to see more choices in 14s for those who need them, and if they drive great...color me curious about the 15s.

With tire choices running so few and far between, friend is running BF Goodrich Radial T/As with black letters out on his hot-rod 912. Bought them figuring he'd toss them, but wanted to try the 205/60R15 as there are so few performance choices in that size. He's raving about them, saying the car drives beautifully and the tires hold up and hang on really well when pushed, so much so that I am rethinking another set of Avons when the time comes. Seems to confirm my theory that Michelin, which owns BFG, has gone to work on the Radial T/A in the ideal way: Vintage sidewall/tread with modern rubber compounds and (possibly?) construction.

Yokohama has just made the A-008P available again, the old OE Porsche version of the A-008. I'd be all over those, but so far only see 205/55R16 and 245/45R16. Wrote them a note to say if they added 225/50R16, 195/65R15, and 215/60R15, they'd have owners of Porsches built with their engines in the back, middle, and front covered from the 1960s (356 and early 911 hot rods, 912s) through the 1970s (911s, 914s, 930s, and 928) through the 1980s (944 on 15s and 16 plus the usual suspects) all the way to MY 2004 (the last Porsche to use a 205/55R and 225/50R16 was the 986 2.7, iirc). I'd encourage others to do so, as a 914-6 GT owner tried them back to back with another set of performance tires and said the new A-008P is amazing. May be that modern compounding thing again.