QUOTE(Cal @ Feb 13 2018, 10:18 AM)
QUOTE(Tom_T @ Feb 13 2018, 11:33 AM)
QUOTE(Cal @ Feb 13 2018, 08:44 AM)
QUOTE(914Next @ Feb 12 2018, 11:05 PM)
Thanks.
Cal I checked out Lucas tire but shipping was not free....not too bad at $105 but still a an addition to the price of overall.
I'm leaning toward the Michelins or Pirelli's in 185/70 15's.
Steve
Sorry.....the shipping from Longstone in the UK is free to the US.....but only for the Michelin or Pirelli tires and not the Vredestein tires.
https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/The Vreds are available pretty much everywhere in the USA, & IIRC America;s Tire (also go by another name in parts of US) can order them for you. So why buy from the UK anyway.
Steve - If you're still interested in the Blockley's, then both check with Russ at Lucas for special order cost+S&H, & also try emailing to Longstone directly to see their cost & if they'll do free shipping on them too.
But if it's a choice between Pirelli & Michi XWX in 185/70VR15 - & if the prices are near the same &/or not an issue - then I'd go with the XWX's as the better & grippier tire - both from back in the day, as well as in the modern repops with better rubber/materials & construction. Not many whom I knew who weekend tracked/AXed their 914s back in the 1970's-80's were shod with Pirelli 185s, pretty much all wore XWXs for that reason. IMHO the XWXs also look better than the Pirelli's - again with the "dogbone" tread.
Tom
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I agree that the Michelin XWX 185/70VR15 looks better than the Vredestein.....I'm actually still considering this tire. My only issue is the price. The XWX is $340.00 per tire and the Vredestein is $128.00 per tire.....that's a BIG difference.
Here's an interesting article the compares the Michelin, Pirelli, Vredestein and Blockley tires in the 185/70 R15 size.
https://www.cinturato.net/images/test-classic-tyres-0716.pdfThanx for the article Jeff!
I'd look at their actual raw results charts for each test - over their bottom line "ratings" which don't seem to track with the atual results - & look for what aspects fits your region best. Because what I'd pick for mostly sunny SoCal, will differ from what yo would pick in NJ with rain/snow/ice, or Steve for mostly rainy or sunny (in the same day) in GA.
The Blockley looks disappointingly lesser in most aspects, & the Vred tests surprisingly better than I'd have thought. I'm puzzled by the results of the XWX vs. the CN36, since they were tested the opposite in the similar MT & R&T tests back in the `70's. So maybe Pirelli did more updated engineering internally & with their rubber compounds, than has Michelin?
The Porsche website's Classic section at Documents have some classic tire reccos with their N Spec ratings for both Summer & Winter Tires - unfortunately only under the 914-6 (I guess they're still ignoring their VW-Porsche poor cousins). I suppose we could use the 912/912E as a "kluge" for 4 cylinder 914s, in order to see some reccos for lower SR & HR speed rated tires (or maybe TR).
IIRC it's the Pirelli CN36 in 185/70VR15 which has a N4 rating for Summer Tires on 914-6, but I don't recall the others listed in Summer or Winter for 914-6 (I don't think that the XWX was listed, but I may be remembering wrong).
I have pix of some of those older tests in digital pix, but will have to find them to post. Back then the Dunlop SP57 in 165HR15 (/80) were the best, but only got 10-15K miles of normal & some spirited driving. Whereas, the Semperit M401 & M501 in the same size with a similar dogbone tread were almost as good (90-95% IIRC), but actually got 40K+ - so I used those for as long as they were available (gone by the early `80's). I'll post them later when I have time to search thru SD cards & files (but they may be already posted in the O&H Forum's Wheels & Tires nailed topic).
From the CW perspective - I look at the "Look" of them as - Vredstein is the classic Brit car tread look in a thoroughly modern tire (e.g.: not a repop of a classic tread & sidewall construction/design), the Pirelli CN36 & CA67 as classic Italian wear, & the Michelin XAS, XZX & XWX as the classic German & French tires. But that's just a personal opinion.
And you really cannot beat Vredestein for price in either 165HR15 or 185/70HR15 (or VR) for modern classic look tires - other than the ones which Firestone/Bridgestone puts out in the 165R15 (SR, TR &/or VR).
Jeff & Steve & others reading this - Keep in mind that our 2L /4 914s only spec'd HR (SR for 1.7 & 1.8 models), & that TR will also meet the max speed ratings for a stock 2L /4 - so any can be used, & even SR if not driven too hard nor at top speed.
What we're discussing here is mostly for classic looks in a good repop of a period tire available in 1969-76 (or -79~) & actually factory fitted on our new 914s (Pirelli & Michelin choices noted above), or a repro look tire similar to others available & fitted back then (Vred & Blockley).
Cheers!
Tom
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