Problem with getting new tires - sizing availability - narrow body '74

Tidybuoy · 06-08-2013, 07:39 PM

I'm looking for tire advice. I've searched the forums and cannot find anything that specifically addresses my issue.

I have a '74 narrow body. The prior owner upgraded to 6x16 and 7x16 Carrera Fuchs. However, instead of the normal front tire size, he went with 195/55/16 for the front. The rear is 205/50/16 which is the max that will fit without doing some mods or finding a set of 951 Fuchs - I've tried 215 and it rubbed.

1) I'm wondering why he went with a 195/55/16 front. I'm out of touch with him so I can't contact him and ask. I do know that he was a well respected Porsche Mechanic with a local shop formerly here in Fresno, CA. He was also an avid auto-x'r.

So, now that I need new tires (several sets since I bought the car), I'm finding barely any choice in the 195/55/16. I believe the stock size for Carrera front is 205/50/16 or 55/16 but I don't know for sure.

Can anybody let me know what is the correct size for the front - with 16's.

Do you think he went with the narrower front to balance the tires - the car rides and handles about as good as you can get and so I hate to mess things up. There is one tire available - Bridgestone RE760 Sport but I have those now and I don't like as well as my former RExxx' and they don't have the traction rating that the RE11's have.

Lastly, the front wheels have a 7mm spacer, which I don't know if that is the norm or that was added to push out the wheels a tad.

Any advice would be appreciated.

allaircooled · allaircooled's Garage

I'm at the point where I have to buy tires for my narrow body '75 for the first time simply due to the age of the tires. Previous owner put 16x6 and 16x7 fuchs on it with 205 50 up front. I believe I have 225 50 in the rear but really don't know for sure. I am away from home for three more weeks or I would check. I have no spacers and I know the po rolled the rear fenders to keep the tires from rubbing. Sorry I don't have any direct answers to your questions but thought I would post what is on mine to compare.

Tidybuoy · 06-08-2013, 09:21 PM

Thanks. We may be in the same boat. We'll have to see what the others have to say.

Vern

Neffets · 06-09-2013, 10:09 AM

My 74' has 7x15 and 6x15 cookie cutters with 205/60-15 all around.
There is not room for any wider tires rear without rolling the fenders.

moneymanager · 06-09-2013, 01:44 PM

There are different views, but lots of people think a Porsche works better with slightly smaller fronts compared to rears. If he got 205's to fit in the rear, he might have just gone down a size for the fronts. If you aren't racing or working to improve your cornering speed by 0.1mph, it simply isn't going to make much difference what you do if you stay close to 195 in size.
THere are folks out there who want to use the sizes they fitted in 1974, for whatever reason. If it's important to you to have the authentic look, or reduced traction, just get close to the original size which on the narrow body was 185/70 but of course on a 15" wheel. I'm going to guess that the 195/55 or 60 is nearly as close as you can get in 2013.
The spacers isn't stock, he probably thought the car looked better with them. I can't imagine that he needed them for clearance.

Charles Freeborn · Charles Freeborn's Garage

I run 205/60's on stock 15's all the way round on my'74
-C

Tony V · 06-10-2013, 07:18 AM

I run 205-55-16 on 16X6 Fuchs, front and rear. No rubbing but no room for anything wider.
Like the ability to be able to rotate tires front to rear. May be worth getting another pair of 16X6 and remove the spacers from the front. The new Dunlop Direzza ZII are available in this size.
Tony

Driver_X · Driver_X's Garage

205/55/16 all around is what I'm running....

stormin48061 · 06-10-2013, 02:55 PM

Same here but on 7s all around. just got new rubber. Tired the 225/50/16 on the rear with 7s and had rubbing on psg side and didn't want to roll the rim. I don't DE. I went from the 6s to the 7s as I like the deeper dish look of the 7s. I'd do the 8s but it won't fit the rubber properly.

darrin · 06-10-2013, 03:32 PM

I needed to roll the front fenders to fit 205/55-16 tires on 7 inch rims up front -- I'd stick with your current rims and run 205/55-16 on all 4 corners

NH1977Porsche · 06-10-2013, 03:40 PM

Hello:

Does anyone have Michelin Pilot 205/55/16 on a narrow body 911S. I know this tire has a wider width (8.4") than some of the other tires out there and I would like to use this tire on Fuch 16X6 or 16X7 wheels. But before I pull the trigger on buying these I want to make sure that the tires do not rub the fender wheels.

My 1977 911S is all stock at stock US height.

Please let me know, and pictures are always welcome.

Thanks, Pete
1977 911S Silver with black interior

HarryD · 06-10-2013, 04:53 PM

My car is lowered and I am running 205/55-16 BFG g-Force Sport A/S tires on 16x6 Fuchs.

I had a rub and needed to go to stiffer T-bars (Turbo on both ends) and added a touch of negative camber.

stormin48061 · 06-10-2013, 04:53 PM

Here are some pics of my experiment over the years with the help of pelicans on this board... first pic is Pilots 205/55/16 on 7s on the front, second pic (blurry one, sorry) is Pilots 225/50/16 on 7s. As you can see they are on the edge, sticking out a wee bit.. and they did rub... so I went back to 205/55/16 on 7s on the rear, which is the third picture. Picture one 1 and pic 3 is my current size configuration and just put on a new set of 205/55/16 on 7s all the way around. The Pilots 225/55/16 on 6s which was my previous configuration before trying the Pilots 225/55/16 on the 7s (the fuzzy picture) as an experiment did not rub on my car but I have not found a picture of the Pilots 225/55/16 on 6s yet. If I find it I will post it for you. Hope this helps.

Pilots 205/55/16 on 7s front

Pilots 225/16/55 on 7s rear

Fuzion 205/55/16 on 7s on rear

mreid · 06-10-2013, 07:28 PM

Tirerack shows 48 different tires in 195/55-16. Not sure why they are hard to find:

Tire Search Results

They also carry 42 different 205/50-16:

Tire Search Results

You should be able to match up a nice set for reasonable money.

Driver_X · Driver_X's Garage

Here is a photo with the 205/55/16 all around. 6" in front, 7" in rear....

stormin48061 · 06-11-2013, 04:32 AM

nice 280z, sold my 240z for the 911 decades ago.. was a fun car!

Tidybuoy · 06-11-2013, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mreid

Tirerack shows 48 different tires in 195/55-16. Not sure why they are hard to find:

Tire Search Results

They also carry 42 different 205/50-16:

Tire Search Results

You should be able to match up a nice set for reasonable money.

I was not clear enough: Tire Rack does have 195/55/16 but the bulk are touring or run-flats. I was specifically looking for High Performance Summer or Extreme Performance Summer. When you adjust the search to those specs, you drop to 9 tires
Tire Search Results

After that, I really don't get the tires that I want. I've had the Bridgestone RE760 Sports and they are good tires but do not handle like my previous RE11's. The ride was better and much quieter but I did not have the same level of grip.

So, my primary question was to find out why my PO put 195/55's (front) in the first place and what is the norm.

I ended up buying Yokohama S Drive's 205/50/16 x 4 and I will see how I like this setup. They were not too expensive and seeing as I seem to go thru tires about every 2 years (5-10k miles), they will have to do for now. Several people in my PCA club recommend the Yokohama's but then, those are usually the Advan and in Boxter sizes.

I've liked the Bridgestone's as long as they are in the high performance group. I tried Michelin Pilots and hated them. I've got Bridgestone RE11's on my 944 and the grip is so good that I scare myself (and any passengers that will still ride with me

)

Thanks for all the tips. Besides great advice, it helps me to slow down and not make too bad of spending decisions. It's kind of a bummer that the manufacturers are making less & less of their good tires in our sizes.

Tidybuoy · 06-11-2013, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Driver_X

Here is a photo with the 205/55/16 all around. 6" in front, 7" in rear....

Nice Z, but I like the 911 better. That's a great color.

racer · 06-11-2013, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tidybuoy

So, my primary question was to find out why my PO put 195/55's (front) in the first place and what is the norm.

i would guess:

1) They were available
2) liked the look.

3) 7mm spacer is not "norm". Also likely done for appearance/stance.

These cars, if still stock powered, are rather benign. Recall that OEM was 185/70-15 on all 4 corners - 6x15s.

Folks like to stagger the set up because it helps tame any oversteer. This is what Porsche did with the more powerful cars.. SC/3.2/Turbo etc.

never been a real fan of 7"s in the back of a narrow car (unless they were 911R offset wheels). 205-55-16 seems to be a reasonable size. Fits on 6 or 7" rims too.

wayner · 06-12-2013, 04:25 AM

For those who bought The yokahama s drives, they get better as the tread depth wears. First drive they are not as impressive until the mold release scrubs off. Season two with less tread depth they become a much better tire than in season 1, not to say that season 1 is bad, but season 2 is even better.