"Chunky" looking tire suggestions and Pictures

[perks]

I recently refinished some 15x7 and 15x8 Fuchs. I want a "chunky" looking tire for my 1978 SC euro spec. Please give me any suggestions. If anyone has any pictures I would appreciate seeing them.

[Oh Haha]

What do you mean by "chunky"?

205/55 front and 225/50 rear is typically what is installed.

[perks]

Sorry, kind of vague. I am looking for a tire that has a fat sidewall. Something that fills the wheel well without making any changes to stock fenders.

[Cook&Dunning]

These are factory spec 6's and 8's for my Carrera. Tires are Continental DW's. They look old style, not sure if this is what you are after. 205/55ZR16 & 225/50ZR16, 2.0 bar, 2.5 bar

[Elombard]

What is your budget? The vintage pirellis look the part but cost$$$ Avons look great. There are few options. Have you searched there are some threads on the tires with some pics.

[Arne2]

To get the old tall sidewall look, you need 25" diameter tires. As has been mentioned here, the choices these days are pretty slim. The sizes that have that diameter (or close) are:

185/70-15
195/65-15
215/60-15
235/55-15

Availability of matching tread performance tires in those sizes is bad. If you don't need true high-performance, Kumho does make a touring tire in 195/65 and 215/60. Beyond that, you're into specialty tires.

[perks]

Thanks Arne, that info helps. I have searched some threads. I even have an old thread about hoosier pro street tires. I like that look but tire had mixed reviews. I am looking for tire for street driving in summer. Typically dry sunny days but something safe if I get caught in a storm. I like the vintage look. I would like to stay under $1200 but show me anything you think is cool. Maybe I can splurge on the right set. If possible a picture along with tire size would be great. I don't see a lot of options for 15" wheels. I find tires that I think will look good on rear but then same brand/model tire isn't available for front, etc...

[Quicksilver]

195/65R15 pops up 80 results on Tire Rack. Plenty of choices under $100.

[obrut]

I've just fitted 195/65 and 215/60 my Carrera3.0 (on 7's and 8's).

They look unreal and drive very well. Toyo Teo plus.

[Horrido]

obrut can you post a pic?

[Arne2]

Originally Posted by obrut

I've just fitted 195/65 and 215/60 my Carrera3.0 (on 7's and 8's).

They look unreal and drive very well. Toyo Teo plus.

I don't know that the Teo Plus is available in the US. Toyo USA is pretty selective on what they import. (At least, that was the case when I sold them for a living a few years back.)

[obrut]

Originally Posted by Horrido

obrut can you post a pic?

Here you go. Car still needs to come down in inch or so after I swapped the 16" fuchs for the 15" golden bbs goodness.

[jax911]

Pirelli P4 on tire rack,
195-65-15, 215-60-15, approx $80/ tire.

[will hung]

obrut,

AWESOME looking car.

To the OP,

Pirelli P6000's will fit the bill for what you are looking for. This car is wearing them.
The Draw of Albert Blue - Bobby Mercer's 1971 Porsche 911T

A pic for convenience:



Another option, although pricey, is the Avon CR6ZZ. They are a vintage racing tire. So they use modern compounds and construction, but in vintage size and tread pattern. They are popular with the Brits, so they aren't just great in the dry. The car from this thread has a set of them.

DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker • View topic - 1974 Carrera Coupe - RHD, UK car

Another pic for convenience

[T77911S]

you need to go with the same profile front and rear. IE, 195/60 and 215/60. not 65 up front and 60 in the rear.
if you look at the tires, they dont look right. even though the specs say they are the same, the fronts look taller.

also, if you go with an equal profile in the front and it brings the front down more, then you can raise it back up which is better for the front suspension geometry.
its about the angle of the lower control arm.
if you have a tall front tire and you bring the front down really low, the lower control arm will either be parallel to the ground or worese angle up. now when the suspension compresses instead of gaining negative camber (which you want) you either gain nothing or it goes positve. (very bad). (this is why the front suspesnion has to be so stilff it cant move.)

if you have a lower tire and raise the car now the lower control arm angles down a little. (this is what porsche designed the suspension to do). now when the suspesion compresses you get the negative camber gains that help keep the tire contact patch flat on the ground.
this will also give you a little better ride because now the front susension can actually move.

this is why people either raise the susoension mounting points or raise the spindles. it lets them lower the front and keep that angled down control are.

take a look at a clock.
imagine the big hand on the 5. draw a line straight up from 5 to 1. now imagine it on the 3. look how further out the end of the minute had is at the 3 vs the 5. this is what give you neg camber

i dont know whats up with the green car. the rear susension looks broken. it also looks like it has toe out

[Arne2]

Originally Posted by T77911S

you need to go with the same profile front and rear. IE, 195/60 and 215/60. not 65 up front and 60 in the rear.
if you look at the tires, they dont look right. even though the specs say they are the same, the fronts look taller.

I don't agree, and neither does Porsche, who almost always fitted different profiles front and rear on cars with staggered sizes.

[AVIMAX]

Not sure if this is chunky enough for you, but they fill in the wheel wells. 195-65-15 and 215-60-15 Falken ZE 912

[perks]

Thanks for all the help. Avimax and obrut great looking cars, that is the look I'm going for. Everyone here is great help for someone new to the Porsche world.

[Horrido]

Thanks for posting the pic obrut, I am thinking about trying some 205/60-15 and 235/60-15 BF Goodrich Radial TAs on my SC.

[obrut]

Originally Posted by T77911S

you need to go with the same profile front and rear. IE, 195/60 and 215/60. not 65 up front and 60 in the rear.
if you look at the tires, they dont look right. even though the specs say they are the same, the fronts look taller.

also, if you go with an equal profile in the front and it brings the front down more, then you can raise it back up which is better for the front suspension geometry.
its about the angle of the lower control arm.
if you have a tall front tire and you bring the front down really low, the lower control arm will either be parallel to the ground or worese angle up. now when the suspension compresses instead of gaining negative camber (which you want) you either gain nothing or it goes positve. (very bad). (this is why the front suspesnion has to be so stilff it cant move.)

if you have a lower tire and raise the car now the lower control arm angles down a little. (this is what porsche designed the suspension to do). now when the suspesion compresses you get the negative camber gains that help keep the tire contact patch flat on the ground.
this will also give you a little better ride because now the front susension can actually move.

this is why people either raise the susoension mounting points or raise the spindles. it lets them lower the front and keep that angled down control are.

take a look at a clock.
imagine the big hand on the 5. draw a line straight up from 5 to 1. now imagine it on the 3. look how further out the end of the minute had is at the 3 vs the 5. this is what give you neg camber

i dont know whats up with the green car. the rear susension looks broken. it also looks like it has toe out

Disagree - the 60 and the 65 are the sidewall height as a % of the width. The dia of a 215/60 is 639mm and 196/65 is 634.5mm.

215/60R15 is one of the standard rear sizes for a C3. The original matched front was a 185/70R15 which are hard to get and a 195/65 is a good substitute.