What's your favourite old school tyre from the past

What's your favourite old school tyre from the past

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Discussion

Freds

947 posts

138 months

Saturday 14th January 2017
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Little Pete said:
Goodyear Rally Special 195/60/13. My first rubber love!
I used these on my Mk 2 RS Escort in the early 80's. They didn't last long...........Happy days smile

JakeT

5,438 posts

121 months

Saturday 14th January 2017
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The Original Michelin Pilot sport. My dad used to run them on his 330i touring in 2000 and it looked excellent. The tread pattern on a 255 wide rear tyre was awesome.



sidgolf

163 posts

191 months

Sunday 15th January 2017
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Avon Turbospeed- cool name and footwear of choice for 70's Rolls Royce.

no idea if they were any good.

Garvin

5,173 posts

178 months

Sunday 15th January 2017
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Three favourite tyres stand out for me, one 'old school', one not so old and one quite recent:

The original Goodyear NCT. They replaced the OEM Uniroyal tyres on my Mk1 Astra GTE in the mid 80's - totally transformed (and I mean transformed) the car!

Michelin Pilot Sport 2. In the early noughties they replaced the OEM Bridgestones on a Mk1 Audi TT, again they made a very significant improvement to the car.

Most recently are the Michelin Pilot Super Sports. Replaced the Pirellis on the F355 and are night and day better.

The Michelin XZX also stood out for me but for completely different reasons. Back in the 70's they lasted forever but had no grip . . . . anywhere . . . . under any conditions. They contributed massively to my development of oversteer control on my Vauxhall HB Viva. I think they must have been made out of plastic rather than rubber!

DB7 for ever

571 posts

88 months

Sunday 15th January 2017
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The Goodyear Grand Prix S tyres were pretty much used on most of my Dads cars back in the day. Very popular and always some good Tv adverts for them.

I remember the Michelin TRX metric tyres from my Granada 2.8i days. Very expensive tyre even back then and I think no longer available now days. I used to use the Colway Remold copy of the TRX on my Granny and they were bloody brilliant and hard wearing too and only cost £25 each back then as opposed to the £150 plus for the genuine TRX.

Regarding the Avon Turbospeeds, I had these fitted as standard on my Bentley Turbo RT ( The factory recommended tyre ) for this car and many other Rolls Royce and Bentley cars had them too. CR228's I think mine were and I found them to be a really excellent tyre also and I suppose they had to be to carry that cars weight.

FiF, loving that car tyre table you have.

Cheers

jon-

16,511 posts

217 months

Sunday 15th January 2017
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JakeT said:
The Original Michelin Pilot sport. My dad used to run them on his 330i touring in 2000 and it looked excellent. The tread pattern on a 255 wide rear tyre was awesome.


This is a strong call, but my personal favourite is the Bridgestone Potenza S02.

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Bridgestone/Pote...

Partly because of its "racecar" like performance, partly because it was OE on a few TVRs, but mostly because it was the last time Bridgestone actually made a decent performance tyre frown

SonicShadow

2,452 posts

155 months

Sunday 15th January 2017
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jon- said:
but mostly because it was the last time Bridgestone actually made a decent performance tyre frown
RE002, RE003?

NJH

3,021 posts

210 months

Sunday 15th January 2017
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No he is probably right. In its day the S02 was the best all round performance tyre by some margin.

jon-

16,511 posts

217 months

Sunday 15th January 2017
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SonicShadow said:
jon- said:
but mostly because it was the last time Bridgestone actually made a decent performance tyre frown
RE002, RE003?
Nope. Sad soft sidewalls, average wet grip.

The S02 was just lovely. It took so much abuse without overheating too. I've spoken to ex Bridgestone engineers about it and they all look back very fondly.

308mate

13,757 posts

223 months

Sunday 15th January 2017
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Easy, the BF Goodrich Radial T/A





Edited by 308mate on Monday 16th January 08:23

aeropilot

34,658 posts

228 months

Sunday 15th January 2017
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jon- said:
SonicShadow said:
jon- said:
but mostly because it was the last time Bridgestone actually made a decent performance tyre frown
RE002, RE003?
Nope. Sad soft sidewalls, average wet grip.

The S02 was just lovely. It took so much abuse without overheating too. I've spoken to ex Bridgestone engineers about it and they all look back very fondly.
I thought the S-03 was the pick of the Bridgestone's that I've used over the years.


Miglia 888

1,002 posts

148 months

Sunday 15th January 2017
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Dominic H

3,275 posts

233 months

Sunday 15th January 2017
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Can't believe there'd been no mention of the original Pirelli Cinturato P7...



As fitted to the Countach LP5000, and available as a +2" option on the Golf GTi.

HarryW

15,151 posts

270 months

Sunday 15th January 2017
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aeropilot said:
jon- said:
SonicShadow said:
jon- said:
but mostly because it was the last time Bridgestone actually made a decent performance tyre frown
RE002, RE003?
Nope. Sad soft sidewalls, average wet grip.

The S02 was just lovely. It took so much abuse without overheating too. I've spoken to ex Bridgestone engineers about it and they all look back very fondly.
I thought the S-03 was the pick of the Bridgestone's that I've used over the years.
Agree, had S-01, 02 & 03 I really liked the stiff sidewall of the 03, think the 02 might have better overall grip in the dry though.

Lowtimer

4,286 posts

169 months

Sunday 15th January 2017
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jon- said:
Nope. Sad soft sidewalls, average wet grip.

The S02 was just lovely. It took so much abuse without overheating too. I've spoken to ex Bridgestone engineers about it and they all look back very fondly.
It's still available, probably because it's one of only two N-rated tyres listed in the ever-popular 245/45 16 which goes on the back of quite a few 1990s Porsches.

Edited by Lowtimer on Sunday 15th January 17:14

Bungleaio

6,332 posts

203 months

Sunday 15th January 2017
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Rsdop said:
SteveS Cup said:
Trabi601 said:
A539s are where it's at.

I could wear fronts out in 3k miles on an Alfa 33 16v.

Ultimate imo! Had these on my 106 GTI!
These are still available I put a set on my Escort last year. Great tyres, and less than £200 for a full set of 185/60/13!
I have just bought a set for my mini, never had them before but I'm hoping they live up to their reputation.

saaby93

32,038 posts

179 months

Sunday 15th January 2017
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Dominic H said:
Can't believe there'd been no mention of the original Pirelli Cinturato P7...



As fitted to the Countach LP5000, and available as a +2" option on the Golf GTi.
Surely that's begging a caption competition

'what a stupid car, where am I going to fit this?'
or
'I'm going to have to ditch this case'

matchmaker

8,495 posts

201 months

Sunday 15th January 2017
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Michelin XAS. The first asymmetric tyre.



And anyone remember the Dunlop A2? A tarmac rally tyre developed from a crossply racing slick. Phenomenal grip - in the dry at least.

carl_w

9,191 posts

259 months

Sunday 15th January 2017
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jon- said:
This is a strong call, but my personal favourite is the Bridgestone Potenza S02.
Tyre of choice for Imprezas back in the day. Didn't they have keyhole shaped grooves, so as the tyre wore down the gaps in the tread got bigger?

squareflops

1,820 posts

184 months

Sunday 15th January 2017
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10" Camacs