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Reply to "Tires for OEM 15 inch wheels"

SOURCING TIRES


Tires for the original 15" Campagnolo wheels can be sourced from "classic tire" suppliers or sourced from "contemporary tire" suppliers.

Re-issues of classic tires are "reproductions" in appearance and size, but they are constructed using modern rubber compounds and modern construction techniques. They "look" like the classic tire they are emulating in sidewall design and tread pattern, they are available in the right size for your car, but they are thoroughly modern in terms of performance.

Longstone Classic Tyres of Bawtry, South Yorkshire, England, is the only "supplier" of reproduction tires who has shown an interest in our classic Italian cars. Longstone's US distributor is Lucas Classic Tires of Long Beach, California. Classic tires of the proper size for some applications are available from Pirelli, Michelin, and Avon.

Longstone Classic Tyres
Lucas Classic Tires

Avon Tires are also available in the US via Frisby Performance Tire (Park City Illinois), Roger Krause Racing (Castro Valley California), SascoSports (Alton Virginia), or Sierra Tire (Henderson Nevada).

The availability of contemporary tires for 15” wheels has been dwindling over the last couple of decades; especially for tires having a speed rating of V (or higher). The options in selecting the same make and model tires in the front as you select for the rear are highly limited.

Here are two good internet sites for checking-out what's available amongst "contemporary" tires, they both allow you to search by size for "sets" of tires wherein the front tires and rear tires are a different size:

Tire Rack.com/
On Line Tires.com/


OEM TIRE SETS

Pantera International advocates using front and rear tires composed of sets of the same make and model tire. If the car shall be driven or garaged at temperatures below 45° F (7° C) we advocate using All Season Tires.


Tire Set 1 | 1971-1972 | 185/70VR15 + 215/70VR15
Push Button, Pre-L, Early GTS, Early Group 3
Chassis number 1001 through 4268

This set is available in Michelin XWX re-issues.

There is little demand for this size, most owners of the earliest Panteras opt for tires in the sizes of tire set 2 or tire set 3; which are by far the two most popular and therefore most common tire sets for narrow body Panteras.


Tire Set 2 | 1972½ -1977 | 205/60VR15 + 255/60VR15
Pantera L, GTS, Group 3
Chassis number 4269 through 7554, and 9001 through 9099

This set is available in BF Goodrich Radial T/A (speed rated S).

Historic Trivia: Few people realize the popular 15x10 Campy rear wheels were actually designed circa 1972 or 1973 for the H60V15 Goodyear Arriva rear tires (255mm cross section). The Pirelli P7 tires did not enter the scene until approximately 1977. The offset of the 15x10 wheels was chosen to recess the Arriva tires about 15mm from the fender's edge.

Some owners choose Avon CR6ZZ "classic" street legal radial racing tires which are available in a set of alternative size tires: 215/60VR15 + 275/55VR15

The 255/60R15 is available in Pirelli CN12 re-issues (speed rated W). But the CN12 Pirelli is not available in the 205/60R15 front size. Pity … that would be a great alternative to the BF Goodrich tire set.


Tire Set 3 | 1977 -1984 | 225/50VR15 + 285/50VR15
Late Model GTS, Late Model Group 3 (and Longchamp GTS)
Chassis number 9100 through 9374

This is a small diameter tire set, both tires are about an inch smaller in diameter than the tires originally installed on the narrow body Panteras. They fit the fender arches differently … there is a larger gap between the fenders and the tires.

Most people consider this tire set for 15x8 front wheels and 15x10 rear wheels, BUT the tires will fit the smaller 15x7 front wheels and 15x8 rear wheels.

The Front AND Rear tires are available in Pirelli P7 re-issues. The Pantera and Longchamp GTS were the only OEM applications for tires in the rear size, Pirelli made it available due to the effort of Dougal Cawley of Longstone Classic Tyres.

There are alternatives to the Pirelli P7s when 15x10 rear wheels are being used. They are larger in diameter than the P7s, but the difference in tire diameter front to rear is appropriately 2 inches.

BF Goodrich Radial T/A:

205/60R15 front (mounted on 15x7 wheels) and 295/50R15 rear.

Avon CR6ZZ:
215/60VR15 + 275/55VR15 or 215/60VR15 + 295/50VR15
These are "classic" street legal radial racing tires.


Tire Set 4 | 1978-1990 | 285/40VR15 + 345/35VR15
Wide Bodies: GTS/4, GT4, GT5, GT5-S
Chassis number 9100 through 9374, and 9375 through 9562

This set is available in Pirelli P7 re-issues.


Tire Set 5 | 1990-1993 | 235/45ZR17 + 335/35ZR17
Wide Body: Pantera Si
Chassis number 9601 through 9641

This tire set is available from 2 manufacturers, but it is not available in the same model tire for front and rear.

Michelin: Pilot Sport 4S front + Pilot Sport PS2 rear
Pirelli : P-Zero Nero GT front + P-Zero System rear

Last edited by George P
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