ETYPE TIRES

Joey - where did you piurchase the inner tubes for your new tires - Diamondback? Assuming you have the wire wheels. Also assuming that wire wheels require inner tubes - thanks!

Hi Joey - did you settle on a decent tire pressure for the Michelins? I will be replacing all five of the old P5 Pirellis on my 2+2. I have found that Michelin makes the best tire. Smooth and quiet. Will be going w/ the P205/70/15's like you.

Bill, I understand,
The defenders are also so cheap, because they are used on SO many new cars and small suv's.
Has nothing to do with quality.
I could not believe how bad old tires really can be.......
The new tires also cured my shake at 70 which was due to a wheel weight flying off and the common flat spots that happen when Pirellis sit for long stretches.....
Either way, good luck, you will be very hapy if you pull the trigger....
GTJOEY1314
P.S keep it under 160, we don't want to visit you in a hospital or worse.......ENJOY FATHERS DAY!

Joe,

Thanks for the input. I need to give it a little more thought but at one-third the price, the Defenders sound good. The ancient Z rated Michelins on the car now gave me peace of mind when they were new. As if I could get to 160 mph.

Bill

Just a follow up, at tire rack, they are listed at $112 dollars per tire. The all season defender, for 500 dollars shipping and all. Its a total transformation. Mine were 075 delivered with the redline, my personal touch.
You get a huge bang for the buck.
Good Luck.

Edited on 2013-06-15 7:00:11

Just a follow up, at tire rack, they are listed at $112 dollars per tire. The all season defender, for 500 dollars shipping and all you will have all 4. Its a total transformation. Mine were 975 delivered with the redline, my personal touch.
You get a huge bang for the buck.
Good Luck.

Edited on 2013-06-14 22:53:07

Bill, good to talk to another driver...........The T rating overall means that it can handle 118 mph , hour after hour with no issues, they also cushion the rating with another 10 to 15 mph as a safety net.
So for that tire you have a possibility of averaging 118 to 130 or so....
I drive a lot , anyone else averaging more than that per hour?
The other Huge difference as compared to the Pirellis with a v rating or kumos and all the rest, you give up a quality ride in the way of noise.
The Michelin ratings and surveys are all A and B with an almost perfect rating in EVERY category. Try them, I promise, you wont believe what the ETYPE will turn into........
Unless your looking for a track tire?
Good luck!
GTJOEY1314

I too was considering the Defenders but in the 205/70R15 size, they come with only a T speed rating. I have been looking for V or better. Am I wrong about the availability of a higher rating? Do most drivers think T (118 mph) is adequate? To date, I have found only Dunlop Aquajets 185/VR15 available in the USA. Any other options would be good to hear about. Thanks.

Bill Braun

Edited on 2013-06-12 22:35:03

Guys, Ive now driven over 300 miles this week. Red lines or not, the Michelins are HIGHLY recommended.
They are so smooth and quiet, Im playing with the tire pressure as they are a little softer compound then the Pirellis.
I started with a modern 32lbs, way to jumpy for the etype set up above 70, 30lbs, seems okay but a little drifty after 90 mph. Will try 28 as the sweet spot. I will end up between 28 and 30 for the long haul......You will love them............Michelin 205/70/15.........
GOOD LUCK.

Ron they will but you will loose the Dunlop Label as they can't seem to do the job without taking the entire side down. Last I saw.

Does anyone know if Diamondback will put extra wide whitewalls on Dunlop RS5 blackwalls (which are currently available) for early U.S. export E-types. The only WW tires currently available for these cars are from Coker and they are: (a) not wide enough and (b) not Dunlop.

Blake, 205/70/15 is the perfect set up for a stock ride, not race set up.....IMO.
Go get the Michelins, I thought I was riding on air. The red lines were my personal taste/touch. But the ride quality, I just floated to90 mph like a modern car.
When you look in the tire, the quality and cords inside are just top notch.
Try that set up you wont be let down.
The tires once again are michelin defenders........all season.
To be honest there also soooo cheap because they are so widely used...
The dinky michelin coker tires arent really michelin anymore, there build quality is not very good.....Its just an old mold reproduced.
Post when you get them.....
GTJOEY1314

I need to replace mine soon also. My DOT date is about 6 years old. Im also running 185/16/15. ... not by choice, its just all they had when I was in a bind.

I have a receipt in my files from the previous owner running 215/70/15... is that way to big? I was planning on going with 205s.

Edited on 2013-06-06 13:48:15

Everyone, all I can say is "WOW", Recieved the tires yesterday.
Will have my son post son pictures.
I now have MODERN michelin defender tires with the most up to date technology on the Etype. The tire pattern is traditional too, not a radical race or 4x4 tire design.
The p4000 PIRELLIS at the time were great over stock coker repro tires.
But as most know the pirellis by todays standards are hard ,non forgiving and would constantly flat spot till warmed up . You dont realise how small the original tires were. I used the original spare on each wheel as I was rotating around the new wheels, boy do those look dinky.
For anyone really driving their car the offset dayton sealed wire wheels are the best at the 6 inch.
So for anyone that wants to try them, you can buy the tires in blackwall from anywhere. If you want all the side lettering ground off and a red line. Diamond back tires is the place.
The car drives DEAD QUIET, no road drone, no wobble, and very responsive in turns...
Tire size 205/70 / 15 Michelin Defender all season tire.
Will post soon, thanks again
GTJOEY1314

Joe,
I have a willow green series II and am interested in your final look ( currently black walls ).

Please send me a few photos after you have the task completed.

phwnorthstate.net

Thanks, philphil

Edited on 2013-06-06 21:48:38

Yeah, The red line against the willow/jade green I think sets it off.
The black walls to me sometimes looks a little bland, but thats me...
If the tires work out , then great, if not black walls it is....
Im out on the white walls though.
Will report back...
Thanks
gtjoey1314

Joey, why the red wall? Just your preference?

Edited on 2013-06-06 21:47:44

Yes Howard, Im trying them for a couple of reasons.
My old Pirelli 4000's were the cats meow back in the day. They had short comings for older jags like, flat spots,hard as bricks when cold or worn. The usuals.
The new defender Michelin is the most modern all weather tire in that size 205/70r15.
The draw back is the side wall is compliant with modern dot.
There are letters,markings,all weather lettering all over them.
If you don mind the look then they are great.
Instead, Im shaving the lettering of and have a red line put on the side.
It will look sweet.
My pirellis had a red line cut into it, NO ONE will do that today .....
So dead quite tires,redlines to boot and ALOT softer compound and a stock look and not to aqua tread aggressive.
Would be nice if we could post pictures easier, my kid will have to come home from chemistry class to post...
GTJOEY1314

Joe, What is this about "diamondback vulcanizing red lines on and shaving letters off".Are they an outfit that does custom work on tires to whatever you want that is in the realm of possibility.
BTW. my question mark key has gone awol.

Howard B.... You can see my car on XKEDATA,COM # 875864