Thanks for the photos. They look great. 99.9% of the population would not know the difference, but a nice subtle upgrade for the .1%. I look forward to hearing your driving impressions. Enjoy!
It is a more subtle difference than I expected. They look great. Certainly not a startling change, but a good one, I think.
Dan, I took the liberty of sharpening all your shots so the details of the wheels and tires show up better. Everything looks great. Tire side walls are almost vertical and you can't get any better than that. You have a lot more tread now. A good 2+ inches in the rear. I found that overall feel is very dependant on front wheel pressure. 35 lbs in front and car is squirley. 20 in front and car is dead. 26 in front is just right. Absolutely neutral. Tread wear is even with 1/8" toe in measured between front and back at center of tread. Measurement is with weight on all wheels. Rears seem to like 30 lbs. Tread wear is even all across. I get about 30,000 miles on rears around town and freeway driving. Fronts go a little sooner. Can't wait to hear your driving impressions. Play with pressures. John . Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Thanks for the photo tweaking, John. Just 24 hours until the test drive (weather permitting). I don't know what pressures the tire store put in 'em, but I think I'll start with 28/32.
Dan- Those wheels and tires are gorgeous and really fill out the wheel wells on your beautiful car. Tire size is the same as the optional 16s on a 308 GTB/S (had one once, GTB 15125, and replaced all four tires so remember the sizes well, ouch), but with the lighter Dino, the cornering should be phenomenal and braking should be improved as well. I was always amazed at the torquey feel of the Dino 246, a combination of great engine design and perfect gearing. Traded mine for a 365 GTB/4, definitely a different feel on that one, and a decided step backward in handling. Taz Terry Phillips
Bridgestone Potenza RE 760 Sport. Front: 205/55-ZR16 Rear: 225/50-ZR16 My test route consists of a two-lane country road that winds through the flat, coastal farming country. Long straightaways are interpersed with occasional sweeping curves and two very tight second gear corners. Curves must be taken with a degree of circumspection as trees restrict visibility and there's always the possibility of encountering a slow-moving agricultural vehicle, or the occasional dog. Needless to say, I did not permit myself to approach the absolute cornering limit, but I was nonetheless able to make some observations. Setting out from the house, the first thing I noticed was that the new tires do not seem to be any more harsh over pavement irregularities than the 205/70-14 Sumitomos that they replaced. This surprised me, given the fact that the sidewalls are so much shorter, and I was running them at the same pressures (28F/32R) that I always use. Straight-line tracking is rock-solid, and I felt no vibration whatsoever. Once I got onto the test road and began taking some of the faster curves, I was amazed at how "planted" the car felt and what a feeling of absolute confidence the new tires inspire. Turn-in happens RIGHT NOW, and steering feedback is unbelievably good. Even if their absolute grip were no better, these tires would yield considerably better lap times on a test track just on the basis of their superior response, feedback, and feeling of total confidence. On a couple of occasions where I really did push things (on one of the slow second gear corners), I could tell that the level of grip is far superior to the previous tires. They seem light years ahead of the Sumitomos, and yes, even the XWX. Once these tires are thoroughly scrubbed in, I would love to run some laps on a test track. In short, these modern tires (and 16 inch wheels) complement the Dino's 40 year old chassis design perfectly. They literally feel as though they were made for each other. This is as much of a tribute to the "rightness" of the car's design as it is to state-of-the-art Bridgestone tire technology. Highly recommended.
Right on Dan. Mine has felt like that all of the 22 years I have owned it. When you finally hear the tires "singing" at about 80 in a long sweeper you will find that it just goes sideways at constant throttle. No push, no spin. Just turn in a little or add a little power to hold your line. Amazing. Have fun. John
wow, found this thread, and HAD to say thank you for sharing this info, and the pics. i have been using "search" to find info on the Superperformance wheels, and this thread has me sold for my Dino ( just a 208).
