Poll: Which tire is "correct" for a 330 GT S2? | FerrariChat

Poll: Which tire is "correct" for a 330 GT S2?

Discussion in 'Vintage (thru 365 GTC4)' started by peterp, Jul 4, 2018.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

?

Which tire do you believe is most "correct" for a 330 GT S2?

  1. Michelin XWX

    21.4%
  2. Pirelli CN12

    50.0%
  3. Avon CR6ZZ

    7.1%
  4. Vredstein Classic

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  5. Other

    21.4%
  1. peterp

    peterp F1 Veteran

    Aug 31, 2002
    6,510
    NJ
    Full Name:
    Peter
    I'd like to get feedback on which tire you believe is "most correct" for a 330 GT. The reason I'm asking is because, right or wrong, I believe Michelin XWX's have generally come to be considered the "correct" tire for 330 GT's by the broader Ferrari community. I don't personally agree with that, because the XWX model wasn't introduced until after the 330 GT's stopped production, but it still seems like the XWX is more broadly recognized as the correct tire. That creates a dilemma in tire choice, so I'd like to get your feedback.

    Please answer only for the 15" tires used on 330 GT, not for the 14" tires for the 330 GTC (the GTC came out after the GT and I believe XWX's are correct for GTC's):

    The 330 GT owner's manual specifies a tire size of 205/15 but does not mention any specific tire brand or model. Here are the tire options currently available (all of which are listed in the poll options):

    205/15-70 (70-series profile) -> https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/tyres/215-70x15.html
    205/15 (full profile) -> https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/tyres/205x15.html
     
  2. miurasv

    miurasv F1 World Champ

    Nov 19, 2008
    10,017
    Cardiff, UK
    Full Name:
    Steven Robertson
    To me, the full profile Pirelli CN 72 would be more correct. CN12 were introduced later than the 330GT, I believe.
     
  3. peterp

    peterp F1 Veteran

    Aug 31, 2002
    6,510
    NJ
    Full Name:
    Peter
    Thanks Steve -- I totally missed that the "full profile" version of the Pirelli tire on the link above is a CN72 rather than CN12 (instead of having shared name for 70/full like the XWX's), so I accidentally left if off as a poll option when I created the thread/poll.

    Only 2 votes so far -- please share your thoughts if you have an opinion.
     
  4. miurasv

    miurasv F1 World Champ

    Nov 19, 2008
    10,017
    Cardiff, UK
    Full Name:
    Steven Robertson
    Are you able to amend the poll to include the Pirelli CN72?
     
  5. peterp

    peterp F1 Veteran

    Aug 31, 2002
    6,510
    NJ
    Full Name:
    Peter
    I don't see any way to edit it -- maybe a moderator can. "Other" works if not. Still hope more will chime in.
     
  6. sam231

    sam231 Formula Junior
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Aug 5, 2004
    564
    RI
    peterp likes this.
  7. peterp

    peterp F1 Veteran

    Aug 31, 2002
    6,510
    NJ
    Full Name:
    Peter
    Thanks Sam. This is great stuff. I've never even heard of a 210 width, only 205 and 215. The owners manual only mentions 205 15. Even the S2 "addendum" only mentions the S2 wheel change to Borrani 3812, nothing about tire size.

    That means the 215/70 alternative is even a bit farther off from the 210 15's originally fitted. I'm not sure whether the "full profile" is 78 or 80 (or something else), but size comparisons between 215/70 and 210 full are below.

    Owners Manual:

    Image Unavailable, Please Login

    Size Comparison (assuming full profile is 80):

    Image Unavailable, Please Login

    Size Comparison (assuming full profile is 78):

    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     

    Attached Files:

  8. turbo-joe

    turbo-joe F1 Veteran

    Apr 6, 2008
    8,867
    southwest germany and thailand
    Full Name:
    romano schwabel
    210 - 15? you are sure? never heard from this size, same like peter
     
  9. peterp

    peterp F1 Veteran

    Aug 31, 2002
    6,510
    NJ
    Full Name:
    Peter
    It does seem odd, but the build sheets are almost impossible to question. I guess back then, there was really only one profile, so that makes it a lot less surprising that tire companies produced more widths then than now. I'm just surprised to have never heard about this size until now. Kerry is beyond meticulous in his research, so I take it as gospel.

    There was only one real owners manual for the 330gt, which was for the series 1, then later they issued another version that was the same series 1 manual with a short addendum outlining the differences for S2, so the S1 manual was correct (for the early S1's when it was printed), but they left the tire change out of the S2 addendum. Could be a mistake, or maybe they wrote the S2 addendum before they made the production change to the S1 (I think the addendum was dated 1965, though I'm going from memory as I write this).

    I suspect nobody produces a 210 15" today, but I will search later to see if anything g is out there.
     
  10. 330gt

    330gt Formula 3

    Nov 12, 2004
    1,981
    Seattle, WA
    Full Name:
    Kerry Chesbro
    Here are some pictures of an original 330 GT 210x15 tire.
     

    Attached Files:

    peterp likes this.
  11. peterp

    peterp F1 Veteran

    Aug 31, 2002
    6,510
    NJ
    Full Name:
    Peter
    Thanks Kerry. Very helpful to see what they look like. Do you happen to have 5 "NNS" (new new stock) Pirelli 210HR15's lying around? :)
     
  12. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 28, 2003
    75,396
    Texas!
    A round one? (Running and ducking for cover.)
     
  13. enio45

    enio45 Formula 3
    Rossa Subscribed

    May 16, 2004
    1,533
    Gilbert, AZ
    Full Name:
    Ed
    peterp likes this.
  14. SteviePPS

    SteviePPS Karting

    May 11, 2013
    69
    EU
    Full Name:
    Steve Warson
    I would use 205VR15 Pirelli CN72. And have recently put a few thousand km on a Mistral fitted with a fresh set. They're great!
     
  15. BO67

    BO67 Karting

    Oct 11, 2016
    82
    Faraway soclose here
    Full Name:
    Its me
    I dont know if there were diff . between us and eu models but mine had originally that Avon 205 in europe from the official ferrari dealer Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  16. BO67

    BO67 Karting

    Oct 11, 2016
    82
    Faraway soclose here
    Full Name:
    Its me
    actually was a series 1
     
  17. peterp

    peterp F1 Veteran

    Aug 31, 2002
    6,510
    NJ
    Full Name:
    Peter
    Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but this thread (https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/testing-tires-for-classic-cars.670745/#post-149022092) in the 206/246 session has some great real-world testing of vintage tires (Michelin XWX, Pirelli CN36, Vredstien, Blockley). The results largely correlate with what I've heard and read over the years, performance-wise, about the tire options for the vintage V12's, so I thought it would be useful to reference the 206/246 thread in the vintage forum. I'm really surprised this modern test of vintage tires didn't get more visibility (or maybe I just missed it).
     

Share This Page