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1950s period crossply tyres

Discussion in 'Vintage (thru 365 GTC4)' started by Longstone Tyres, Nov 12, 2024.

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  1. Longstone Tyres

    Longstone Tyres Formula 3
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    Dougal
    #1 Longstone Tyres, Nov 12, 2024
    Hi

    What are you putting on your 1950s cars? including racing cars.

    So a while ago Pirelli made us a 600-16 Stella Bianca. the good news is they have made another batch. what is particularly exciting is for racing cars of the period there are also smaller tyres for the front, 550-16 or 500/525-16 which untill recently were not around.

    https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/pirelli-collezione.html

    In the 1950s 600-16 was sort of the standard size tyre for sports cars like Ferrari, XK Jaguar, David Brown Aston Martin through to the DB4, Maserati A6 and all the top out and out sports cars fitted 600-16 So this Stella Bianca is an important tyre, and currently i think it is the only period tyre in the size. the Avon TurboSpeed is close, but only H rated. the Dunlop Racing 600-16 R5 is pretty good, that is actually a 1958 tread pattern.

    We should soon get another delivery of the 185VR16 Cinturato CA67 which was the other option in period as a 1952 tyre, and the 175R400 Cinturato is on its way too. But these Stella are a great new option. If you huys have pictures of cars on these tyres please post them.

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  2. TTR

    TTR F1 Veteran
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    Timo
    #2 TTR, Nov 15, 2024
    Dougal,

    After reading your comments about the Stella Bianca tires, I came up with a thought I wish to run by you.

    While my ‘32 Plymouth Roadster (‘50s vintage Hot Rod) isn’t a race car, we (the car & I) have a relatively extensive, i.e. almost 35 years & +/-100.000 miles, & often spirited road use experience with cross ply tires by another manufacturer.

    In the past 10 years I’ve been averaging annually about 4000 miles and usually wear out a set in 3-4 years (i.e. long before they age out) and needing to replace my current set in next few months made me wonder if you consider extending/mentioning this to the marketing department at Pirelli.

    If they (Pirelli) would have interest in a feedback/reporting on real world usage/testing which could be shared publicly, either here or in some (limited) marketing campaign/platform of their choosing, I could provide assistance.

    All they would have to do is provide a complimentary set of applicable sizes* and wait a few months for me to accumulate 1000+ miles under various driving/road conditions. A full extent of a test, including thread life, would obviously require a couple of more years, depending on the compound wear durability, etc.

    *I realize Pirelli doesn’t necessarily make/offer Stella Bianca in 700-16 (to match my current rear tires), but with 600-16 in the rear & 500/525-16 in the front (to match my current ones) could be a viable alternative to try.

    Or if you know of another tire brand willing to engage in this kind of marketing and has suitable sizes in cross ply tires, I’m all ears.

    OTOH, if they don’t see this as a marketing opportunity knocking at their door, no big deal.
    I’ll just stick with the brand I know works well enough.

    Also, if you would prefer replying in private, you’re welcome send a PM or ask Tom H. for my direct contact info (I’ve purchased several sets of XWX’s from you guys over the years and thank him for the T-shirts). :)
     
  3. Longstone Tyres

    Longstone Tyres Formula 3
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    #3 Longstone Tyres, Nov 15, 2024
    Hi TTR

    Tom has gone home now, but i will thank him for you tomorrow.

    there is a hope that in the future we will be getting a 650-16 Stella bianca for the back of 250F and loads of other '50s racers, and the 3500gt Maser. but i dont think a 700 is on the cards.

    i have to be careful how i word this because i dont want to cause any upset, but these are more sports car tyres. Vintage Rods are cool and i personally do about 4,000 miles a year in my Stock Model A Ford where i do trialing all over the Uk with the VSCC



    It has to be one of the best ways to spend a weekend. me and my kids just drove 2 models A's to the Lake District and back last weekend it was fab.

    i also race a very fast 1920s Frazer Nash with a Model A Ford Engine with a Cragar Miller over head valve in it. i have fitted some of the 18" Stella Bianca tyres on that and tested them up to well over 100mph and they were fine. this is my car going up the Vernasca Silver Flag hill Climb overtaking 8C Alfa among other things.



    Also when Pirelli first made these tyres in the 600-16 i hired the local Blyton track owned by ginette where they do all their testing and Pirelli sent over 2 technitians. i arranged some fast cars and good drivers and we did some extensive testing.

    thank you TTR for your selfless offer, but i think we are on it like a car bonnet.

    interetingly though i think the local Hot Rod fraternity are struggling to get a good 700-16 tyre.
     
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  4. TTR

    TTR F1 Veteran
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    Timo
    #4 TTR, Nov 18, 2024
    Dougal,

    Thanks for your prompt, considerate and informative reply.

    First, let me make clear that this idea or suggestion of lending myself & my car for tire testing wasn’t as “selfless” as you might’ve interpreted, but presumably something beneficial for both me and Pirelli or any other manufacturer of cross ply tires in sizes suitable for my car and type of driving I do*.

    I would obviously gain a set of new tires to use for a couple of years in exchange for my (experienced & unbiased ?) real-world evaluation and feedback on them, which the manufacturer or their authorized retailers (like you ?) could in turn use for marketing/reference purposes.
    But if there's no interest in this type of publicity, oh well ...

    *While my Roadster has all attributes & appearance of a 1950s “Hot Rod”, I generally use it for GT & sports car type driving, i.e. long distance leisure travel & spirited Sunday drives at nearby mountains and other scenic, secondary highways, etc., many of which I’ve shared stories in the past on this and couple of other vintage car forums.
     
  5. Longstone Tyres

    Longstone Tyres Formula 3
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    Dougal
    #5 Longstone Tyres, Nov 19, 2024
    Hi TTR

    Yep i do the same.

    You wouild struggle to find anyone in the world who does more miles than i do in a pre war car this century.

    check out my face book. In this Delage in the last 12 months i have driven it to Bologna in Itally and Fisterra the westest bit of Western spain.

    https://fb.watch/vY5x8INZMF/

    this is the Frazer Nash i race

    <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Flongstonetyres%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02pg7hSj4T9knLkQjFLfRDqM7mAGhejgpxAkhiDhcBhaXY9tA2VFhiqwHBvAGNXtkEl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="434" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe>

    https://fb.watch/vY6NJ4Jds5/

    Then i think my real high light of 2024 was i sponsored and drove the Napier Railton at Montlhery. I think i went faster than it has been this century, i got up over a ton, and got up into the outer circuit. I shant be for getting that in a long time.

    https://fb.watch/vY5WhNG74R/

    It has been a pleasure showing off abou this. I am such an incredibly luck boy. imagine getting to drive this on a full banked circiut! Amazing.

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