1956 250 GT Tires

I'd be willing to bet that even "fresh" set tires will be considerably better behaving, i.e. less "squirrely", even if identical make, model and size than your current, 20*+ (???!!!???) years old ones.
While I don't have a 250 GT, I do drive my vintage cars, probably more than most, and my 4+ decades of experience has helped me to create a "rule-of-thumb" if you will.
I replace tires on any/all of my (road use) vehicles, including modern daily drivers, in less than 5 years (or 6 max), but I usually try wearing them out before unsafe aging becomes a concern.

*Talk about Russian Roulette with more than one chamber loaded.

P.S. Congratulations on a lovely (new-to-you) car !

 

What tyres are on the car now? 20 year old tyres are just unsafe and are not comparable in the slightest to a new set, whatever they are.

I'm sure FChat user @roma1280 will be able to help you. He uses his 250 GT LWB TdF which will have mechanical similarities to your car, which may include the wheels.

Dougal from @Longstone Tyres will be able to help you too.

 

P.P.S. I've also (carefully) test driven many vintage cars, including Ferraris with 5-10 years old tires, which in many cases had appeared like new and might've not had hardly any wear, but replacing them with "fresh" ones has always improved handling and performance noticeably, some times significantly (and in each case, clients have agreed).

If I'm expected to perform serious road testing on any car, including those of my clients, and it has tires over 6 years old, I just won't.
I just don't want to risk my life and lives of others around me out there, not to mention the safety of the car.

 

buy radials only. not period correct but massive improvement in handling.

 

Care to elaborate on advantages and disadvantages, if any, for this ^^, especially for the era/type of OPs vehicle ?
Based on (reasonably extensive ?) experience I assume.


BTW, although mostly in Europe, "radial" tires begun gain popularity in the late-'40s/early-'50 and by the time of this car, they were starting be fairly common, especially in sports cars.

 

if a modern version of a period correct radial tire is avail then go w it. but the best handling and ride will be achieved w a slightly lower profile modern radial.
experience gained w an e-type and 66 shelby gt350

 

Trying both designs (fresh) back-to-back on multiple extended (100+ mile) drives using same routes/tracks, speeds, etc, as in "experimenting scientifically" or ...?

 

dont be rediculous.

 

Michelin Pilote X. See here and here.

 

???
Just curious.

 

In the way of vintage tires, one such tire is Avon Turbosteel 185/16. I recall how much better the car handled and how much more comfortable the ride was. I replaced them prematurely cause I didn't like the way they looked.

https://www.cokertire.com/tires/avon-turbosteel-185vr16-93v.html

john

 

Hi

i hope i can be of help. Here is our page on tyres for a 250 GT Boano

https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/classic-car-tyres/ferrari/250-gt-boano.html

As standard it would have fitted the Pirelli 6.00V16 Stella Bianca. This tyre is being produced again, looks fantastic, and is infact quite an exceptional crossply tyre, maitaining the progressive handling of a crossply tyre, while offering better wet grip than they did in the day, and i would expect you to be impressed by how much better the directional stability is compared to other crosssply tyres.

Radial tyres were available in this period. the Michelin X came out in the 1940s and in 1956 if you had asked for a radial tyre on your 250 GT they would have fitted a 185VR16 Pirelli Cinturato (probably called Cintura at the time depending on what country you were in.)

today the Michelin 185SR16 X is available. a fab price, it really is good value. They look great and importantly they have the correct dimensions so drive really nicely as a steadyish road tyre, because they are tall and thin and have a carcass structure suited to cars of thisd period. However they are only S rated and not really a sports car tyre, a bit more Traction Avante.

The Pirelli 185VR16 Cinturato CA67 isd currently out of stock but i hope to have it back in the next few months. This really is the radial tyre. They learned about radial tyres from the Michelin X and tailered the design to suit the powerfull sports cars such as the Ferrari 250. it has all the benefits of radial tyres, but with non of the derogatory side effects that any of the other radial tyres in this size have.

6.00WR16 Michelin Pilote X. also great. not genuine period, a bit wide so as a road tyre not quite as nice handling as the Cinturato, but better on the track but nice and tall, looks a bit like the period Englebert and a great high performance tyre.

185VR16 Avon TurboSteel. completely the wrong size. about an inch too small in diameter, far too wide, completely modern tyre and tread design, more suited to the track, but a bargain. I certainly woudnt fit them it would look dreadful.

everything else isn't worth considering (unless you are going racing). Modern tyres on cars like yours spoil the handling. Don't be fooled into thinking that a tyre designed to work in conjunction with a completly different chassis set up will handle anywhere nearly as nicely as a proper tyre built to do the job you are asking from it by one of the worlds best tyre manufacturers