The Pope takes tyre fitment very seriously on his Mondail | FerrariChat
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The Pope takes tyre fitment very seriously on his Mondail

Discussion in 'Mondial' started by Longstone Tyres, Apr 20, 2023.

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  1. Longstone Tyres

    Longstone Tyres Formula 3
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    Feb 2, 2006
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    Dougal
    #1 Longstone Tyres, Apr 20, 2023
    My son found this picture.

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    and because i have trained him up to be a tyre nerd he immediately spotted that the Pope is a man of discerning taste and his tyre choice is based on quality not price, as it should be. As a result he has fitted the Michelin TRX on his Mondail

    https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/michelin-classic-tyres/trx.html

    Amen!

    We have plenty of them. we ship all over the world. it rarely takes longer than a week. generally next day in the UK. 2 or 3 in Europe land, included in which we have arranged all your taxs so it does not get held up by customs. and the rest of the world up to 10 days max, but usually within a week.
     
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  2. gunn

    gunn Formula Junior

    Aug 30, 2021
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    Gunn S
    #2 gunn, Apr 20, 2023
    Cute advertorial but the march of technology has greatly improved tire tread patterns and compounds since the TRX tires were first introduced in the mid 70s.

    Both could benefit from a bit of reformation and/or reformulation. I'm not sure which one I would bet to be more likely though (a modern tire in metric size or a modern Catholic church).
     
  3. gunn

    gunn Formula Junior

    Aug 30, 2021
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    Gunn S
    #3 gunn, Apr 20, 2023
    Btw, If Michelin has indeed updated their TRX tires to more modern compounds, please correct me. At least that's one tiny justification to stick with the stock tire diameters. :)
     
  4. Longstone Tyres

    Longstone Tyres Formula 3
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    Dougal
    #4 Longstone Tyres, Apr 20, 2023
    Tehre are many reasons to stick with the stock tyres.
    • The Michelin TRX are fantastic tyres and all ways have been. most of the developments made in TRX construction are used in modern tyre construction, however there were a few features in the wheel structure that improve the ability for a tyre to absorb vibration that are as yet not used in modern tyres.
    • the TRX suits your car better than a modern tyre, a modern tyre is designed to be used in a different enviroment.
    • the TRX does use modern compounds.
    https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/classic-car-tyres/ferrari/mondial.html

    currently the best tyres for a Mondial are either the TRX or the Pirelli Cinturato P7. (the classic one not the modern version). because they both have period carcass structure that Ferrari built their cars to suit. I would probably go TRX for our rubbish rough modern roads.
     
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  5. Subito Grigio

    Subito Grigio Formula Junior

    Jun 2, 2009
    405
    #5 Subito Grigio, Apr 20, 2023
    Slight subject shift: since we are showing an older Longstone ad, I have been searching for another classic Longstone ad. The ad shows a beautiful woman seated in a car - she might have a veil over her face. If someone has that image please share it. Otherwise I will keep searching. SG


    Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app
     
  6. 4rePhill

    4rePhill F1 Veteran

    Oct 18, 2009
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    Phill J
    #6 4rePhill, Apr 22, 2023
    As posted in the thread in the 308/328 section on the same subject (no idea why it was also posted there as the story has nothing to do with either the 308 or 328 cars :confused:) :

    It wasn't the Pope's Mondial - It was just a random open top Ferrari that the factory sent to carry the Pope around Maranello and to the Ferrari factory.

    The Pope was due to visit the area around Modena, and accepted an invitation to visit the Ferrari factory (Sadly, Enzo Ferrari was bedridden at the time, and too ill to meet the Pope - They did speak on the telephone a few times before Ferrari's death though)

    There are various stories about the original vehicle chosen to transport the Pope around Maranello and to the Ferrari factory, including a Toyota "Pope-mobile", and a Lancia saloon car. What is known, is that whichever vehicle it actually was, the Pope was disappointed and said something along the lines of: "There is no Ferrari?"

    On seeing the Pope's disappointment, the officials sent a driver to race back to the Ferrari factory, to get a Ferrari for the Pope to travel in.

    It was decided that the Pope should have an open top car, so that he could be seen in more easily by the crowds who would want to see him - That made the choice either a 328 GTS or a 3.2 Mondial.

    It was felt that, if the Pope wanted to stand up in the car to be seen, the 328 GTS would be more awkward, so a random red Mondial cabriolet was grabbed from a line of completed cars, and dispatched to collect the Pope, which is the car he is pictured in.

    It has been suggested that the Mondial used was chassis # 77848 (the owner of #77848 has posted on Ferrarichat in the past that both the Ferrari factory and Piero Ferrari have confirmed it was their car that had been used), but there is no official record of which car it was, because nothing had been prearranged to supply a Ferrari for the Pope.

    So as it stands, the Pope had nothing to do whatsoever with the tyre choice on the car used.
     
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  7. 350HPMondial

    350HPMondial F1 Veteran
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    18 mi from the surf,, close to Pismo, CA
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    Edwardo
    #7 350HPMondial, Apr 22, 2023
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2023
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    Hey Phill,
    Hope your getting some spring way over there, cross the pond.
    Thank you so much for posting in our Mondial section. We are so happy the Pope was “weekend gifted” a Ferrari by Enzo,, and it was a Mondial 3.2
    ( smile)

    I also believe the TRX was on that car. When I had mine for (24 years), on two different cars, I never was out of control in a left handed drift, on my favorite freeway on-ramp. ( smile)

    Hoooo, hoooooo ! and a screaming v8 was all you could hear. ✨
     
  8. Longstone Tyres

    Longstone Tyres Formula 3
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    #8 Longstone Tyres, Apr 24, 2023
    Im not sure which one you mean?

    we do have some posters up for grabs if you go through this page https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/classic-tyres-poster.html i think we are currently doing one with a Citroen DS on it but we do also have a more specialist one that wouldnt be appropriate to publish on here. if you want that put a coment in the comments section saying you want the X rated poster and the 11 toe sticker.

    it wasn't either of these adverts was is? I think it was this top one that got us in trouble with the advertising Standards prudes
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  9. Subito Grigio

    Subito Grigio Formula Junior

    Jun 2, 2009
    405
    #9 Subito Grigio, Apr 25, 2023
    I’m pretty sure I’m after the “X.”

    Beautiful in many ways! I can still see it in memory. Please tell me how to obtain a copy. I will write and send a check.


    Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app
     

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