I am interested in if there is anyone that has tried some of the 15" tires out there that fit our cars?

While I am primarily interested in the Pirelli P600, I would like to know about other tires that can be driven with vigor, and not just back on forth to the car shows.

The thought of putting DOT spec race tires has also crossed my mind, any one go that route?

 

That is probably the only W rated tire you will find and the price 264/tire is rather high. Everything else is T and S rated, Goodrich, Cooper, etc.

 

 

Have you seen these DOT tires?

https://americanraceronline.com/tires/dot-street-stock/

 

 

bias ply

 

The tech sheet for those tires says they aren't legal for street use. I can't imagine a lot of cops look at the tires that close unless it's an inspection, but it's there.

 

The deal with those tires, along with being a bias ply tire, is that they don't have the "puncture protection" that a street tire has. They're a fairly lightweight, race tire.

 

Getting back to the Pirelli

Has anyone fitted a set that they can report back on?

 

215 is the widest?

 

235 is what I have seen

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireS...earDiameter=17

 

At least, the Pirellis have a "W" speed rating. HOWEVER, just for "s**ts and giggles", consider this.....back when C-2s and C-3s came with big block power, as well as a couple dozen other high powered "muscle cars", came from the factory with non speed rated tires.....and we didn't suddenly evaporate at high speed.

 

Really like my new General Tire Altimax RT43. Quiet, handling much better than the previous BF Goodrich TAs. General is owned by Continental. Excellent tires, AND General is in white letters....looks good.

 

I've bought a number of used cars over the years that had Pirelli P600's on them, and a few before that that came with P6's. Some were worn when I got them, some were nearly new.

I always replaced them, often before they were worn out, with something more to my personal liking. Continentals or Generals are favorites for the cars and tire sizes I've had.

If you're looking for 15's The most "C3 appropriate" size is 255/60R15, in my opinion. 245/60R15 is close, but not many alternate choices in that. If you want to go "skinny," 225/70R15 has many more choices and most of those will fit C3 15" wheels. Those won't have as much grip, but they will fit and your speedo will be accurate. Other sizes (I think the P600 you asked about is only available in 235/60R15) will result in inaccurate speedometer (speedo will show higher speed than you're actually traveling), but might have other slight benefits. You want as close as you can get to 27" diameter without going over that.

If I were recommending tires for a c3, I'd go with the General Altimax RT43 in 225/70R15 (for comfort, economy), or the Cooper Radial GT (or maybe the BFG T/A) in 255/60R15 or maybe 245/60R15 (with a slight speedo error) for "performance".

"T" speed rating should be fine for any street driven C3. Those are good to what, 118mph? Short bursts above the rated speed shouldn't hurt if the thing is properly inflated. They don't just disintegrate at 120mph. I wouldn't set the cruise control for 140mph and drive across Montana on T speed rated tires, but other than that, you should be fine on public roads with them.