Re: Berlina tires

["Stefano Iachella" <iachella@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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A friend has suggested Pirelli P 4000 Super Touring tires in 185/70 x 14 as
"the best" tire to put on a 1973 Alfa. He has a GTV and I have a Berlina. My
favorite tire of all time was Yokohama A 008s. They had a big, fat
controllable
slide zone that you oozed into and oozed out of, AND made no noise. I went
through 3 sets of standard compound tires and one set of R compound tires (I
think the last set available in the country) on a Volvo 242 GT, before I got
the
Berlina.
They were a lot of fun on cloverleafs. I'd like to keep to a size that is
equivalent to the stock outside diameter so I don't lose any ground
clearance.
Anyone have any favorite performance tires?
Stevan Thomas
Alameda, CA
'73 Berlina with big valve conversion, 10:1 pistons and Euro cams
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P4000s are not really performance tires. They are a good tire for a stock
configuration since you can get them in sizes like 185/70 x 14. I would
hardly call them the "best". They are probably better than whatever came
on the car in 1973, even when new. Maybe the "best" for those who don't
modify their cars. You have a modified engine, you seem to slide your
car around, and you liked the A008s, so P4000s are not for you.

A008s were ultra high performance tires. Quite different tires. The Yokohama
AVS ES100 is the ultra high performance tire like the A008 and AVS
Intermediates that were so popular. It's not impossible to keep your stock
diameter with ultra high performance tires if you know what sizes to look
for.
It's been discussed several times on the digest and 195/65 x 14 will
work, as will 205/60 x 14 and 205/55 x 15 (if you change wheels). My vote
for performance to price would be the AVS ES100s.

Stefano
Oakland, CA
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