Did the Ferrari 308 fit Pirelli Cinturato P7. This article insinuates it did. | FerrariChat
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Did the Ferrari 308 fit Pirelli Cinturato P7. This article insinuates it did.

Discussion in '308/328' started by Longstone Tyres, Jul 19, 2021.

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  1. Longstone Tyres

    Longstone Tyres Formula 3
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    #1 Longstone Tyres, Jul 19, 2021
    Hi Team

    I stumbled accross this article by Pirelli

    https://www.fondazionepirelli.org/en/activities/stories-from-world-of-pirelli/the-pirelli-p7-the-cinturato-from-track-to-road-is-back/

    I would suggest that if you were going to fit 16" tyres then, out of the tyres currently made, the Pirelli Cinturato P7 would be the best. They are availabler on here.

    https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/classic-car-tyres/ferrari/308.html

    Pirelli are always a top flight tyre manufacturer. and when they maker something special like these Collezione tyres, they use top quality compounds, carcass is made of the highest quality materials and the quality control is floorless. Ferrari and Rolls Royce are car manufactures who make the best cars they can, not determined by doing it to a cost. as Micherlin and Pielli do the same with their tyres particularly specialty tyres such as these. And for 308 and 328 owners who are wanting to fit 16" wheels the P7 is to my knowledge the only tyre that has a proper period carcass structure that was at the forefront of tyre design at the same time your car was at the forefront of car design. Tied with modern compound and quality controil it is perfect. today its an easy choice. as a road tyre, on 16" wheels, you would only fit something else if you couldn't afford P7.

    However I thought that if you specified 16" wheels on your 308 i thought they fitted Goodyear NCT Gator Backs?

    However that article and a couple of these bits below kind of give the impression some times it was P7.

    Here are a couple of guesses.

    i think the P7 came out before the Gator Back NCT jobby. P7 came out in 1974. Does anyone know when the Goodyear NCT came out?

    My guess is the P7 may have been the earlier offering.

    Maybe there was a difference in what was fitted in Europeland compared to what was fitted in the U.S?

    Lets not kid ourselvesd; I'm not on here trying to flog you Goodyear tyres. We actually have the P7s in stock (as does Lucas in LA https://www.lucasclassictires.com/preview/Pirelli-Cinturato_c54.htm ) But i do wonder what was better in the day?

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  2. nerofer

    nerofer F1 World Champ

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    #2 nerofer, Jul 19, 2021
    The first of your "bit below" is an extract of Ferrari's Factory official Technical Bulletin n° 0362, called "Pneumatici Pirelli per Vetture 308".
    So OF COURSE the Pirelli P7 was available for 308s, as an option, in Europe at least.

    Rgds
     
  3. Grim Reaper tr

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    #3 Grim Reaper tr, Jul 19, 2021
    Dougal,

    Ferrari tyres on their road cars in the 308's were dependant on who supplied the F1 team at the time and which market.

    The Goodyear NCT's were standard fit for USA Market 308 cars from 1984 onwards IIRC?

    The Americans never took to the Metric 15.5 wheels and their TRX tyres.

    The P7's were a horribly expensive option for 308's much earlier in the European/UK/AUS market with standard fitment on QV's in these markets being the Michelin TRX


    Grim
     
  4. Longstone Tyres

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    #4 Longstone Tyres, Jul 19, 2021
    Hi Nerofer.

    i realise the P7 was available. What i was wondering is; was the P7 a Ferrari factory fitment? Did Ferari themselves ever fit the P7 at the factory, and i'm guessing that early cars that fitted 16" would have done, because i think the P7 came out before the Gatorback?
     
  5. nerofer

    nerofer F1 World Champ

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    #5 nerofer, Jul 19, 2021
    The "P7" was an option, but a factory option; meaning: you didn't want the standard "TRX", then you could opt for the "P7". So, yes, it was "factory" certified.

    Rgds
     
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  6. Longstone Tyres

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    #6 Longstone Tyres, Jul 19, 2021
    So if

    Does that mean that if you specified 16" wheels pre 1984 Ferrari would have fitted P7?

    https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/pirelli-collezione/cinturato-p7.html

    (Personally i would still rather have a 308 on nice skinny progressive 205/70VR14. But that is me.)
     
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  7. mwr4440

    mwr4440 Five Time F1 World Champ
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    #7 mwr4440, Jul 19, 2021
  8. Grim Reaper tr

    Grim Reaper tr Karting

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    #8 Grim Reaper tr, Jul 19, 2021
    Dougall

    In the USA Market on 308 QV's prior to 1984 there was NO option for 16" wheels....1983 year USA Market QV cars were TRX Rim only., Car and Driver Magazine roadtested the QV in the August 1983 issue and in the article make reference to a change to 16'wheels and Goodyear NCT tyres as coming in the Fall!

    I have yet to see of an earlier USA Market 308 with factory fitted 16' wheels.The 2 valve injected cars were either 14' wheels or 15.5 Metric Rims with TRX........In Europe pre QV 308's certainly had the option of 16" wheels and those cars were fitted with the P7 tyres according to the factory spare parts manuals. The $ cost for the 16" wheels on earlier cars was very high and few Euro/UK owners took the option.

    Euro/UK and AUS QV's were delivered standard with the Metric rims and TRX tyres until the end of production in 1985.

    Grim
     
  9. carl888

    carl888 F1 Veteran
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    #9 carl888, Jul 20, 2021
    The first Ferrari I ever saw with the P7 Cinturato was the Rainbow at the 1978 Melbourne Motor Show.

    In the 308 GTB/GTS parts book from July 1977, the 16" rims appear. As do the P7 Cinturato as the sole 16" fitment in the parts book. AFAIK Pirelli were the only manufacturers to produce this tyre in the requisite 205/55-16 and 225/50-16 to fit these rims. This tyre was developed for the Porsche 930 and was standard fitment in the same sizes for the 930s 1977 model year.

    There were only a handful of 1978 and later carburettor and "i" and Quattrovalvole models ordered ex factory with 16" wheels here in Australia. Those that came with this size were always the P7 Cinturato until around 1983 when you could also order the Good Year Eagle VR50 (The original gatorback).
     
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  10. carl888

    carl888 F1 Veteran
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    #10 carl888, Jul 20, 2021
    I bought an early set of sand cast 16" wheels from CA about 25 years ago. They came off a 308 GTS from 1978 that was from a very large collection, I recall the car showing 900 or so miles. The tyres fitted were the P7 Cinturato. It was a USA specification car. I remain bewildered to this day as to why they were split from this car, as the 16" wheels were clearly listed on the sales invoice, Algar I think the dealer was back then.
     
  11. carl888

    carl888 F1 Veteran
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    #11 carl888, Jul 20, 2021
    Yes, factory fitment.
     
  12. Longstone Tyres

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    #12 Longstone Tyres, Jul 20, 2021
    Just nicer to drive
    better ride
    lighter steering
    faster steering
    more precise steering
    more progressive handling

    I'm sure with a set of TRX on or 16" Pirelli P7 it will return better lap times, but thinner taller tyres make a nicer car to drive (a bit less racing car).

    having so much less load on the steering feels nicer. having thinner rounded shoulder tyres means that the loss of grip happens more progressively. Where an over tyred car grips and then suddenly completely lets go. I'm not saying a 308 is over tyred and like that with TRX, im sure they are spot on. however what i am saying is that the thinner the tyre the more progressive it is.

    Fatter tyres is more racing car, and i guess that is what Ferrari is about. where as i'm a bit of a drifter.

    This is my racing car.



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  13. Vonbarron

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    #13 Vonbarron, Jul 20, 2021
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  14. GordonC

    GordonC F1 Rookie
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    #14 GordonC, Jul 20, 2021
    Yes, P7s were a factory fitment on the 16" wheels. Here's the window sticker on my windshield (still the original) on my Euro-spec 1984 QV, with the tire specification sticker showing Pirelli P7s:
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  15. Longstone Tyres

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    #15 Longstone Tyres, Jul 21, 2021
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  16. Longstone Tyres

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    #16 Longstone Tyres, Jul 21, 2021
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    Oo that is gold dust.

    i do love it when i get solid evidence with regard to tyre fitment on a car. I do want my web site to be accurate, and i do like it when i get good soilid evidence about a tyre i can still supply.

    Thank you GordonC
     
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