205VR-15 Pirelli Cinturato CN72

[Duke W.]

I visited Lucas Tire in Long Beach, CA yesterday to check out the new reproduction CN72. Proprietor "Maytag" Smith was very helpful and cooperative. Maytag told me that the original CN72 tooling was destroyed, but I don't know if the engineering drawings were available to create new tooling or if it was done via other less precise means. The tread pattern is very similar to the photo in my old Pirelli Pocket Guide, but the shoulders appear to be a bit more square.

It is manufactured in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The original CN72 was strictly fabric (no steel belts, just nylon belts), but this "reproduction" is different. The carcass consists of two polyester radial plys, and the belt package is two steel and four nylon!

Maximum load/pressure is 1609 lb. @ 51 psi, but, interestingly I could not find DOT traction, temperature, and wear ratings.

The sidewall data is very small, which presents a very clean, clutter-free appearance as you can see in the photo.

The comparsion photo shows the circa '64 7.00-15 Goodyear Blue Streak Sports Car Special racing tire on the left and the recently discontinued 225/70R-15 100V Firestone Firehawk PV41 police pursuit tire on the right.

The following dimensions are manufacturer's specs (in inches) unless otherwise indicated.

.....................OD...........OAW......... meas.rim..........tread width

Goodyear........26.8*........8.0*.........not mounted............6.0*
Firestone........27.4..........9.0..............6. 5.....................7.0*
CN72.............27.8..........8.27.........not specified.............6.0*

* = measured with tape measure

The Lucas Tire Web site is:

http://www.lucasclassictires.com/

and there are two toll-free numbers (East and West) if you want to give Maytag a call for more info. If anyone is interested I can send higher resolution photos via email.

There was also some discussion on the CN72 at the tail end of this thread from last week.

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthread.php?94620-Cold-air-Box-57-at-2012-Hershey-Hillclimb

Duke

[George J.]

Re: 205VR-15 Pirelli Cinturato CN72

Duke,
thanks. Great info. If I understand your post, the Blue Streak shown is almost 50 years old? Someone needs to make a tire that looks like that for our cars. I think the term is bitchin'.

George

[Duke W.]

Re: 205VR-15 Pirelli Cinturato CN72

Yep! That Bluestreak was manufactured circa 1964. This was the tire I really wanted to install on the SWC in 1964 after the OE General Jet Aires chunked at Kent, but the Michelin was a lot more practical in Seattle's rainly climate, and I needed a tire that would last a long time - at least until I graduated from college.

When I was SCCA racing in the seventies I found out through the grapevine that Carroll Shelby had gathered up all the obsolete NOS racing tires from his dealers and stashed them in his warehouse in Carson, CA about ten miles from my house.

So one day circa 1978 I visited the warehouse and described the tire I was looking for. The counter guy led me back into the warehouse and there they were - about a handful and a half.

The price was the same as in 1964, so I bought them all.

Inquiries have already been made to Kelsey Tire about reproducing the Blue Streak. It won't happen, but Kelsey is offering the "street" version of this tire. It's a typical for the era bias ply tire with thin blue stripes on the sidewall like the racing tires. You should be able to see them on the Kelsey Web site.

I recently sold two of the Blue Streaks to a gentleman in Kentucky who owns a '64 FI Coupe with all the HD options- what I call a '64 Z-06 equivalent. He had two and needed two more to mount a complete set on either KOs or the set of real magnesium American Torq Thrust wheels. The tires were such a good match for his car that I decided to let a couple go. We made some inquiries as to the "fair market valve", and he made an offer that I found acceptable.

Duke

[George J.]

Re: 205VR-15 Pirelli Cinturato CN72

Duke,
So, you hauled that tire down to the tire store? Regarding the Kentucky owner, those tires can't still be useable? Was he just using them for show?
Make sure you keep at least one, so that, maybe, someday we could have them reproduced with modern specs, but with that look. There would have to be a market.

George

[Duke W.]

Re: 205VR-15 Pirelli Cinturato CN72

Yes, I took both the Blue Streak and PV41 down to Lucas Tire because I wanted to do the comparison photo. I was driving the '91 MR2, so I wrapped them up in tire bags and put them in the passenger seat.

The Blue Streaks are just starting to show some minor surface cracks on the shoulders, which take a close look to see. They are serviceable for around town driving, but I would not recommend a 1000 mile freeway trip. The buyer said that my tires are in better shaped than his.

Racing tires of that era were similar to truck tires. The low cord angle 4-ply nylon construction made for a very still sidewall, so they ride like wooden wheels. The compound is softer than a truck tire, but after 50 years they're hard as rocks.

I would not expect them to ride or handle worth a damn, but they sure look cool!

The way it worked out financially I basically traded the two Blue Streaks for the new set of PV41s.

Duke