185 VR 16 PIRELLI CINTURATO CA67

Maserati A6G on 185 VR 16 PIRELLI CINTURATO CA67 Tyres

185 VR 16 Tyres

The tyre size 185 VR 16 is utterly critical for classic sports cars of the 1940s and 1950s. Many high-end sports cars fitted 6.00V16 tyres, such as the 6.00 V 16 PIRELLI STELLA BIANCA (fitted by Maserati and Ferrari), the 6.00V16 Dunlop RS5 (sadly no longer manufactured, but fitted by Jaguar), or the 6.00H 16 Avon TurboSpeed (sadly not V-rated, but fitted by Aston Martin). A 185 VR 16 is the radial equivalent of a 6.00-16 crossply tyre, and this Pirelli 185 VR 16 Cinturato is the only period tyre in the size 185R16 to qualify for a V speed rating, though there are other 185R16 tyres that have a V-speed rating but are not period tyres, and there are other period 185R16 tyres that don’t qualify for a V speed rating.

Jaguar XK on 185 VR 16 PIRELLI CINTURATO CA67 Tyres

This V-rated 185 VR 16 Pirelli Cinturato was an original equipment option for Ferrari in the 1950s before they moved onto fitting 15" wheels in 1960. It was original equipment on Maserati cars such as the 3500 GT, Sebring, and early Mistral. You could ask for your Jaguar XK120, XK140, or XK150 to be fitted with this 185 VR 16 Pirelli Cinturato, and if you asked David Brown to fit radial tyres on your Feltham Aston Martin, then their go-to tyre was the 185 VR 16 Pirelli Cinturato.

Maserati 3500GT on 185 VR 16 PIRELLI CINTURATO CA67 Tyres

185 VR 16

The tyre description 185 VR 16 simply means it is 185 mm wide, R stands for radial tyre carcass, V is the speed rating (149 mph), and the 16 means it is to be fitted to a 16" rim. Because this 185 VR 16 Cinturato is a genuine period classic tyre that was developed before the option of having a low profile, there was no need to mention that it has an 80% profile, in that it could also be described as a 185/80R16. So the side wall height is approximately 80% of 185 mm.

Red Maserari 3500GT on 185 VR 16 PIRELLI CINTURATO CA67 Tyres

185 VR 16 Innertubes

Although the majority of classic cars that fitted a 185 VR 16 radial tyre (or 6.00-16 crossply for that matter) came fitted to sportscars of the 1940s, 1950s, and early 1960s, which were fitted with wire wheels and therefore needed innertubes. All classic cars fitted with wire wheels would have had innertubes. We would suggest that our recommended inner tube for any 185 VR 16 tyre be the Michelin 16F RET, as it is of exceptional quality.

This specific Pirelli 185R16 Cinturato CA67 is made with a tubeless tyre structure. However, it can still be fitted with innertubes if the structure of the wheel it is being fitted to determines that innertubes are needed. i.e., wire wheels or alloy and pressed steel wheels that do not have the safety rib. We would suggest that, as a 185 VR 16 tyre is predominantly fitted to cars from the period before tubeless tyre technology took hold, they will predominantly need innertubes.

The overall diameter of the 185 VR 16 PIRELLI CINTURATO ™ CA67 is 705 mm and the width is 178 mm. For more information on the 185 VR 16 PIRELLI CINTURATO ™ CA67 please see below or call +44 (0) 1302 711 123.