tires in Europe
05-19-2008, 01:25 PM
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
tires in Europe
Well, for those of you whom ave been around a few years you may remember that i first purchased my black 77 while stationed at Pearl Harbor back in 2003 right before joining the forum. Currently, i am on sea duty at NAS Oceana in Virginia Beach and it looks like i will be PCS'ing to Naples Italy early next year. So, this begs the question, i am running and riding on 16 inch Dunlop GT qualifiers and its time to have them replaced. She needs two front tires at teh least, the passenger tire is badly worn, more so then teh drivers side. I can be cheap and get away with just the two front tires and an alignment, or invest REAL money and go with a more modern tire size, one thats easyier to find while stationed in Italy.
So, i hate to be the member who brings up switching tires sizes ( a topic covered often from time to time) but if it makes mroe since to switch to lower profile rubber then maybe thats more sensible then being told every two or three years that performane tires in our sizes are discontinued. I hate to get rid of those great looking rally wheels, but like alot of service menbers, i am on on budget.
any advice would be much appreciated!
So, i hate to be the member who brings up switching tires sizes ( a topic covered often from time to time) but if it makes mroe since to switch to lower profile rubber then maybe thats more sensible then being told every two or three years that performane tires in our sizes are discontinued. I hate to get rid of those great looking rally wheels, but like alot of service menbers, i am on on budget.
any advice would be much appreciated!
Last edited by sharkthehunter77; 05-19-2008 at 01:26 PM. Reason: spelling
05-19-2008, 02:47 PM
#3
Team Owner
I've driven all over Europe. My advice would be to leave your vette in storage state side. The old gas eating Vette is not going to be a good DD on 4 meter cobble stone streets. Or 5 vehicles wide on what might be a 3 marked lanes in the US. Naples is a tough city (high in crime). City traffic driving in most Italian cities sucks. Parking 
Smaller sports cars are what you need.
7-8 equivalent dollars per gallon.
I'd also be buying the best tires you can buy. Rain slicked windy roads with rock walls
A Vette is a big heavy long nosed American pig in comparison to EU sports cars that have no emmision controls and lowered right down on the ground. I like renting BMW M3's manual tranny ready for the race track and 240+ Kph without a problem
Smaller sports cars are what you need.7-8 equivalent dollars per gallon.
I'd also be buying the best tires you can buy. Rain slicked windy roads with rock walls
A Vette is a big heavy long nosed American pig in comparison to EU sports cars that have no emmision controls and lowered right down on the ground. I like renting BMW M3's manual tranny ready for the race track and 240+ Kph without a problem
05-19-2008, 04:27 PM
#4
Melting Slicks
05-19-2008, 04:44 PM
#6
Drifting
I've driven all over Europe. My advice would be to leave your vette in storage state side. The old gas eating Vette is not going to be a good DD on 4 meter cobble stone streets. Or 5 vehicles wide on what might be a 3 marked lanes in the US. Naples is a tough city (high in crime). City traffic driving in most Italian cities sucks. Parking Smaller sports cars are what you need.
7-8 equivalent dollars per gallon.
I'd also be buying the best tires you can buy. Rain slicked windy roads with rock walls
A Vette is a big heavy long nosed American pig in comparison to EU sports cars that have no emmision controls and lowered right down on the ground. I like renting BMW M3's manual tranny ready for the race track and 240+ Kph without a problem
Smaller sports cars are what you need.7-8 equivalent dollars per gallon.
I'd also be buying the best tires you can buy. Rain slicked windy roads with rock walls
A Vette is a big heavy long nosed American pig in comparison to EU sports cars that have no emmision controls and lowered right down on the ground. I like renting BMW M3's manual tranny ready for the race track and 240+ Kph without a problem
Having said all that there is no-way that I would even consider using my '68 'long nose pig' as an every day driver - the fuel costs
Italians drive in an 'inverse proportion' to the size and power of the vehicle. I.e. they drive larger, safer sportier cars better than they drive small, underpowered and poorly maintained cars. No slurs intended - its a Mediteranean thing
05-19-2008, 04:46 PM
#7
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
I guess i COULD leave the gas guzzling pig at home with mom and dad,..they deserve a shiny black vette in their drive way,..but i'd miss her like a old girlfriend(one that puts out). I will certainly not use her as a DD, thats for sure! So, the from what i am gathering, the major issure isnt tires adn other maintenance issues, its living with 30+ year old American car in teh first place in naples ,..i wonder were teh heck folks w/ Ferraris and Porches live adn drive?
05-19-2008, 05:03 PM
#8
Racer
For example i know severan guys driving a C3 in Naples!
Alain, a friend of mine, live in Naples and was driving a 74 convertible C3 before to sell it and now drives a Cyclone!
I daily drive my C6 from home to office.... and i drive my 79 on a regular basis.
Of course..... if you use to drive in the very wide american roads at 55miles..... you will be scared of driving in Naples
Bring your vette in our country...... and you will meet lots of Italian Corvette Lovers!
Send me an e-mail when you will be in Italy!!!
Alain, a friend of mine, live in Naples and was driving a 74 convertible C3 before to sell it and now drives a Cyclone!
I daily drive my C6 from home to office.... and i drive my 79 on a regular basis.
Of course..... if you use to drive in the very wide american roads at 55miles..... you will be scared of driving in Naples
Bring your vette in our country...... and you will meet lots of Italian Corvette Lovers!
Send me an e-mail when you will be in Italy!!!
05-19-2008, 05:29 PM
#9
I guess i COULD leave the gas guzzling pig at home with mom and dad,..they deserve a shiny black vette in their drive way,..but i'd miss her like a old girlfriend(one that puts out). I will certainly not use her as a DD, thats for sure! So, the from what i am gathering, the major issure isnt tires adn other maintenance issues, its living with 30+ year old American car in teh first place in naples ,..i wonder were teh heck folks w/ Ferraris and Porches live adn drive?
05-19-2008, 05:48 PM
#11
Instructor
Member Since: Oct 2005
Location: White Plains MD
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Keep the vette home. Been there and done that. Beside some of the rough/narrow streets, tight parking (lots of dings), hooligans will undoubtedly vandalized your ride. 
On the other side of the coin, your vette will become an instant attraction lots of picture ops, and the dreaded finger prints - but a good way to meet the ladies...
There are a lot of positives of taking your vette, but IMHO Europe can be tough on any car.
As a bit of a warning, the trip from the states to "whatever" port can be quite damaging to the car. The four times we did the US to EU crossing, the car where dented, two cracked windshields, sideswiped, and one Country Esquire (love that old station wagon) dropped in the drink...
I really don't want to discourage you, but just go into it with eyes open. If I had to do it again, I would leave the cars home. Just buy a local ride from someone on base that’s about to leave, and enjoy the country side in almost total anonymity.
On the other side of the coin, your vette will become an instant attraction lots of picture ops, and the dreaded finger prints - but a good way to meet the ladies...
There are a lot of positives of taking your vette, but IMHO Europe can be tough on any car.As a bit of a warning, the trip from the states to "whatever" port can be quite damaging to the car. The four times we did the US to EU crossing, the car where dented, two cracked windshields, sideswiped, and one Country Esquire (love that old station wagon) dropped in the drink...
I really don't want to discourage you, but just go into it with eyes open. If I had to do it again, I would leave the cars home. Just buy a local ride from someone on base that’s about to leave, and enjoy the country side in almost total anonymity.
05-19-2008, 06:21 PM
#15
Melting Slicks
parkingspace depends where you go I guess, but it will be smaller than the US. We don't have that much space here. Fuel price will kill you if you drive regularly.
I heard the same advice for Naples. Maybe better to drive an old Fiat totally anonymously
I heard the same advice for Naples. Maybe better to drive an old Fiat totally anonymously
05-19-2008, 07:18 PM
#16
Racer
Wesch,
ask to Fernand of Luxembourg Corvette Club ...... he knows if there is some Vette in Italy!
In Toscana there is at least 15 C3, several C4, 25-30 C5 and some 30 C6...... of course not a lot.... but not few!
Here some pics...
http://picasaweb.google.com/ScuderiaCorvetteItalia
ask to Fernand of Luxembourg Corvette Club ...... he knows if there is some Vette in Italy!
In Toscana there is at least 15 C3, several C4, 25-30 C5 and some 30 C6...... of course not a lot.... but not few!
Here some pics...
http://picasaweb.google.com/ScuderiaCorvetteItalia
Last edited by Stroker-427; 05-19-2008 at 07:23 PM.
05-20-2008, 04:53 AM
#18
If you could afford buy a 'vette already in Italy for a decent price and sell it when you leave that would indeed be the safest option, considering the transport risks. But really, it's not like we all drive as maniacs around here, that's just the French
05-20-2008, 07:53 AM
#20
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
I think i will take the car regardless,..i would simply miss driving her too much. have to look into some secure storage though! And, just buy soem small local runabout to use a s a daily driver.
