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Ghia correct tire size??!!!
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busboyjake
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 8:09 pm    Post subject: Ghia correct tire size??!!! Reply with quote

Hello People, I just bought a 71 ghia with 34,000 original miles on it. It has been in storage for at least 10 years (probably more like 20) and has a few issues, the first of which is the tires

It has old Sears 6.00-15L tires on it - what is this? What size does this translate to, or better yet - what is the correct size for the car? (is it a 165 R15?), and can i put a taller tire for improved highway speeds?(would this be a 185 r15) and where can i find them?

next i'll bug you folks about the autostick!
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iowegian Premium Member
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 8:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

165R-15 is a close as you will readily find.
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busboyjake
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 8:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Anyone know the correct tire for the car - height, width, revs per mile, etc. and where to get them?

I can get 165s at just about any tire store, but is this the correct tire?
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YellowSplittie
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 8:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

165R-15 is the correct size.
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coad Premium Member
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 9:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

busboyjake wrote:
Anyone know the correct tire for the car - height, width, revs per mile, etc. and where to get them?

I can get 165s at just about any tire store, but is this the correct tire?


Yes. No. Maybe. You're talking apples and oranges since no 165 is going to be exactly the same size as the original tires.

The trouble is that most 165's are too big to fit into the spare tire opening inflated. The other problem is that different brands of 165's are going to be different sizes. It turns into a trial and error situation where you need to ask the tire stores what the spec are on the 165's they sell.

That said, I've seen old tire store cross reference books (from the 60's and 70's) that also list 155's as being correct for ghias. Back when the cars were in production some of the books showed 165's as being for beetles and 155's being for ghias-- later, as the cars got older, they just lumped both beetles and ghias together and said to use 165's on both.

155's are just small enough to fit in the tire well. I have 155's on my car and am pleased with them. Tougher than 165's to find though.

Search the forum-- there are several very long and detailed threads about tires that have good information.
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busboyjake
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 9:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK, now were getting somewhere, i've been reading up and it appears that this 165 is a 165/(unstated aspect ratio 82)/15, and the stock size is a 155-15 so, can i find a 185 R15 or 175 R15 and leave the spare at home and deal with the consequences? is that huge?

What is Nankang?

Is there some magical rare tire store in the sky somewhere?
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Ghia Nut
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 9:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I swear by my bently manual, my owners manual, the bible and the current tires on my car, 155/60/R15 ARE THE CORRECT SIZE! 165 will fit but 155s are the right ones. Nankang is a tire manufacturer. I have Verderstien 155/60/R15, I will be runnin 195/50/R15 by the end of the year. Good luck.
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busboyjake
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 10:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK check this out this is a vintage style radial tire that comes in 155, 165, and 185HR 15or 185/80/15

http://www.vredestein.com/Banden_Bandgroepen.asp?UsersessionID=72443354&BandgroepID=5

heres a pic of the tire
http://www.hendrixwirewheel.com/verd185x15.jpg
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 11:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

For what it's worth, I have 165SR15 Michelin XZX tires (re-issues from Coker Tire) at all four corners, and for the spare I have a 145R15 XZX tire. Naturally, I hope I never have to use to the spare, but as most new cars provide an undersized spare I thought why not do the same for my Ghia - and solve the wheel well fit and closing of the bonnet problem. I've always used XZX tires on all of the Ghias I've owned over the years. They look good, and they feel good - like you're glued to the road! (Good shocks and anti-sway bars also add to that sensation.)
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 12:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

While we're talking about Coker, they make bias-ply tires like the ones currently on your car, if that interests you at all....
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 5:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Towel Rail wrote:
While we're talking about Coker, they make bias-ply tires like the ones currently on your car, if that interests you at all....


IMO, the bias-ply handle better than radials on a stock Ghia.
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 6:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ghia Nut wrote:
I swear by my bently manual, my owners manual, the bible and the current tires on my car, 155/60/R15 ARE THE CORRECT SIZE! 165 will fit but 155s are the right ones.


LOL, you notice how I kind implied that in my post? I ws thinking about just flat coming out and saying that, but I didn't have the balls to open that can of worms at midnight. Good for you. Very Happy

I have Verderstiens on my car and just love them.
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YellowSplittie
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 6:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've been running Kumho 165R15s on my '67 for over a year and they fit and handle great.

Now that I think about it, I couldn't find any 155R15s locally and went with the 165s. I tried every tire store in this area and none could get the 155s. I believe at the time Coker had to custom-make a 155. I guess I had the 165s in my head when I posted earlier.
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 6:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A good way to prove 155's are correct....

165 will not fit in my trunk with the hood closed unless I deflate it Wink
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 10:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

busboyjake wrote:
OK check this out this is a vintage style radial tire that comes in 155, 165, and 185HR 15or 185/80/15

http://www.vredestein.com/Banden_Bandgroepen.asp?UsersessionID=72443354&BandgroepID=5

heres a pic of the tire
http://www.hendrixwirewheel.com/verd185x15.jpg
I run the 155's on my 67. Sprint Classic radial. Fit and ride great. Plus the spare fits the well perfectly. I got mine at www.tiresunlimited.com
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Rome
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 1:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'll refer to my Bentley tonite and carefully read the tire section, then compare it with VW's own "without guesswork" tech spec's booklet. If I remember correctly, 4-bolt type 1 wheels of 4" width ('68 - '71 Beetle and ? Ghias) used the 5.60x15 bias ply tires, or 155 radials. 4 1/2" wheels (Beetle from '72 on, and IMO all 4-lug Ghias) used the 6.00x15 bias, or 165 radials.

On my Ghia with aftermarket 4 1/2" wheels I have Cooper Tire 165's which are quite wide. Spare tire is an old 155 bias.
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jbar1
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 3:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ghia Nut wrote:
I swear by my bently manual, my owners manual, the bible and the current tires on my car, 155/60/R15 ARE THE CORRECT SIZE! 165 will fit but 155s are the right ones. Nankang is a tire manufacturer. I have Verderstien 155/60/R15, I will be runnin 195/50/R15 by the end of the year. Good luck.


I think if you check your size again you will see that 155/60/R15 should be 155/80/R15 or 155/82/R15. To my knowledge "60" series (low profile) tires were developed for muscle car applications in the late '60s early '70s.
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busboyjake
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 4:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I bought two generic 165 R15s today for the front and will run the 6.00 15s in the back for the time being and until the budget improves (paid $116 for the pair mounted and balanced)

also i replaced the spare which was a 5.60 15 with one of the 6.00 15 tires that were on the car, and had to grease and deflate it to make it fit, but it fit

note also that the 6.00 15s that were on the car with significant wear were a solid .5 inches taller and at least an inch narrower than the new 165 r 15s on the same wheel side by side.

next time i buy a complete set i may go with the vredesteins for the lower revs per mile screamin down the highway factor.

I dont have a bentley for the ghia/bug yet, all i have is the bus, and the vanagon ones. Maybe i'll tell santa to bring it to me along with that snap-on tool set and second story and five bay garage/shop with pool table bar-loft and keg-er-ator fridge i asked him for last year.
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 4:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have an michelin 165 15 that is worn down to the wear indicator bars. It fits in the spare tire well and the lid closes. I realize this is not a great tire, but its a spare...
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jcreinman
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 9:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Check out this discussion about tires....

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=179588&start=20
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