Stock tire size

[sturgeongeneral]

What is the actual stock tire size a 56 bug came with? For the life of me I just cant remember or find it in search. Must be a morphine moment for me. Also, did the stock tire size change any through the years? Was the super beetle the same? Was it the same when they went to 4 lug? I am wanting to do some different speedo tests on my buggy and want to see results. I have older bug style, super beetle style, Chevy, Ford, etc I know the super beetle speedo I have in the buggy reads low because of the large tires and rims I have on it now, but stock tire height and size will figure in on some formulas I have been playing with. Just having the damn extra morphine playing games with the memory today.
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Street legal fiberglass rocket ship
2005 Lotus Elise supercharged
1974 Chevy Corvette
My fiberglass car collection!

In honor of bowtie56jw:Another victim of the nasty "C" Praying for ya Jeff!

My exwife said if I towed home one more bug she would leave me. You know, every once in a while I miss her

[glutamodo]

In 1956 the stock tire size was 5.60-15. Here's a link to the specs page from the 1956 owner's manual:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/56beetle/36.jpg

Now, that's bias-ply tire size. Which was equivalent to 155R15 in radial, but you won't find that size. 165/80R15 is about the closest common tire you'll find these days, which is still going to be a tiny bit shorter in diameter.

[Wolfgangdieter]

In '52 they changed from 5.00x16 to the 5.60x15. Rims were most likely 4.0 or 4.5 wide. I have seen 4 lug 15" rims from around '68 that are marked 4 and 4.5" wide (stamped on the rear of the rim). The '70 -76 4 lug VW/Porsche used 4.5x15 rims with 155x15 tires or on the appearance group car 165x15 on a 5.5" rim (steel or alloy). Suspect even the 411/412 4 lugs were 155x15 on a 4.5" rims. Not sure what post '76 Mexican beetles used as popular current tire sizes are more lke 195/60x15.
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CMC '57 Porsche Speedster Replica and Dolphin boat tailed full pan VW MOD-T Street Buggy

[sfretwell]

Here are two sites to help determine tire sizes and conversion dimension.

The first site displays a chart showing the old original tire size and the new P metric size. You can look up tire size 6.50 X15 and see it's modern equilivent of 155/80-15.


The other site, originally provided by MURZI, shows the tire's dimensions etc. If you plug in the tire size 155/80-15, it will tell you the diameter, etc, for that tire. You can also enter other tire sizes for comparison.


http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/45_conversionchart.html

http://www.1010tires.com/TireSizeCalculator.asp

[glutamodo]

The thing is, no one makes radial tires with the same aspect ratio as the bias plies were. Equivalents on charts are just what's closest that you can get. Bias ply tires could be as much as 100% in the aspect ratio - which would make a 5.60x15 about 26 inches tall. If you look at the 5.60x15 tires they have on Coker Tire's website they spec them at 25.79 and 25.88 inches tall. You won't find a 155-anything-15 anywhere close to that height. Nor 165/80R15 which is about 25.4".

[sturgeongeneral]

Thanks to all for all the stats! Help here is always only just a few minutes away.
_________________
Street legal fiberglass rocket ship
2005 Lotus Elise supercharged
1974 Chevy Corvette
My fiberglass car collection!

In honor of bowtie56jw:Another victim of the nasty "C" Praying for ya Jeff!

My exwife said if I towed home one more bug she would leave me. You know, every once in a while I miss her

[rednotch91]

I just stumbled across this post somehow lol. We have Vredestein Sprint Classic RADIALS in stock in a 155R15 just for those of you looking for some. They're actually on sale right now at $60.90 ea. Thanx....

http://www.tiresunlimited.com/ALL%20TIRES/Vredestein/vred_sprint_classic.htm

[Goshen]

I bought a set of Empi wide five wheels (15 x 5.5) that came with 135 SR 15 tires NANKANG... I don't know why the previous owner used that size but I cant reach them..

Does anyone know what the advantage of running a tire of that size would be ?

[didget69]

[Goshen]

Bryan

Thanks for the reply...
I called a friend of mine who works on beetles... he told me that the 135 is the tire that was used so it wouldn't rub up front but to keep a different size up back,,, like to run a 155 or 165 in the rear...