Original tires reproduced for Thing

thinghunter

After hearing about Coker tire buying the molds to produce the Michelin XZX tires all my friends had on their bugs in high school made me start thinking maybe we could persuade them to find and buy the molds for the original Thing tires.

I know I would love a set of 5 or 10 of them and would be willing to pay top dollar. After looking around their website I just thought there had to be a bigger market for these than other tires they sell.

Post up if you would be interested in a set if they produced them so we could direct them here to see how much interest there is.

Also, if anyone has good pictures and info on them post it up too. I have been told there were actually two companies that made these tires both Good Year and Continental. If anyone can get some good pictures of these let's see them.

Pierre G · Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 12:18 pm Post subject:

Right now, I'm more into giving a more agressive look and substantial gain in clearance so I use 15" rims and tires. But if I want to go back to 100% stock look, it would sure be cool to have the correct tires.
_________________
1976 181/Thing, 1967 fastback, 1973 squareback, 1964 microbus, 1967 Double Cab, 1969 westfalia (currently under resto), 1972 LM1C dune buggy, 1974 jean's bug, 1974 1303 (super beetle, currently under reassembly after new paint).

[email protected] · Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 3:14 pm Post subject:

3 kinds,
BF Goodrich "Euzadki" also
_________________
Michael Basso
http://www.thingparts.com
New and Used VW Thing Parts Free advice
CALL 518 630 0173

Ron Domeck · Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 6:33 pm Post subject:

Over the years I have collected 6 Continental and 6 B.F.G. original spare tires for my restored cars. I drive on these on a limited time. I have another set to swap on the cars for trips. Three brands were used. B.F. Goodrich Euzadki GT 700 made in Mexico, Continental TT 726 made in Germany and Metzler that I do not have any info about. Keep in mind that these were all tube type. 185 SR 14 M&S.

thinghunter · Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 7:08 pm Post subject:

Do you have any pictures of the sidewall & tread pattern

mickeything · Samba Member Joined: February 15, 2007 Posts: 37

most definitely

thinghunter · Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 8:54 pm Post subject:

Captain Spalding · Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 4:08 pm Post subject:

Are you wishing for a reproduction of the stock tires so that you can have a restoration that's accurate right down to the tread pattern?

Check me if I'm wrong on this, but the tread pattern of the original Thing pattern wasn't all that aggressive to begin with. It didn't have huge lugs like the BFG KMs or the McCrearys. And one can still find tires in 185R14 fairly easily.

I think these Goodyear Wrangler AT/S tires in 185R14 have a more aggressive look than the stock tires did. And finding less aggressive looking tires is easy. It's finding more aggressive tires in 14 inch that's getting tough. If Coker were to reproduce some tires, I'd wan't them to be BFG AT KM's or KO's in 27x8.5R14.

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thinghunter · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 3:15 pm Post subject:

yellow73kubel · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 5:07 pm Post subject:

^^ I agree with that. There seem to have been a few good tire choices in 14in, but not any more. A second for Captain's BFG KO/KM suggestion, I'd like a set of those..

My Thing currently wears 185/75 R14 BFG Traction T/A's. Its a mildly blocky tread, but built for the road. It looks fairly good and works well everywhere I have gone (street, rain, mud, dirt, sand, etc..). Offroad traction isn't amazing with these, but it is passable.

One option is the BFG Radial Long Trail's, they come in 205/75R14. I don't think that will fit under the hood, but the tread looks a little meaner than street tires.. My friend runs his Jeep all over the place on those, seems to work well.

amishman · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 6:08 pm Post subject:

I also like the looks of this style found on the Thing brochure.

tj
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tj (the Amishman)

Come visit my web site!
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Captain Spalding · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 6:12 pm Post subject:

Just as an FYI, I've found two tires that are currently available in 27x8.5r14.

Kumho Road Venture MT

General Grabber AT2

27x8.5r14 is the only 14" size available for these tires, so there's no chance of a similar spare.

For those interested, 28x8.5r14 is the largest size that will fit an unmodified Thing with no rubbing. The closest P-metric equivalent is 215/75r14. The largest size that will fit in the trunk is 195/75r14.

There's a great online tire size comparator here.

When you get them mounted, tell 'em Spalding said to put the white letters and the weights on the inside! Wink

[email protected] · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 6:22 pm Post subject:

I like Sears Trailhandler AT's, they are a good match LT195 75R14
If you are looking for a match in size this size is exactly the same as the bfgoodrich euzadkis.
They are made by perelli
and with the sears name, they will probably be around a while, and serviceable anywhere in the country.
_________________
Michael Basso
http://www.thingparts.com
New and Used VW Thing Parts Free advice
CALL 518 630 0173

thinghunter · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 7:00 pm Post subject:

I liked the BF Goodrich tires too and always thought those would be the next tire I bought. I didn't know they had been discontinued. My point is how long will it be before all these aggressive tread tires are discontinued? Plus, I really would like the spare under the hood to match the rest of the tires.

If I were to go with 27x8.5s I would probably find out what this says and see if I can get some of thesehttp://www.webtire.eu/index.php?p=gumiabroncs_tala...mp;Keres=i

These Kumhos come up with this link but not with the search at the website http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=K...mp;place=2

thinghunter · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 7:33 pm Post subject:

Captain Spalding · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 8:37 pm Post subject:

[email protected] · Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 5:02 am Post subject:

Maybe they dont have them listed on the website. but either way, LT195 75 r 14, is the same sizing as original 185 sr14
_________________
Michael Basso
http://www.thingparts.com
New and Used VW Thing Parts Free advice
CALL 518 630 0173

vws-microcars4jim · Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 9:57 pm Post subject:

Here's an original thing spare tire, I don't think it was ever out of the trunk.

Chas223 · Samba Member Joined: September 08, 2004 Posts: 109

thinghunter · Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 1:40 pm Post subject:

Here's what I have on my Thing right now in a 205 75 14:

Apparently still available in Russiahttp://www.euroshina.com.ua/en/tyres/Cooper/Discoverer_stt/size/205/75/R14/ but not in the US. Too bad we're not third world enough they think we would still want these. Oh look they even have the BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A KO in 27x8.5x14 http://www.euroshina.com.ua/en/tyres/BFGoodrich/All-terrain_t_a/size/0/27/R14/ and quite a nice selection(6 pages) in 14" http://www.euroshina.com.ua/en/tyres/size///R14//2/#pagination


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