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Red68
Samba Member
Joined: May 23, 2008
Posts: 64
Location: High Desert CA.
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 Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2022 5:32 am Post subject: Opinions on Baja Bug wheel size? |
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I've been looking at the various wheel/tire sizes. My car is not lifted. I'm just wondering how much I can get away with?
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Paul.
1973 Type 181 "Thing'
1959 Baja Bug
1963 Baja Bug
1968 Baja Bug
1970 Baja Bug
1972 Super Beetle |
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NJ John
Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2007
Posts: 2218
Location: HdG, MD & NJ
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| Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2022 2:02 pm Post subject: Re: Opinions on Baja Bug wheel size? |
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Just guessing. 235/75-15 rear and 205 or 215/75-15 front? Maybe 7” rear rim and 5” front?
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1973 standard, yellow, lowered, 3” narrowed front, 1600 blo-thru turbo w/single dell 15.4@86, so far
11.41 et buggy. Long gone
Let’s go O’s! Let’s go O’s!
https://www.youtube.com/@AirSpooledGarage |
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EVfun
Samba Member
Joined: April 01, 2012
Posts: 5473
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2022 9:39 pm Post subject: Re: Opinions on Baja Bug wheel size? |
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What engine? A 40 horse struggles to pull anything much taller than stock with the stock 4.375 R&P transaxle. A 1600 engine behind a 40 horse transaxle could likely handle P225/70R15 tires out back. That is about 2 inches taller than stock so only a little lower rpm than the late model engine typically runs behind a 4.125 R&P transaxle.
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| Wildthings wrote: |
| As a general rule, cheap parts are the most expensive parts you can buy. |
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Red68
Samba Member
Joined: May 23, 2008
Posts: 64
Location: High Desert CA.
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| Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2022 1:58 am Post subject: Re: Opinions on Baja Bug wheel size? |
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Okay. Well I've got an update. I bought a second Baja. A 1970. So I'm going to put the rims and tires from the 70 on my 63 Baja just for rollers since the 63 is a work in progress and the tires are shot on it. Flatter than my girlfriend in junior high.
But I've hit a snag. I bought 2 EMPI "Race Trim' wheels and they are 6.5 inches wide. I have 15X 7.00 tires currently on the front of the 70 Bug and 15X 10.5 on the rear. I was going to go wider in the back but it doesn't seem that they make the EMPI's any wider. 6.5 seems to be the limit. I could have sworn that I saw some 8.5's but I sure can't find them now.
So do I put 6.5's all around or 4 inchers in the front so it has the fatter tires in back? Or have mismatched wheels? My dilemma.
These are the wheels that I bought. I like them. I'm just afraid they'll be to skinny.
_________________
Paul.
1973 Type 181 "Thing'
1959 Baja Bug
1963 Baja Bug
1968 Baja Bug
1970 Baja Bug
1972 Super Beetle |
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Red68
Samba Member
Joined: May 23, 2008
Posts: 64
Location: High Desert CA.
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| Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2022 2:21 am Post subject: Re: Opinions on Baja Bug wheel size? |
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| EVfun wrote: |
| What engine? A 40 horse struggles to pull anything much taller than stock with the stock 4.375 R&P transaxle. A 1600 engine behind a 40 horse transaxle could likely handle P225/70R15 tires out back. That is about 2 inches taller than stock so only a little lower rpm than the late model engine typically runs behind a 4.125 R&P transaxle. |
I don't know how to tell what the displacement is. I assume the 63 still has the 1200. It looks like it. It's still 6 volt and it sat for 39 years.
The 70 has what the guy that I bought it from said was a 2100 or something like that? Those were his exact words. He was just flipping it. He didn't know much. But I got a deal on it. I just bought it for the motor for my 63 it was cheaper than the motors I was looking at and I could drive it home and not have to lift anything. But I really kind of like the car. So plans changed and I have another project and I'm still looking for another motor.
_________________
Paul.
1973 Type 181 "Thing'
1959 Baja Bug
1963 Baja Bug
1968 Baja Bug
1970 Baja Bug
1972 Super Beetle |
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