My 2015 VS has 205mm five-bolt wheels with 165/80 R15 tires. I'd like to put a spare together that will work in a pinch on front or rear, yet fit comfortably in the frunk. The closer the fit to the normal tire, the better. Anyone out there been through this & happen to know just what wheel & tire combo will work? Thanks!
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4 -1/2 x 15 VW rim w/ a 135 x 15 tire, a GM 15" temp spare fits too.
I am using a wide five wheel from a 1966-67 VW and a 125/80-15 temporary spare tire. These wheels are 15 x 4" wide. The tire is about 23" in diameter. It fits nicely into the frunk! 
Thanks guys! Perfect.
If your car's has a stock open differential then @Alan Merklin's or @James' suggestions are both great solutions (I especially like the painted 4" '66-'67 VW wheel, James!). A different size spare than the rear tires won't hurt anything, even if you had to drive on it a fair way- just be aware of the handling implications, since the spare will probably be shorter and (especially) narrower. I'm pretty sure you can't use a different size spare with a ZF limited slip diff (not that there's that many out there in Speedsterland- I think Stan's car is so equipped- anyone else?) but I do think (but don't know for sure so don't take my word for it) you may get away with a different size spare with a Quaife differential for a short distance.
If you're running a ZF or Quaife, the same size tires front and back and had to contend with a flat on the rear- a front tire swap to the back with the spare up front is the answer. You can drive all day if need be and you won't have to worry how far away the tire shop is.
I just took delivery from Greg at Vintage. His spare tire kit is a wide five vintage 190 wheel and a 135X15 tire with hold down hardware.
Thanks. Does he supply a small jack &/or tools of any kind?
Not that I know of, but I did not ask.
Marvin, probably up to the buyer/owner.
jprpdr posted:I just took delivery from Greg at Vintage. His spare tire kit is a wide five vintage 190 wheel and a 135X15 tire with hold down hardware.
Is that the Arizona speedster company or the one in California? I always get them mixed up.
Greg is Vintage Motorcars Of California (Hawaiian Gardens).
I believe VS which was in California was bought out and they reside in Arizona
jprpdr posted:Greg is Vintage Motorcars Of California (Hawaiian Gardens).
Greg builds Good & Great Speedsters and Spyders in Hawaian Gardens
IaM-Ray posted:jprpdr posted:Greg is Vintage Motorcars Of California (Hawaiian Gardens).
Greg builds Good & Great Speedsters and Spyders in Hawaian Gardens
And coupes.
jprpdr posted:I just took delivery from Greg at Vintage. His spare tire kit is a wide five vintage 190 wheel and a 135X15 tire with hold down hardware.
What does the hold down consist of and how is it secured? I'd like to make my own as I already have the rim and tire.
I will post pics.
Best deal I could find on a new 135R15 spare tire- believe it or not- is on Amazon for $65 delivered. https://www.amazon.com/sk=Nank...1&ref=nb_sb_noss. Still working on the wheel
Here are the pics. If you can't find similar hardware, maybe you could get it from Greg at Vintage Motorcars.
That looks like a nice set up, I like the screw base it is a bit easier to use than a strap system which I have on mine but we flipped the tire to use the space to store items.
IaM-Ray posted:That looks like a nice set up, I like the screw base it is a bit easier to use than a strap system which I have on mine but we flipped the tire to use the space to store items.
How is the strap configured and secured? Pictures please.
IaM-Ray posted:That looks like a nice set up, I like the screw base it is a bit easier to use than a strap system which I have on mine but we flipped the tire to use the space to store items.
@Gordon Nichols' spare is mounted upside down and uses a round lidded Tupperware (I think) container (with a bolt through the middle to hold everything down) to store stuff.
Gordon, could you grace us with a pic?
Love the gas tank @James550! Did you have it made or was it in the car when you bought it? Any more pics?
Al, there is a Utuber who molded all his tools in a foam center of his spare wheel and covered it in velvet. Of course the wheel is flipped over for it to have a dish.
... nice touch .
Here you go, Yoda: Back when I carried a spare tire I flipped it upside down and dropped a Rubbermaid Condiment Tote (sometimes called a "Picnic Tote", bought at Walmart in the Storage or Housewares aisle) into the depression. The tote is divided off into 4 or 5 separate compartments to put spare parts into and keep them from moving around. There are two covers - One smaller, round one for the center compartment and another large one for the whole tote. I just drilled a hole through the tote to accept the hold-down bolt. The bottom of the bolt is a fancy "L" with a clevis-like attachment to the frunk floor.
I used the original donor spare tire hold-down bolt in the frunk to hold everything in place. My spare came from a full-size, rear-wheel-drive 1978-1979 Cadillac Sedan deVille which was the only model and years that had a 16" spare with a 130mm bolt circle. I pulled the spare, the hold-down, and a few other goodies from a salvage yard Caddie and it all cost me $10 bucks.
I had to delete the spare tire when I added my gas heater and lost the space to store it, but I still use the spare part tote in the Frunk because it is so handy. The spare tire was mounted in the center and the bottom hung over where my heater now sits. The heater sticks up far enough that the spare tire no longer allowed the hood to close. I now carry a hole plug kit and a 12 Volt air compressor. Sorry for the funky photos - Blame it on Powerpoint!
Thanks for posting those again, Gordon.
@James550 - Do you have more info and pictures of your gas tank? Did you build it? How is it installed?
Looks great!!
Lot's of used wide-5's on SAMBA for $20-50 each plus shipping. These would be 4x15" - the OEM VW size.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/cl...etail.php?id=2237632
Has anyone had success with sandblasting wide fives that are rusty and pitted? Hate to buy new if these can be resurrected.
Do you guys remember the judge from Ohio? (John I think?) His car was a pale yellow and he called it Honey or Hunny or something.
Anyway, he took an old pitted 15 x 4 like above and sandblasted it and painted it silver. Then he grabbed a 110 or 120 section GM spacesaver spare tire and mounted it, then brought it to Carlisle and gave it to me. What a nice guy! It is still pitted and rough looking, but holds air. You know, doing what a spare does: be there when you need it.
I remember Judge John very well, he presided in Juvenile Court, I worked with At Risk Youth's in an auto shop program for few years so we traded funny stories.
I've used that hammer finish spray paint on rusty parts and it looks great.
WOLFGANG posted:I've used that hammer finish spray paint on rusty parts and it looks great.
There's an idea
Alan Merklin posted:Has anyone had success with sandblasting wide fives that are rusty and pitted? Hate to buy new if these can be resurrected.
You may not have to blast to remove corrosion if you use a well tried and economical method of electrolysis to remove rust. Cheap, easy, eco friendly and I could find the recipe for anyone needing it. Washing soda ( not baking soda ) , water , a suitable sized pail , a piece of scrap steel to attract the corrosion and 12 v source of electricity. Dead easy and it works.
Some rust is not easy to get to and I have what may be the last set of four Norseman Aircraft steel uncut lift struts still in my possession and they had slight rust on the inside of each 14' long steel lift strut. I made a bath big enough to hold one, did the process and bingo...like new. You can see the stencil on the outside of one....Summerhill Tube Company April 1944. Anyone on the list need four ? Offers over $10 k considered for the set. 
I bought a 3" aluminum drag-wheel (wide 5) and mounted a space-saver on it.
If that won't fit in anybody's trunk, you need to make some changes.
The 356 tank is too high and you cannot close the hood if directly mounted,
on thus picture we can see the tank filter in the passenger compartiment, as a real 356 
WOW! James you really went to some lengths to get that tank to look right AND work. I'm impressed!
Alan Merklin posted:Has anyone had success with sandblasting wide fives that are rusty and pitted? Hate to buy new if these can be resurrected.
As long as a wheel hasn't rusted away to the point you're questioning it's strength it should be fine. The bead area normally doesn't rust that much, having had the tire to protect it for much of it's life. If you think that after a coat or 2 of paint the pitting along the rim edge is too deep, brush a heavy coat (or even 2) just on the sealing surfaces before spraying the final coat.
You sir, are the man.
