What tires fit a Vintage Speedster

I have those Chinese radials size 165-15 and while they seem ok I know they are far from the finest available.

I was surprised to see the price of Michelin 165-15s--steep like $250 each!

My question is---what size tires can I put on my car --they shouldn't rub at all, I'm looking for a "plug and play" replacement size.

I suppose it will be a bigger size tire---will the ride change and in what way?

I would appreciate any ideas. Thanks to all!---Jack

Mine's not a Vintage but I imagine that the same tires would fit yours. I'm running 185/60-15 Goodyear Eagle RS-As, and they seem pretty sticky in the corners.

Lane---that's the kind of tire I would like to run! I just don't know if they would fin my Vintage Speedster without rubbing. Do yours look good---not to fat or not odd looking----do they retain that classic Speedster appearance?---Thanks, Jack

I'll bet they fit with no problems. I have 5.5x15 chrome Mangle rims (4 lug), so you should check your rim width. I have no rubbing except on a full lock parking lot turn, which could just mean I need to adjust the steering stops. My car is also adjusted to sit a bit lower than normal. No problems. I don't run wiith hubcaps, but there's no reason other than desire to be different. Here's a picture or Hoss (shown) and our cars on the way to Carlisle. Mine's the one in front.

Jack......
That's what I run (185/60-15 Goodyear Eagles) on my VS with no problems!
Ernie

i have 195/60/15 bridgestone potenzas, smooths out ride. next time ill go to 185 i believe. cokertire has the michelin x for $140 i believe, dont quote me.

I am running Michelin XZX 165 sr 15. The cost about $165 from Coker. I have wide fives I had powder costed with drum skins. Tight but it works

Jack; it's surprising that your VS has Chinese tires. Mine came with Brazilian Kelly Springfields; and that's understandable given the fact that many VW's and parts came from there.

Hi Ricardo---well you are absolutely right--they are Kelly Springfields and "made in Brazil" is on the tire.

The spare is madein Taiwan and is a "Nanking" which is probably ok for a spare.

What do you think of the Kelly tires?

Also I added a sump just like the one you peeled off your car. I think of you everytime I get anywhere near an obstruction in the street. My car ran hot; like 240 before and now it's more like 120 no matter how hard I drive it.---Jack

Yeah right 120---I meant 210.---Jack

Jack, Check out (google) TireRack or Discount Tire.

TireRack has an excellent website for selecting and comparing tires from many different manufacturers, in many different performance catagories - max dry, max wet, all season, snow, etc. Been using them for 30 years. Cheapest prices available, delivered to your door, but you have to find a local to mount and balance.

COSTCO or Discount are a bit more, but they will mount and balance at store and then rotate and repair flats free for life. Information is power!

Good deal Jack! 210 is a very good "hot temperature" to run in because it's in the sane side of the normal temperature spectrum. Be careful with that sump; I learned the hard way and really suffered through it since it was a Berg.

My experience with the Kelly tires is that they're so so; even though they are radials they don't seem to grab the road as well. I like their proportion and how they look in the car but they're not so hot. Maybe there's another brand with the same size and better performance.

Question: the stock 165/80x15 tire diameter is 25.4", so will a 195/65x15 fit under my stock Vintage Speedster ( not a wide body )without rubbing?

I want to stay as close to 25.4" diameter as possible so I don't change/increase engine RPM's with a smaller diameter tire.

Per Tirerack's website, that means a 195/65 x 15 tire, but will it fit front & rear without rubbing? From looking thru all the SOG search results, it sounds like a 185/65 -15 will fit, but I'll lose a full inch in diameter compared to the 165/80-15 stock tire (Kelly's )

Stock VS with swingaxle, not IRS. Does have 5.5 rims.
I don't want to order 4 tires and have them not fit!!
Thxs
Doug

My inderstanding is that the 195's are the higher you can go with a non flared car.

i have a 2000 VS with 195/60/15. fits but it is close on rear fender wells and it has a camber compensator on back. id go with the 185/65
to be safe

I currently have a set of 195/65/15 Nankang tyres on my car fitted to standard beetle rims. They only rub on the inside at full lock. I remember years ago that my standard beetle rubbed in the same fashion with stock tyres on.

This tyre combination by the way is actually quite sh1t. the tyre are way to wide for the standard rims. the amount of flex onm the side walls is enormous. (they were on the car when I bought it!)

One way or the other I am going to fit 225/40/18 on 7" rims to the car. If it means I have to convert to flares then I will do so. I have even considered having the rims cut and welded to 6 or 6.5" if necessary. I have a set of narrow axles available if I see it will make a differnce. These tyre's are within 5mm of the diameter of the 196/65/15 tyres. I have measured my tyres and I have 35mm between the inside of the tyre to the swing arm and about 12mm between the tyre and the fender on the rear. If I loose a bit of steering lock on the front I could live with it as the car has an amax\zing turning cirlce at present anyway.

If I have to go flares I can source a set from one of the local speedster manufactures Here all of the flared cars are converted after they come out of the mould or an alternative that I have looked at would be to get a set of flares that the guys use to convert a 911s into into a RS replica. The style of these flares is very similar to the flares found on the 930 Turbo.

The problem with our cars is there is a lack of decent handling tires that will fit inside our wheel wells. 195s will fit some cars, and not others. 185s are a better bet (fit wise), but good handling tires in that size are hard to come by. In my opinion, the best handling 185/65 tire that will fit on most replicas is the Falken ZIEX ZE-912. Another tire worth mentioning is the Dunlop SP SPORT A2 Plus. Anything else will get you from point A to B, but don't expect much 'stick' through the corners, and braking distances will be lengthened. The downside to a 185/65 sized tire is the smaller diameter, when compared to a 165/80 tire (25.4" for the 165, compared to 24.5" for the 185). I cancelled out some of this difference when I had my tranny rebuilt. I had a 'freeway flyer' 4th gear installed.

sorry to beat a dead horse, but i'm thinking of taking the tire change plunge myself.

are there any oter voters out there for 195/60/15 versus 185/65/15???

i'd like to go with the 196/60/15, but do not want to risk rubbing issues. it seems like i would have to mount and check both sides as it just depends on what car it gets put on, etc...

You may be able to have a set of wheels modified and go bigger with a deeper dish. My JPS Coupe has 205-60-15s on it and they fit in the rear nicely. JPS had the rear wheel's dish modified. Works great. Call John. You may be able to source modified wheels through JPS.

Im running Goodyear regada's 185 65 front and 195 65 rear same sizes that Henry uses at IM but he uses Douglas tires the last time I checked... Which has been a while.. If I had it to do again 185/65s all around

i just fitted 185/65/15 tires on the car (15x5.5 brazil mangle wheels).

i went with bridgestone potenza 960a pole position tires and could not be any happier. just barely (1/4") clears driver's side rear well and passenger side rear muffler. no rubbing from a spirited curvy drive.

one of, if not THE best upgrade to the car since i bought it. it drives like a completely different machine.

do it, DO IT!