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Posted by: abayer1969 Aug 1 2010, 05:34 PM

Ok I need some help here. My tires are 165.65.15 I cannot find them anywhere. Yes I have gone to Tire Rack and I got nothing. What size will fit as a replacement tire?

Posted by: zx-niner Aug 1 2010, 06:08 PM

Which rims are you using? The 5.5" wide rim will accept a wide variety of tire sizes. Many of us go to 195/60-15s. A 185/65-15 would go comfortably on a 5.5" rim. If you have the 4.5" VW rims your choices are greatly reduced. Coker Tires sells classic 165R15 tires for the old skinny tire vehicles.

Posted by: abayer1969 Aug 1 2010, 06:11 PM

I have the Mahle Rims if thats any help

Posted by: Vacca Rabite Aug 2 2010, 08:52 AM

Mahles are, I believe, 5.5.

That means you can go as wide as 205R60 and probably not rub.

What are you looking for? Are you a CW looking for "stock" tires. If so, you can get Vredestine Sprint tires in the stock size, or the Cocker Tires in the stock size.

Are you looking for performace tires?

Just cheap tires?

What do you want?

Zach

Posted by: championgt1 Aug 2 2010, 11:02 AM

Mahles are 5.5 wide. I had 195's on them with no problems. I just put 205's on and have an issue with the drivers front rubbing the shock. In my case it will probably be cured with a good alignment.

195's for sure no issue.

Posted by: Tom_T Aug 2 2010, 01:54 PM

If they are, then somebody put a goof-ball 165/65R15 size on it.

They were originally from the factory on your 73 2.0 a 165HR15 Tubeless tire - which in today's terminology would be 165(/80)R15 ##H (the /80 is 80% profile size & not usually shown but assumed).

Several mfgrs. offer 165SR15 & 165TR15 available through Tire Rack, which you can use on your 914 for DD use if you aren't trying to keep it original/CW, in the $30-100 range (Kumho, Yoko's, Michi., Conti., etc. ad naseum). The only difficulty is the period correct & spec correct 165HR15 (TR is speed correct, but wasn't available back in the day to be spec'd.)..

Lucas, Coker, etc. can get you a correct 165HR15 Vredestein Classic (Sprint+ IIRC) for about $105 each. They can also get you a tube type Michelin XAS 165HR15 for about $250 each, or a period correct upsize XWX 185/70VR15 Tubeless as used for the M470/471 914 options for $400+ each!

Otherwise, use the tire size calculator at the 914 info section above to get the speedo/odometer error for the various "modern" upsizes. 185/75R15 gives the least error, with 185/70R15 next best, then 195/65R15 (at about 3% error IIRC) was the Porsche factory recco'd tire size option when the tire mfgrs. stopped making the 165HR15 tires back in the 80's. All of the other non-stock modern tire sizes which folks are suggesting above (195, 205, etc. will give you a significant speedo/odo error at or more than the 195/65/R15's, as well as anythng over 165 will give you less fuel economy if that's important.

It's your choice, but you can still get a decent set of 4 Bridgestone or Kumho in 165TR or SR15 for $160+/- mounted!

Oh! ....... and ....

BTW - I see Dept. of the Army & NY, so if you're at West Point, I have a nephew in 4th year this coming term!

PS - just noticed you've got Mahle wheels, so if you're doing a concours resto on your 73 2.0, then you'll want to sell those & find a set of 5 Fuchs 2L Alloys to go on it (same 15x5.5J rim size both Mahle & Fuchs should be in part no. ending ....-01 for the hub-centric/self-centering hubs - look in cupped areas on back of wheels). If just a driver for fun resto, then use the Mahles if you like them, or whatever wheels you prefer!

Posted by: abayer1969 Aug 2 2010, 03:09 PM

Tom thanks for the information. I have no desire for a concourse car Also there is this small unit in NY caleed the 10th Mtn Division I have spent over 18 years with the Mountain. WestPoint is about 4 hours south.