Hello forum! This is my first post -- let me start out by saying what a great community this is.

I have a (July) '73 1.7 with (4-bolt) Mahle wheels. The spare is also the correct 4-lug Mahle (and doesn't show much road wear/looks like it's spent most of its life in the front trunk and has the right vw stamp/part number).

So, I have kind of a far out originality question. The sticker on my fuel expansion tank lists the tire standard as 155 SR15 (pic attached). Does anyone know if alloy wheel optioned cars from the factory reflect this on said sticker? Meaning, I would imagine the tire size/standard for alloys would be 165 SR15, like so http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/zPLM_A8E.jpg (courtesy of Jeff Bowlsby's stalwart 914 site).

Does anyone else have a similar year/setup, where they know have they have original alloys with a 155 tire size sticker (or conversely even, a 165 sticker with original steelies)? Or am I assuming too much detail by thinking 155 sticker = originally had steelies, 165 sticker = originally had alloys?

Thanks very much for reading.

Click to view attachment

My understanding is that dealers routinely swapped out rims so what one may have ended up getting wasn't necessarily the way it left the factory.

I believe the tire size sticker is actually a better indicator of engine size. HR speed rated tires were standard on the 2-liter fours.

Interesting. Thanks for the reply, Dave.

I actually recognized your car/avatar because of this thread:
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=116150

My car (7/73 1.7, non-appearance group) also has black bumpers with black (rear) sail panel trim. Along the lines of that thread + dealers intervening, my car also has a "quick" (likely dealership installed?) sail panel vinyl job: incorrectly textured vinyl, on sides only, with a simple chrome/bright trim piece along the bottom (it looks fine because it's period and the car is 100% original -- no pic of the sails with me at the moment). It drove me a little nuts as to why the sails were half bright and half satin black until I figured out the vinyl wasn't a factory job and saw your pics of a non-vinyl 73.

Sorry to get off-topic. If I end up doing a COA for fun, I'll post the alloy wheel option result. Cheers.

Dave's reply is correct and so is yours. 155SR15 was the stock tire with steel rims up to 74. All the factory alloy wheels came with 165HR15.

Keep in mind the COA often does not show the alloy wheel option, even if it left the factory with alloy wheels. And if your wheels were changed by the dealership prior to the initial purchase, it definitely will not be reflected on the COA.

My car is a '74 model year--- A two litre, made exactly 1 month after yours. Has the sail panels also, but in the correct texture vinyl on the sides only.

Serial number 00089 and made in August/73 with black bumpers. Many of the '73 carryover items like the silver bullets in the gauges. Silver washers.

But that sticker shows as 165 on the wheels which are indeed 15s
( it is an all original 60,000 mile car ) no mods

Does anyone remember a white sticker w/ red lettering for the 165 tyres?