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KTPhil 
Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006
Posts: 34023
Location: Conejo Valley, CA
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 Posted: Sun May 29, 2016 11:08 am Post subject: Tires (mid-2016) |
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It's a little exasperating these days to get good tire advice. There are many threads here, but after as little as a year, the availability info is out of date.
I'm looking for a good quality stock sized tire for my '71 fastback. Size is 165/80-15. Present options seem to be limited to:
- Nankang (which I put on the car about 8 years ago but it's time...)
- Classic (which has some poor reviews)
Many have gone by the wayside, and are not made anymore, though there are spotty inventories that might be drawn upon: Michelin, Continental, Goodyear, Firestone, Fulda, more recently Nexen, and many others.
Many websites list them, but when you click on them, they are not available, or are scheduled for delivery as far out as November! I am looking for some next week to have new tires for the Invasion on the 16th of June.
I have a possible line to a local guy next week, so this may become academic for me, but I'm sure others are in the same bind.
Another option that slightly opens the market is to go larger, say a 185/70-15. I actually used to run these, but they rubbed at full lock, and were a bear to parallel park, even if slightly overinflated vs. the stock recommendation.
Anyone got CURRENT sources that would be available in a major metro area like LA and environs?
Damn, this used to be the single most popular tire size in the USA... not it (and we) are fast becoming obsolete! |
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Erik G
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Joined: October 16, 2002
Posts: 13283
Location: Tejas!
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Tram
Samba Socialist
Joined: May 02, 2003
Posts: 22728
Location: Still Feelin' the Bern- Once you've felt it you can't un- feel it.
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| Posted: Sun May 29, 2016 1:11 pm Post subject: Re: Tires (mid-2016) |
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In my opinion, these are about the best:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vredestein-Sprint-Classic-...mp;vxp=mtr
Good seller, too.
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Donnie strickland
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Joined: December 21, 2009
Posts: 2403
Location: Moody, AL
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| Posted: Sun May 29, 2016 2:00 pm Post subject: Re: Tires (mid-2016) |
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The Nexens have done very well for me. My local tire guy carries Classic in that size, but I don't have enough experience with those to have an opinion.
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71 Elm Green FI A/T Squareback |
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Typ3nut
Samba Member
Joined: October 08, 2002
Posts: 1192
Location: MI, MotorCity ManCave
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| Posted: Sun May 29, 2016 3:49 pm Post subject: Re: Tires (mid-2016) |
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If your looking for Stock Size Tires, then your Wheel size is 4 1/2 J" x 15" and yes, your choices are limited.
Cokertire.com has many choices of classic radial tires in 165/15 blackwall, whitewall Firestone, Michelin etc. Prices are from reasonable to outrageous. |
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KTPhil
Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006
Posts: 34023
Location: Conejo Valley, CA
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| Posted: Sun May 29, 2016 4:35 pm Post subject: Re: Tires (mid-2016) |
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| I've noticed many sellers do not list the UTQG rating... I thought that was a legal requirement? |
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Yabbadubbadoo
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Joined: May 21, 2012
Posts: 914
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| Posted: Sun May 29, 2016 6:24 pm Post subject: Re: Tires (mid-2016) |
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Now try to find a manufacturer that makes ribbon strip white walls in two sizes we can use. ie: 165 Front 185 rear.
When the time comes I'll probably get the white wall applied to the tyres because finding a legit manufactured white wall combination in a trusted brand is near impossible.
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Sydney, Australia.
66 Type 3 Fastback |
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ataraxia
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Joined: March 19, 2010
Posts: 4504
Location: Illinois
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chaosisme
Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2005
Posts: 1256
Location: Orange County, Ca
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| Posted: Sun May 29, 2016 8:16 pm Post subject: Re: Tires (mid-2016) |
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Michelin XZX's are supposed to good though I have not personally run them. I have a friend who has them on a bug and he really likes them.
The Firestone F560's are available in 165, I just put the 145's on the front of my car and I like them so far, however, I dont think they will last very long. They're about half the price of the XZX's though.
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'65 1500 S [quareback]
'68 FI Sunroof Squareback
'70 Westy
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t3kg
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Joined: June 14, 2006
Posts: 2712
Location: Los Angeles
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D/A/N
Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2010
Posts: 2227
Location: 11222
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| Posted: Mon May 30, 2016 6:49 am Post subject: Re: Tires (mid-2016) |
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x2!!
We've got about 20k miles on a set and they're great. Sooo much better than the Nankang's we had on there for a while. "Cleaner" ride and better in rain and snow, not that you have snow, but still.......The Nankang's were half the price of the Vredesteins but weren't even half as good.
The Vredesteins are cheaper at Summit than at the link Tram posted but are special order at the moment. Looks like here's the best bet:
https://www.cokertire.com/vredestein-sprint-classic-narrow-tread.html |
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t3kg
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Joined: June 14, 2006
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Location: Los Angeles
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KTPhil
Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006
Posts: 34023
Location: Conejo Valley, CA
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| Posted: Mon May 30, 2016 10:04 am Post subject: Re: Tires (mid-2016) |
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Cool, thanks for the suggestions. With the links posted, I am having better luck finding a few sources.
Interesting... I checked Michelin's site by car model and they turned up nothing. Yet the link gets me to the right size. I uses to run XZX (Sears used to carry them) and they lasted 40K and drove fine.
The Vredesteins seem to be recommended here. Using their dealer locator I see some local shops (better than a do-able drive to Long Beach since down the road balancing and such will be more convenient), but it remains to be seen what their timing will be. Closed today for Memorial Day, of course.
Thanks again, folks, I think I'll get this done in time! |
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t3kg
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Location: Los Angeles
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Typ3nut
Samba Member
Joined: October 08, 2002
Posts: 1192
Location: MI, MotorCity ManCave
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| Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2016 8:34 am Post subject: Re: Tires (mid-2016) |
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| Yabbadubbadoo wrote: |
Now try to find a manufacturer that makes ribbon strip white walls in two sizes we can use. ie: 165 Front 185 rear.
When the time comes I'll probably get the white wall applied to the tyres because finding a legit manufactured white wall combination in a trusted brand is near impossible. |
Here's a legit manufacture that does Kustom Tires, *CAUTION* : pricey
https://www.dbtires.com/aboutus.html |
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2748photo
Samba Member
Joined: April 19, 2015
Posts: 55
Location: OC
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| Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2016 9:50 pm Post subject: Re: Tires (mid-2016) |
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| Typ3nut wrote: |
| Yabbadubbadoo wrote: |
Now try to find a manufacturer that makes ribbon strip white walls in two sizes we can use. ie: 165 Front 185 rear.
When the time comes I'll probably get the white wall applied to the tyres because finding a legit manufactured white wall combination in a trusted brand is near impossible. |
Here's a legit manufacture that does Kustom Tires, *CAUTION* : pricey
https://www.dbtires.com/aboutus.html |
I ordered db tires for my son's squareback. I haven't mounted them yet. |
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MonT3
Samba Member
Joined: January 07, 2012
Posts: 1988
Location: South Dakota
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| Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2016 9:22 pm Post subject: Re: Tires (mid-2016) |
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| 2748photo wrote: |
| Typ3nut wrote: |
| Yabbadubbadoo wrote: |
Now try to find a manufacturer that makes ribbon strip white walls in two sizes we can use. ie: 165 Front 185 rear.
When the time comes I'll probably get the white wall applied to the tyres because finding a legit manufactured white wall combination in a trusted brand is near impossible. |
Here's a legit manufacture that does Kustom Tires, *CAUTION* : pricey
https://www.dbtires.com/aboutus.html |
I ordered db tires for my son's squareback. I haven't mounted them yet. |
I'm running them on my square. That blue will wash right off without scrubbing at your local DIY car wash. I keep my walls clean with a quick scrub using watered-down Greased Lighting in a spray bottle. Quick spray, a scrub with a brush and rinse. No armor all or anything that could possibly stain them. I'm diggin em!
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MonT3
67 Squareback
64 Squareback
63 Squareback
Engine rebuild
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KTPhil
Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006
Posts: 34023
Location: Conejo Valley, CA
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| Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2016 10:36 am Post subject: Re: Tires (mid-2016) |
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| A nearby town (Ventura, about 30 miles away) has a local shop that is getting me the Nexen tires for about half the price of shipped/installed Vredesteins. I will run out of life before I run out of tread, as little as I drive, so I'm going with the cheaper tire. I'll post up results after I have them installed. |
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t3kg
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Joined: June 14, 2006
Posts: 2712
Location: Los Angeles
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KTPhil
Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006
Posts: 34023
Location: Conejo Valley, CA
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| Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2016 7:41 pm Post subject: Re: Tires (mid-2016) |
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| t3kg wrote: |
| The Invasion run will be a good test. |
Yes, and I'll have about a week of short-run driving to be sure they are balanced and haven't upset the steering, all before the Invasion. |
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