13 inch tires for 66 corvair

[monzadon]

does anybody know what are the most popular tires to put on a 66 corvair

[66vairguy]

does anybody know what are the most popular tires to put on a 66 corvair

AFAIK -- There are only two 13" wheel choices. The relatively affordable Maxxis modern tire, or a reproduction tire from a company like Coker tire that are usually expensive. There are NO other DOT approved tires in the 13" size for Corvairs. See https://amzn.to/3Lya3La

Years ago most companies stopped making a DOT approved P185-80R tire for the U.S.A, except Maxxis. Now they run a batch every time supply demands it. Due to date code requirements they don't want a bunch of old tire sitting around. So sometimes they are easy to find, then you have to wait a month or so before they are available again. Prices seem inline with most tires and they get a good review from folks that use them.

Note that there a number of TRAILER tires in the P185-80R13 size that are NOT safe to put on an automobile.

Some run the easier to find low profile P185j/70-13R tires, but they are smaller diameter tires and to go 70MPH you have to get the speedometer and engine up to about 80+MPH, not good.

A lot of folks are installing 14" and 15" rims, but even those tire sizes are getting harder to find.

[bbodie52]

I stopped using 13 inch tires on my late model 1965 and later Corvairs in the 1970s. Back then I switched to 7x14 inch rims, which gave me a wide range of tire choices to choose from. The Tire Rack website still offers some useful choices in 14 inch tires. I still have 14 inch rims on my 1966 Corsa convertible, but I decided to run 17 inch rims on my 1966 Monza sedan. (There is a lot of room in those late model wheel wells, so rims in 14, 15,16 or 17 inch can be fitted with the proper back spacing).

Properly fitted larger tires can also enhance handling and braking on the late model Corvair.

Sizing Corvair Wheels and Tires
http://autoxer.skiblack.com/tires.html

Chevrolet rally wheels for sale
https://www.google.com/search?q=chevrol ... nt=gws-wiz



Of course there are many new custom wheels, from chrome rims with "Baby Moon" hub caps, to GM factory steel wheels , possibly fitted with early Chevrolet/Pontiac/Oldsmobile style wire wheel wheelcovers. The key factor for Late Model Corvairs is selecting wheels with the appropriate wheel lug pattern to match the 1965-1969 Corvair, with the proper wheel back-spacing, as described in the above link Sizing Corvair Wheels and Tires. Wheel swapping is discussed extensively in that article, and new or used wheels that meet those parameters can be found on eBay or other websites that offer steel or custom aluminum wheels that would meet your needs and that would suit your budget and style preferences.

Generally you would be looking for something in a 14 or 15 inch diameter, with about a 7 inch width and about 4 inch backspacing. But I have even moved up to 17x7 inch diameter modern custom aluminum wheels with 4 inch backspacing, and then fitted some Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate XL 215/45ZR-17 tires that had the low-profile sidewalls to fit the wheels and had the needed outside diameter and suitable tread width to fit within the Late Model Corvair wheel well openings and clear the body sheet metal.

Foose Knuckle 17x7 5x4.75 4"
(17x7 inch wheel with 5 lug 4.75 inch wheel lug bolt pattern and a 4 inch backspacing)
https://www.wheelsforless.com/F09917706140


EAGLE EXHILARATE - SIZE: 215/45ZR17
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.js ... 45WR7EEXXL


RADIAL T/A - SIZE: P235/60R14
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.js ... ADTARWL2V3

[terribleted]

The only real choice in a 13 that is the correct size (or at least very close for all year Corvairs) Is the Maxxis MA-1 in size 185/80R 13. price these on Amazon, simpletire.com, and walmart.com to compare prices. They vary from around $110-130 each.

[bbodie52]

Maxxis MA-1 in size 185/80R 13 vary from around $110-130 each.

Size: P235/60R14
OVERALL DIAM. 25.1" / REVS. PER MILE: 829
$160-$191 Per Tire (2 tire choices)
Style: Raised White Letter, Performance All-Season

235/45R17
OVERALL DIAM. 25.3" / REVS. PER MILE: 824 (approximate)
$102.97 - $416.94 Per Tire (69 tire choices)
Ultra High Performance All-Season

Many other tires in 14", 15", 16" and 17" wheel diameters with overall tire diameters that are appropriate for the late model Corvair can be found listed on the Tire Rack website. The process requires choosing a wheel style, diameter, width and lug pattern with appropriate backspacing and then matching it to a tire with appropriate tread width, overall diameter and revs per mile, etc. to match the late model Corvair.

As you reduce tire wheel diameter and tire aspect ratio to come closer to the original 13 inch Corvair wheel size you will find fewer choices remaining in production. The original (obsolete) 13" tires used in 1960-1969 were economy, low performance tires that matched the average tire marketed during those model years for an economy car. The Late Model 1965-1969 Corvair was redesigned and engineered with better-handling suspension and with larger brakes, but unfortunately GM failed to improve the tires fitted to the Corvair to match the new suspension and brakes. The 1965 Corvair body design accommodates better tires with more room in the wheel wells, but Chevrolet never upgraded the tires to match the new car design. The passage of time has essentially made the 13" tire obsolete, which forces the Corvair owner to consider the changing tire market and technological advances in tire designs when choosing a tire that will be used for a street driven Corvair. You may find that a larger wheel diameter and appropriate modern tire is in your future for your LM Corvair.

[66vairguy]

I run a 205/70 X 14 on the front and a 235/60 X1 4 on the rear. Both are very close to the Corvair 7.00 X 13 diameter (or revolutions per mile).

The 205/70 R14 is still made by a number of manufactures and is a good tire to use on all four wheels for regular driving. The 235/60X14 is getting more difficult to find, but it was used on a few "muscle cars" from the 60's and 70's so it is available.

[monzadon]

thanks everyone for your help i found maxxis tires for $64.00 on line

[66vairguy]

thanks everyone for your help i found maxxis tires for $64.00 on line

Not bad at all. Glad it worked out.

[terribleted]

thanks everyone for your help i found maxxis tires for $64.00 on line

Are you sure these are the Maxxis MA1 185/80R 13 AUTOMOBILE tires for that price?? They have a trailer tire that i have seen at around this low price in the same size 185/80R13 but it is not for use on cars. If you got the MA1's at $63 ea you need to let everyone know where and people will buy them all.

[erco]

Plenty of slightly smaller OD 185-70R13 passenger car tires for ~$60 at Wallyworld and Ama-zonk

https://www.walmart.com/search?q=185%2070r13%20tire

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=185%2F70r13

Edit: WM is out of stock on many of those, hope it's temporary. I bought 4 Westlakes previously, ready to go whenever my car rolls again.

[66vairguy]

Plenty of slightly smaller OD 185-70R13 passenger car tires for ~$60 at Wallyworld and Ama-zonk

https://www.walmart.com/search?q=185%2070r13%20tire

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=185%2F70r13

Edit: WM is out of stock on many of those, hope it's temporary. I bought 4 Westlakes previously, ready to go whenever my car rolls again.

Yes they fit, but we were following a club buddy with those tires on his Corvair and he was only going about 60MPH in a 70MPH zone. Later we asked him why so slow and he said his speedometer was reading at least 70MPH and his tachometer was over 3,000 RPM! It was the "LITTLE" tires causing the issue. Overall diameter is too small. If you are just putting around town they work.

[erco]

Sure, smaller tires will increase indicated drive speed, and also effectively increase torque at the rear wheels. Think of it as increasing your diff ratio.

In 1980 I bought my car with 185-70R13s and I've used 'em ever since. And I swapped my 3.27 for a 3.55 ring & pinion. Plenty of torque in my house.

It's probably safe to assume any 60 year old speedometer is off-calibration for multiple reasons, including tire size. I wouldn't let that deter me.

[bbodie52]

Among the dozens of useful modern technology guidance and mapping features that can be added to your Corvair by simply mounting a GPS device on your windshield, the large display also continually displays the local speed limit and your current vehicle speed with extreme accuracy. Easily transferred from one car to another. I never need to look down at my Corvair speedometer or worry about its accuracy! Provides a very accurate digital clock too, as well as destination distances and projected arrival time.

Driver Alerts; Tripadvisor; National Parks Directory; Find Places by Name; Garmin Real Directions™ Feature, Easy-To-Read Display; Voice Assist; Hands-Free Calling; Live Traffic and Weather; Traffic Cams and Parking; Smart Notifications

Wi-Fi enabled, fast updates, and phone notifications, the TomTom GO Comfort gives everything you need to focus on the road and stay connected. Plus, you get TomTom's smart routing, Traffic and regular map updates. Connect with the TomTom MyDrive mobile app to plan and edit your routes before you get into the car, log on to TomTom Road Trips to discover, download and edit the best routes to drive around the world

Also makes it easy to locate stores, restaurants, repair shops, medical support, gas stations, etc. When traveling on the highway or in an unfamiliar city, I no longer have to pull over and stop, and struggle with a flashlight and magnifying glass to read a map!


Remember TripTik?

Remember the excitement of flipping the page to get the navigation for upcoming miles in your TripTik from AAA? Ok, maybe you’re too young to know what a paper map is, much less AAA’s spiral-bound TripTik maps, though I’m sure there’s at least one reader who may still have a few of these in their car’s glove compartment.

[erco]

Yes they fit, but we were following a club buddy with those tires on his Corvair and he was only going about 60MPH in a 70MPH zone. Later we asked him why so slow and he said his speedometer was reading at least 70MPH and his tachometer was over 3,000 RPM! It was the "LITTLE" tires causing the issue. Overall diameter is too small. If you are just putting around town they work.

According to https://www.calculator.net/tire-size-calculator.html the circumference difference is only 6%; 1851 vs 1967 mm, so your friend likely had other factors like a 3.55 diff ratio to get such a high rpm.

[Gasman63]

I remember seeing those. And being an old truckdriver i used to have a briefcase just to hold my maps.

Googlemaps works for me now.

[Dennis66]

Googlemaps works for me now.

KIND OF.... Last month I picked up our Jet Vac truck (around 45,000 lbs) from the shop in Orlando. The shop is out in the boondocks, and I thought I'd try Googlemaps for a quicker route back to I-4. I followed the suggested route and suddenly I'm looking at a sign that says "Weight limit 10 tons". Oops!
I'm looking for a place to make a U-turn when I see a loaded 4 axle dump coming from the other direction. "If he can make it, I can make it". Seemed to be more about he neighborhoods the route went through. No bridges or other problems. Dennis