Bias Ply tire options for the 356

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Mark Pribanic · #1 Post by **Mark Pribanic** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 7:29 pm

[EDIT]I wanted to rename the thread specifically for Bias ply tire options

Had to do it...By creating this thread we can discuss bias ply tire options.

Post your questions/comments here regarding bias ply tires options/availability/road handling/cost/ suppliers...

Mark Pribanic · #2 Post by **Mark Pribanic** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 7:30 pm

Going against the grain of most 356 owners, my next set of tires for my '58 coupe are going to be bias plys. I like the vintage look of them.

Here's a pic of some 16" bias ply tires seen on Brett Johnsons 1951 Glaser cab this past weekend.

Jack Stenner · #3 Post by **Jack Stenner** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 8:27 pm

Ah, you read my mind. I'm refinishing my 16s now and have been looking at several options.

http://store.coker.com/search.php?mode= ... 500/525-16

http://www.universaltire.com/cart.php?t ... ory_id=335

http://www.universaltire.com/cart.php?t ... ory_id=341

I was glad to see your closeup of Brett Johnson's tires to confirm the proper size. My plan is to paint the wheels black to match the car until I can get around to repainting everything the original brown. My concern is that the black on black is going to make the wheels kind of "go away". That leads me to consider whitewalls, but I'm not sure I like the look. Opinions?

Mark Pribanic · #4 Post by **Mark Pribanic** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 8:48 pm

Here's a shot of a black and black pre A

Jack Stenner · #5 Post by **Jack Stenner** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 9:06 pm

Beautiful car. Looks "mean" doesn't it. But the wheels kind of disappear in that they blend in with the color of the rubber. The whitewalls kind of reinforce the size of the wheel, itself....which is kind of nice.......but, I don't know. I'm still on the fence.

That's the Rollo guy from theSamba isn't it? I think I read somewhere that he had whitewalls on it for a while....maybe he has a picture.

Jack Stenner · #6 Post by **Jack Stenner** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 9:40 pm

Jack_Stenner wrote:That's the Rollo guy from theSamba isn't it? I think I read somewhere that he had whitewalls on it for a while....maybe he has a picture.

Nope, I was wrong. This is the guy (Rollo Tomasi) from theSamba:

So yeah, that's what it would look like. I lean towards doing what is strictly original, which I assume would be sans whitewalls.

Mark Pribanic · #7 Post by **Mark Pribanic** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 9:03 am

I really like the black wheels w/o the whitewalls. But, I've seen a few 356's with whitewalls. Some look good others didn't. I think a pre A could pull it off. However, a 'C' would look silly.

Jack Stenner · #8 Post by **Jack Stenner** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 9:28 am

mpribanic wrote:I really like the black wheels w/o the whitewalls. But, I've seen a few 356's with whitewalls. Some look good others didn't. I think a pre A could pull it off. However, a 'C' would look silly.

Yeah, I agree completely. Typically I hate whitewalls, but because I've seen some Pre-As that actually looked good with them, I'm torn. Right now, I'm leaning towards just full black.

So, it's hard to tell for sure in the picture of Brett Johnson's car, but his are the BF Goodrich's correct? Like these:

http://store.coker.com/prod/500525-16-b ... kwall.html

Mark Pribanic · #9 Post by **Mark Pribanic** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 9:46 am

The sidewall reads: BF Goodrich Silvertown

Here's a close up:

Mark Pribanic · #10 Post by **Mark Pribanic** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 8:20 am

Jack here's a pic of a 1955 Cab with white walls. Looks like he is running 16's & bias ply's.

Jack Stenner · #11 Post by **Jack Stenner** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 10:01 am

This one could convince me

[albumimg]372[/albumimg]

...still leaning to black on black, though.

Norm Miller · #12 Post by **Norm Miller** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 8:20 pm

Looks like this thread has gone stale so here is my 20pf.
Whilst racing in the 50's & 60's I tried several times to run radials but could not keep it on the track as the radials held on forever and then let go 100% whereas the bias were controllable almost through a 90° slide.

White walls were a factory option although I don't remember ever selling any! VW's yes many were WW equipped and standard on convt's and Ghias.

Gert Gehlhaar · #13 Post by **Gert Gehlhaar** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:33 pm

You are so correct about racing with radials on those skinny tires. That is one reason I use Hoosier 500 TAs on my racing Karmann Ghia #70 - they stick like glue.

Michael Eker · #14 Post by **Michael Eker** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 2:47 pm

600/16 CAR TYRE: ROAD: TRACTION MILEAGE: 6 PLY Tyre/Tube Brand: AVON UK Type: CROSS-PLY £139.00 t
600/16 CAR TYRE: ROAD: 100MM WHITE WALL Tyre/Tube Brand: LESTER Type: CROSS-PLY Price exluding VAT: £110.00
600/16 CAR TYRE: ROAD: 83MM WHITE WALL Tyre/Tube Brand: FIRESTONE Type: CROSS-PLY Price exluding VAT: £119.00
600/16 CAR TYRE: MILITARY: NDT BAR GRIP: 6PLY Tyre/Tube Brand: LASSA Type: CROSS-PLY Price exluding VAT: £49.50
600/16 CAR TYRE: MILITARY: NDT BAR TREAD: 6PLY Tyre/Tube Brand: FIRESTONE Type: CROSS-PLY Price exluding VAT: £69.50
600/16 CAR TYRE: ROAD: TOURIST Tyre/Tube Brand: AVON UK Type: CROSS-PLY Price exluding VAT: £95.50
600-16 CAR TYRE: RACE: R5 (ROAD LEGAL) Tyre/Tube Brand: DUNLOP UK Type: RACING Price exluding VAT: £186.50
600R16 88W CAR TYRE: ROAD: PILOTE X (ROAD LEGAL) Tyre/Tube Brand: MICHELIN Type: RADIAL Price exluding VAT: £227.50
600/650/16 CAR TYRE: ROAD: SCSS Tyre/Tube Brand: MICHELIN Type: CROSS-PLY Price exluding VAT: £0.00
550/600/650-16 OFFSET METAL VALVE Tyre/Tube Brand: WAYMASTER Type: RACE TUBE Price exluding VAT: £26.00
500/600/650-16 OFFSET RUBBER VALVE Tyre/Tube Brand: SWIFT Type: TUBE Price exluding VAT: £11.00
550/600/185-16 OFFSET RUBBER VALVE (16FV13) Tyre/Tube Brand: MICHELIN Type: TUBE Price exluding VAT: £11.00
185/600/670-16 OFFSET RUBBER VALVE TR13 Tyre/Tube Brand: MICHELIN Type: TUBE Price exluding VAT: £19.00
550/600/185-16 OFFSET RUBBER VALVE TR15 (16FV15) Tyre/Tube Brand: MICHELIN Type: TUBE Price exluding VAT: £11.00
600L16 CAR TYRE: RACE: CR48 Tyre/Tube Brand: DUNLOP UK Type: RACING Price exluding VAT: £180.00
600H/16 CAR TYRE: ROAD: RS5: TL Tyre/Tube Brand: DUNLOP UK Type: CROSS-PLY Price exluding VAT: £119.50
600H/16 CAR TYRE: ROAD: TURBOSPEED: 6PLY Tyre/Tube Brand: AVON UK Type: CROSS-PLY Price exluding VAT: £125.50

All at http://www.vintagetyres.com/index.asp?T ... &DBM=&PGE=

Strangely, I wanted to buy 165/15 inner tubes for a 356. I could not finf them anywhere until I stumbled on an agricultural tire supplier. I ordered 5 inner tubes on line at 8.30pm. At 7.30 am the NEXT DAY I had a man knocking on the door to deliver the tubes. Apparently farmers use this size tubes in their trailers. The truck delivery driver asked me if the address was correct as he usually delivered to farms.

Meker

Jack Stenner · #15 Post by **Jack Stenner** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 1:12 pm

I finally got my 16s and biasply tires installed. I went with the BF Goodrich Silvertowns from Coker. I was expecting the feel to suffer compared to the Michelins that were on there, but it's really not bad at all.

The Official 356Talk Forum

Bias Ply tire options for the 356

Bias Ply tire options for the 356

Bias ply tire

Cross plies