Wheels for 1600

[Mars55]

My '68 1600 has the original 13 x 4.5 steel wheels. I need new tires and I'm running into well-known issues of availability.

I'm looking for wheel options in 13" and 14" varieties that will accommodate new rubber.

 

[Conserv]

2 hours ago, Mars55 said:

... I need new tires and I'm running into well-known issues of availability....

 

There is no shortage of choices in 13” tires. The very popular 185/70 is, admittedly, at the upper limit for a 4.5” rim. Back in the day, lots of ‘02 owners ran 185/70 tires on the stock 4.5” rims. There’s an active current discussion of 185/70 options:

 

 

The 185/70 tires tend to lump into two categories: under $60 each, and over $130 each.

And the Michelin XAS in the ‘02’s original 165/80 size has been available continuously since 1965. One downside: $237 each. But still an excellent tire.

 

Your question is pretty darned open-ended. Are you looking to spend $400 for new rims and tires, or $4,000? I’m confident this crowd can accommodate either end of the spectrum.... ?

 

Let us know what you have in mind.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

Edited March 13, 2020 by Conserv

[wegweiser]

Pirelli CN36 in 185/70-13. Best tires I've run on my 2002s since they discontinued Yoko AVS, BFG Comp TAs, and others in the 1980s. Classic tread from 1970s molds made with modern rubber compounds. About 500 times better than the Khumo crap I had been running the last few years. For one thing, the Khumos tried to kill me every time it rained. 

 

longstone tyre in England often offers free shipping to the USA for the CN36 tires. Worth every penny. 

[krauser]

The Vredestein Sprint Classic 185/70R13 is also an option.  Nice modern compound/internal structure with vintage tread pattern.

Best, krauser

[Mars55]

I'm willing to spend for the Pirellis or Michelins and I'd like a little wider tire while still keeping a stock look. So...the mind wanders and I ponder the options for :wider (5 - 5.5 ) or larger (14" ) wheels. And here we are. So what would a $1500 budget yield?

 

Thanks for the replies, as always 

[Conserv]

11 hours ago, Mars55 said:

I'm willing to spend for the Pirellis or Michelins and I'd like a little wider tire while still keeping a stock look. So...the mind wanders and I ponder the options for :wider (5 - 5.5 ) or larger (14" ) wheels. And here we are. So what would a $1500 budget yield?

 

Thanks for the replies, as always 

$1,500 is a useful budget.

 

If you want to retain a stock look, $600 gets you CN36’s on your current rims. Try them, love them. If you really don’t warm to the original 4.5 steelies with chrome wheel covers, your remaining $900 will get you a wide range of 13 x 5.5 alloys, or even a set of ti/tii steelies (same appearance as your 4.5” rims but 5” wide). If you find a set of the early — 1966-68 — hub caps, placing them on your original steelies, without trim rings, is a great look with 185/70 tires; it accentuates the “dish” of the rims.

 

Cosmic Mark I’s are 1968-ish - a nice set, 5.5 x 13, recently sold on the forum in the $450 range.

 

 

And the Cosmic Mark II’s are also early and perfectly period-appropriate.

 

So many great rims, so little time... ?

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

Edited March 14, 2020 by Conserv

[coloincaalpine RIP 2021]

+ 1 Steve.    The tii wheels with the dogdish caps has that clean "sleeper" look.

[Mars55]

Steve, et al, thanks for the knowledge! I reached out to Longstone to inquire if the 185/70 size would be a problem for the 4.5" rims. They said it's not ideal but doable. Your thoughts? Is there anything I should be aware of for mounting?

 

Thanks again,

[Conserv]

22 hours ago, Mars55 said:

... I reached out to Longstone to inquire if the 185/70 size would be a problem for the 4.5" rims. They said it's not ideal but doable. Your thoughts? Is there anything I should be aware of for mounting?...

 

Lots of ‘02 owners did this back in the day, including me. Today, lots of owners appear to run 6” rims and are comfortable with a little tire rub now and again: that was considered “risky” in the ‘70’s. Nothing bad will happen when you put 185/70’s on 4.5” rims — I’m assuming this is not a track car!

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

Edited March 16, 2020 by Conserv

[Slavs]

I've always ran 13" wheels. But, I don't like the way 185/70 x 13 Tires feel on a 4.5 X 13" wheel. They are a little wide for that wheel, and your handling will be mushy. You're better off with a 165/80 X 13 tire, or you can go with a 175/70 x 13, which is about 3% shorter in diameter. Your top speed and gearing will be reduced by 3%, and your speedometer will be 3% too optimistic. This is not too bad as it translates to 3mph at 100mph. Or you can look for nice period correct alloys like the Cosmic, pictured above, and fit them with fatter tires such as the 185/70. If you're on a budget, you can get the 5 1/2" x 13 steel wheels from the 320i. They look sharp when cleaned up and painted, especially with the stock BMW center caps.