quality of used tires down?

[Rick W]

I’m just throwing this out for grins. When I met my first wife, she was driving an Austin America, not to be confused with the BMW made mini Cooper. It had 12 inch wheels. I think it was about a 1970, and this was in about 1978. And she drove this thing around the potholes in New York city.

In the picture, it looks a little bit like the 60s and 70s Volkswagen station wagon, but I think it was actually about 3/4 the size.

Shortly there after I bought a pinto squire station wagon that had 13 x 5 wheels. It was like driving a go kart.

 

[superj]

i surely would have said that was a vw slant back wagon.

i had an old honda, a 76 accord, and it had really small wheels too... 13s i think. that was a great car but that carb floats got pin holes and i couldn't find just the floats. a new carb was more then the car cost so that cool old honda went to the junkyard. it had a 3 barrel carb

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Yep, my 77 pinto has 13" wheels. The rubber still looks really good, but even I won't drive it on the road for real.

 

[sgtsandman]

I’m just throwing this out for grins. When I met my first wife, she was driving an Austin America, not to be confused with the BMW made mini Cooper. It had 12 inch wheels. I think it was about a 1970, and this was in about 1978. And she drove this thing around the potholes in New York city.

View attachment 135335

In the picture, it looks a little bit like the 60s and 70s Volkswagen station wagon, but I think it was actually about 3/4 the size.

Shortly there after I bought a pinto squire station wagon that had 13 x 5 wheels. It was like driving a go kart.

I had a 1988 Chevy Sprint and a 1992 Geo Metro that had 12" wheels. Tires were super cheap as a result.

 

[cmcolfax]

Yup.
Another old guy here.
I remember when 13" steelies were standard and 14" 'Alloy' wheels were the upgrade!

Think 1980's Japanese imports like the Celica or the Prelude.
The Ford Escort.
The Plymouth/Dodge Horizon/Omni.

The GT/Si/GT versions and the legit fast Omni GLH Turbo had 14's.

Camaros and Mustangs, even in the Z28 and GT flavors had 15's.

And THE tire to have was the BFGoodrich Radial T/A or the Goodyear Eagle GT.

Tho I think the late 80's Mustang GT came with the Eagle VR60 "Gatorbacks" , I'm not sure about the Camaro.

 

[Rick W]

i surely would have said that was a vw slant back wagon.

i had an old honda, a 76 accord, and it had really small wheels too... 13s i think. that was a great car but that carb floats got pin holes and i couldn't find just the floats. a new carb was more then the car cost so that cool old honda went to the junkyard. it had a 3 barrel carb

if you look close in the picture, that’s actually a four-door. Hers was British racing green on the top, and kind of rust colored on the bottom. Oh, wait a minute, that was actual rust!

If a VW square back parked next to that thing, it looked like a super duty parked next to an 80s Ranger. The thing was tiny. I only drove it a few times, it was very hard to get used to looking at the speedometer between my knees.

Amazingly, it would actually easily carry four guys my size.

And I think those tires are still available from Harbor freight, right next to the wheelbarrow tires