Vintage Tire Size Conversion Chart

Vintage Tire Size Conversion Chart

Use the following chart to figure out the closest modern tire size to your car's original tires. Keep in mind these are close approximations and may not be exact replacements. Before purchasing any tires you should compare outside diameters and the tread footprint to get a better idea on how close a match they are. Your local tire dealer should have this information. Variations in tire diameter will have an effect on speedometer accuracy while the tread footprint will have an aesthetic affect on the appearance of the car. The best way to ensure a 100% correct look for your antique car is to buy reproduction vintage tires in the originally recommended size.




Pre-1964 1965-72 80 series metric Alpha Numeric 78 series P-Metric 75 series Radial P-Metric 70 series Radial
5.90-13 600-13 165-13 A78-13 P165/75R13 P175/70R13
6.40-13 650-13 175-13 B78-13 P175/75R13 P185/70R13
7.25-13 700-13 185-13 D78-13 P185/75R13 P205/70R13
5.90-14 645-14 155-14 B78-14 P175/75R14 P185/70R14
6.50-14 695-14 175-14 C78-14 P185/75R14 P195/70R14
7.00-14 735-14 185-14 E78-14 P195/75R14 P205/70R14
7.50-14 775-14 195-14 F78-14 P205/75R14 P215/70R14
8.00-14 825-14 205-14 G78-14 P215/75R14 P225/70R14
8.50-14 855-14 215-14 H78-14 P225/75R14 P235/70R14
5.90-15 600-15 165-15 A78-15 P165/75R15 P175/70R15
6.50-15 685-15 175-15 C78-15 P175/75R15 P185/70R15
6.40-15 735-15 185-15 E78-15 P195/75R15 P205/70R15
6.70-15 775-15 195-15 F78-15 P205/75R15 P215/70R15
7.10-15 825-15 205-15 G78-15 P215/75R15 P225/70R15
7.60-15 855-15 215-15 H78-15 P225/75R15 P235/70R15
8.00-15 885-15 230-15 J78-15 P225/75R15 P235/70R15
8.20-15 900-15 235-15 L78-15 P235/75R15 P255/70R15















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I found the original tire size on my 1963 Grand Prix checking old vintage car brochures.
8.00 X 14".
And then a method to convert to modern P series metric sizes.
Only guy in the group present running around with Vintage Tin on the road as old.

No interest in ultra wide modern rubber.
My '63 GP don't need them.
Widetrack car & has lots of anti squat traction built in.
 
TIRE TECH

Determining the Age of a Tire


When it comes to determining the age of a tire, it is easy to identify when a tire was manufactured by reading its Tire Identification Number (often referred to as the tire's serial number). Unlike vehicle identification numbers (VINs) and the serial numbers used on many other consumer goods (which identify one specific item), Tire Identification Numbers are really batch codes that identify the week and year the tire was produced.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) requires that Tire Identification Numbers be a combination of the letters DOT, followed by eight to thirteen letters and/or numbers that identify the manufacturing location, tire size and manufacturer's code, along with the week and year the tire was manufactured.

"When it comes to determining the age of a tire, it is easy to identify when a tire was manufactured by reading its Tire Identification Number (often referred to as the tire's serial number)."

Tires Manufactured Since 2000
Since 2000, the week and year the tire was produced has been provided by the last four digits of the Tire Identification Number with the 2 digits being used to identify the week immediately preceding the 2 digits used to identify the year.

Example of a tire manufactured since 2000 with the current Tire Identification Number format:

Post_2000_Full_Dot.jpg

In the example above:
DOT U2LL LMLR 5107
51 Manufactured during the 51st week of the year
07 Manufactured during 2007
While the entire Tire Identification Number is required to be branded onto one sidewall of every tire, current regulations also require that DOT and the first digits of the Tire Identification Number must also be branded onto the opposite sidewall. Therefore, it is possible to see a Tire Identification Number that appears incomplete and requires looking at the tire's other sidewall to find the entire Tire Identification Number

Post_2000_Part_Dot.jpg


The use of a partial Tire Identification Number on the one sidewall (shown above) reduces the risk of injury to the mold technician that would have to install the weekly date code on the top sidewall portion of a hot tire mold.

Tires Manufactured Before 2000
The Tire Identification Number for tires produced prior to 2000 was based on the assumption that tires would not be in service for ten years. While they were required to provide the same information as today's tires, the week and year the tire was produced was contained in the last three digits. The 2 digits used to identify the week a tire was manufactured immediately preceded a single digit used to identify the year.

Example of a tire manufactured before 2000 with the earlier Tire Identification Number format:

Pre_2000_Dot.jpg

In the example above:
DOT EJ8J DFM 408
40 Manufactured during the 40th week of the year
8 Manufactured during the 8th year of the decade
While the previous Tire Identification Number format identified that a tire was built in the 8th year of a decade, there was no universal identifier that confirmed which decade (tires produced in the 1990s may have a small triangle following the Tire Identification Number to identify the decade).

And finally, hold on to your sales receipt. Most tire manufacturer's warranties cover their tires for four years from the date of purchase or five years from the week the tires were manufactured. So if you purchase new tires that were manufactured exactly two years ago they will be covered for a total of six years (four years from the date of purchase) as long as you have your receipt. If you lose your receipt, your tires' warranty coverage will end five years from the week the tire was produced (resulting in the tire manufacturer's warranty coverage ending only three years from the date of purchase in this example).

 
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