https://simpletire.com/federal-p205-...140h3afa-tires

Looks like the Federal SS595's are available from a "normal" tire source. They are apparently pretty sticky too for the 460TW rating (at least according to some people on the ChumpCar site).

 

I noticed all the non-13 in tires are 260AA whereas the 13 is 460AA. Typo? Really that much
harder?

Too bad they don't have RWL like the old RADIAL T/As did when they made them for this.

 

The 13" tires were specifically for Legends cars. I do not know if they made the compound actually harder or if they just changed the numbers on the sidewall. I should also note that the comments on the ChumpCar forum about them being pretty sticky does not clarify if those were 13" or other sizes.

 

Ooh! Awesome!

As for RWL, I present to you https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/fo.../107272/page1/

 

Na, get the print on tire patches.

Like this

Tire Graphics And Tire Lettering Kits For Your Tires

I've thought about it.

 

Noticed these are available now and much cheaper than at Coker's website:
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...omCompare1=yes

 

Not cheap though (for the Vredesteins). Cool looking option though.

 

Thanks for the link, Carl, I ordered a set. Back in the 80's when I had my first FB I put some 205-60's on and just loved the upgrade. Back here in the future, I was seriously considering 15" wheels and new tires because of the lack of 13" stock, but I really like the look of the stock wheels.

+1, mate.

 

The Vredesteins do look period correct but that price is outrageous. I think you can still get Cooper Cobra in 205/60R13 if you want RWL for 1/3 the price. And Tire Rack has Kuhmos that are pretty cheap 4 seasons in 185/70R13. None of those options are going to be as grippy as Federal SS595 or if you're not worried about wet weather traction the Toyo RA1or R888.

 

Cooper hasn't made the Cobra for quite a while, IIRC. There is nothing - NOTHING - out there in a 13" white letter tire. Even from Coker.

 

I stand corrected. The link I found was on Sears' website but it didn't have a buy now button. Cooper's website does not list 13" anymore.

I wonder if we could get a group-buy together or something and convince Cooper (or any manufacturer) to fire up the mold for us. We can just start a "make 13s great again" campaign because I'm sure there are other vintage owners looking for the same tires we are. I'd grab a set for my stock wheels that are sitting in storage. They have decent tread on some cheap Chinese tires but their grip is so bad I didn't feel safe driving on them. I could hear the LSD over spinning the inside tire under light acceleration while turning.

I also noticed the other day that BFG stopped selling the size tire I got on my REPU. I generally don't like driving on tires more than 5-6 years old so I'm going to have to come up with something different for the truck when the tires begin to dry out.

 

It's something of a shame that Hoosier stopped doing street tires. Although those were manufactured by someone else, anyway.

Hoosier does enough specialty tires that I almost wouldn't mind paying Hoosier prices for a 205/60-13 or a 235/50-13 (remember those?) with white letters.

 

I still have a set of Uniroyal Tiger Paws. RWL in 13" I don't drive on them often they are mostly used for winter storage tires and are covered up in my basement for the summer. They actually look very nice with no visible cracking. And they hold air quite good I always check them before I put them on the car and they are down a pound or two over a year.

 

Looks like they are doing 205/60/14s for us s3 folk too, which was another extinct size. Not as romantic as a 235/50/13 though!

 

Yeah I am debating in between the 195/60/14 or 205/60/14 for my rim size 14X6.5

 

Just got my set mounted and balanced. Such a huge upgrade from the Firestone 185-70's. Steering is immediately way more fun and I'm still exploring the grip limit. I've got a set of Tokico blues on the shelf, and I need to get some springs next.

The old set (made in 2005) had a built in vibration at 75 to 80 that just could not be balanced. Smooth as glass now.

Thanks OP for posting this thread...I would not have known to look for *new* 13" tires.

 

Federal SS-595, 185/60-13 are $44+shipping here:
https://www.onlinetires.com/products...s-595+80h.html

 

I wish I had seen this sooner, I just ordered some cheapo all season tires off walmart's website. I would have gone with the 185 federals.

 

185/60 is way tiny for our cars.

205/60 is also kinda small, but it was common so it was what we used.

 

I'm inclined to agree. The car felt way unstable with the tires I went with. I have bigger fish to fry at this time though.

Anyone ever run staggered 205's out back and 185's up front?

 

Would probably be OK (meaning not too much understeer.) Simple approximation is you have 10% less grip in the front.

We ran the Dunlop Star Specs 195/55-15 front, 205/50-15 rear; only because I had purchased a set of 195 first, used them up a bit, then purchased a set of 205 for the next set. It worked fine. I could not tell the difference between running 205 on all four.

 

Looks like they are out of stock again. Has any one checked to see when they are due back in?

 

https://superbuytires.com/tires/mode...8&show_specs=Y

Try here. Or check with Legends cars suppliers. It is their spec tire.

 

Or here on ebay 205 60 13 Tires | eBay

 

Stock GSL-SE rims here. I'm thinking Federal SS657 205/60R14

https://www.onlinetires.com/products...7+89h+bsw.html

Thoughts?