914 Tire size /Speedo question

[narley dude]

Can anyone tell me what was the standard tire size and wheel size of a 914?


Here is why I'm asking....
I have a '72 Karmann Ghia 'vert with 5.5 wheels and 195/60/15 tires. Due to the different size my speedo runs 5 miles faster than I'm actually driving. Since the Speedo of a 914 and the K.G. where the more/less the same size, I was wondering if I replaced my speedo with one from a 914 would fix my problem?
Didn't they come standard with 5.5 wheels giving the consumer more freedom of tire size?

Thanks,

David

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Standard 914 wheel size: 4.5x15, up through about 72. Very few 914s came with "standard" wheels, though--most were at least upgraded to the optional 5.5s.

After 72 (or whatever the changeover year was; I forget exactly!) the standard wheel was the 5.5x15 steelie. Has about 4 3/4" of "backspace".

All of the factory-supplied four-bolt alloy wheels were 5.5x15. All had about the same amount of backspace as the stock 914 steel wheels; about 4 3/4". (The 914-6, with its five-lug wheels, had the option of using a 5.5x14 wheel instead.)

Tires for the early standard wheels were 155R15, or about 155/80-15. Tires for the 5.5s were 165R15, or about 165/80-15.

--DD

[SGB]

I sold my 72 KG to buy my 914. But my 914 speedo has never been very accurate. There really is no way to run modern tires of reasonable width and have accurate reading without having the unit recalibrated, which is pretty expensive for what it does.

[SirAndy]

i know dave hates it when i link to "the other site" ...

here's a 914 tires size calculator with the stock sizes in the top dropdown list ...

http://www.914club.com/specs/tirecalc.php

Andy

[mikey]

Wow that's cool......never knew it was there. One of the benfits to linking to other sites. Im sure Dave can even learn something new once in a while. Eh? Hehehehe.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

No, Aaahndy, I don't hate it when you link over there.

--DD

[SirAndy]

Originally posted by mikey
Wow that's cool......never knew it was there. One of the benfits to linking to other sites. Im sure Dave can even learn something new once in a while. Eh? Hehehehe.

yeah, sometimes even i can come up with something useful.
plus, i had to dust off my Java skills anyways ...

Andy