Front tire thoughts...

[alex d]

What do you like to run in the front? Do you go for the classic look and use 135 or 145s? Or you prefer the safety of a wider tire, even if it's not old school?
I like my cars to have decent handling, so I don't like the idea of using 145s. In fact I don't now what tire to use, everything seems like it's going to rub the wings, and narrowing the beam wasn't in my original plans! I'll have to try those 175/60 o 65s...

[Lids]

I have always used 145's Never crashed, but then again never driven.....

[Lids]

I have always used 145's Never crashed, but then again never driven.....

[ESH]

I run 145's and they're not a major problem. Occasionally they lock up a little earlier than you might expect and combined with a bit of power you can sometimes get both understeer and oversteer at different points in the same turn but they're neither dangerous or difficult as such. 

[Zach Gomulka]

Some cars just need the 145 to look right (I dont like 135's, too short, too skinny, and they only fit a 4.5" rim well). For a daily driven car I like either the 175/65 or the 185/60. Both are about the same height as a 145 so from the side the car will still look right.

[Gregor/DFL]

I have good experiences in running 145s front and 165s on the back. I think a major issue is how the sizes differ. Running the "classic" sizes 205/70 in the back and 135s on the front is cool for the looks but bad for handling-that for shure is a combination for the 1/4 mile, inspired by Hot Rod looks. For the street I´d always prefer a closer combination of size, maybe 155s on the front and 175s or 185s on the back. And: you always need good shocks to go fast on the street although running a "Looker".

[Lids]

I use 185's on the rear, as it says in the manual

[jick]

135's and 205/70/15's   on my erco's

i will go for the 145's on my empi's though.....

[bullitt]

personally the only kind of tires i like on a cal-look car is 135- 145 with high diameter.
i found smart cars tires horrible.
we did a car with michelin zx 135 (on 4,5 steel wheels) on the front and goodyear 205-70-15 on therear. nose was down.
michelins are only tires i would use in this kind of size because they costs a lot but they are the only real qualitative tires.
f 560 s by firestone? they suck........
 i drove the car all day in monza racetrack. even if car stance was not for track racing, the car was really balanced and never understeering.

[Rune]

I have been running 155s and 145s up front. They handle the same, but the 145 looks far better. Used both Michelin and Firestone F560. Both good tires, and both have a cool old looking tire pattern. How come you find the Firestone's suck Bullitt?

[Lee.C]

I have been using Firestone F560 145's for years and I do know what bullit means, they are a very hard compound and they can tend to cause "lock ups" and like Mat says they do also give a little understeer but if you know what to expect then you can drive them pretty hard - I still use them on the front of the Manx and with such a light frontend they still handle pretty well and with minimal understeer which breaks into oversteer very nicely 

Also my friend Gav has all just fitted "smart car" tires to his 63 and personally I hate them they look like rubber bands  and I have just about convinced him to go back to Firestones F560's 145's  

[j-f]

I use old Michelin 135-15 on 5.5 wheels 
That's not very advised but I never have problems with. Good handling but only 4.000km and they were out. That's the second set of that tires I used. On the back, I use old 165 Michelin XZX
I have to use 135 because of the offset of my wheels, the CB spindles and the disc brakes widen also the axle.

[El Diablo Gris]

Poker chips up front and big meat in the back !

Michelin ZX 135's and M & H DOT's (215 65 15) in the rear.

I have four wheel 11" vented discs all around, and a Baer proportioning valve to help adjust brake load.

If I didn't have this set up, I would lean more towards a little larger tire in front. 

[ESH]

...I have been using Firestone F560 145's for years and I do know what bullit means, they are a very hard compound and they can tend to cause "lock ups" and like Mat says they do also give a little understeer but if you know what to expect then you can drive them pretty hard...

Mine are the Michellin, and they can definitely understeer. I'd have either make to be honest, I don't think there's a huge difference between the two, 145's with a typical Cal-Look set up will behave a certain way. Whatever though I think the 145 is a totally driveable perfectly safe choice, just don't go chasing modern fast cars into corners, well, not unless there's a bit of run off space like a dual carriageway...

 

[bullitt]

 i always speak about my opinions and impression without pretending them to be the law but how can u rune say   that f 560 have an old design???
and what can we say about big FIRESTONE F560 script on the side???  bah.....
they are just too modern on a beetle!!!
zx are evidently older in look!!!
i tested both.  f 560 on the rain are simply mad.  they are ugly and hard like concrete....they become dry piece of wood in six months..
michelins are soft...they keep road and bumps just MICHELIN WAY.....
michelin are more qalitative tyres
just put both tyres togheter as new and look at them.
look at grooves hedges: firetone is not so accurately cut. michelin cuts are real hedges. they made in another way, MAYBE CAUSE THEY HAVE ANOTHER PRICE.  we have to say this to be honest.
but price of a tyre only last thing i consider.
tyre is one of most important thing on a car's style.
u cant fail this!!!!

[bullitt]

don't misunderstand me plz guys: cal look set up is not    the right one to do 100 laps at spa or monza....but  it can be drivable and even fun if u take the right drive  and the right rhythm.
at monza meeting with the right drive we did some turn sideways with 135 205.