Nissan PL710 Tires

Nissan PL710 uses two listed tire sizes across the 1974 through 1977 model years: 165R13 and 6.45-13. The 165R13 option is a radial size on a 13-inch rim, while 6.45-13 is a numeric bias-ply size that also fits a 13-inch rim. There is no wheel diameter change across the years shown, but there is a clear difference in sizing system and construction style.

That means the correct choice depends on the exact tire type the car is set up to use and the result you want from the restoration or driver. A car preserved for original appearance may lean toward the numeric bias-ply route, while a regularly driven Nissan PL710 may be better suited to the 165R13 radial format. Check the tires currently on the car, the wheel width, and any surviving owner or service literature before deciding.

A 6.45-13 tire on a Nissan PL710 is a numeric bias-ply size. The 6.45 figure refers to the tire's nominal section width in inches, and the 13 indicates the wheel diameter in inches. It is not a metric radial code, so it should be read differently from a size like 165R13.

That distinction matters because a Nissan PL710 fitted with 6.45-13 tires is being matched to an older-style sizing system and a different construction type than the metric radial option. Bias-ply sizing affects appearance, ride character, and service requirements, including the need for inner tubes where applicable. If the sidewall on the car now shows a numeric size, stay with that format unless you are deliberately converting the car with full attention to wheel and driving implications.

A 1974 Nissan PL710 has both 165R13 and 6.45-13 listed because the model sits in an era when modern metric radial sizes and older numeric bias-ply sizes overlapped. Both sizes use the same 13-inch wheel diameter, so the split is not caused by a wheel size change. It is a construction and sizing-format split rather than a year-specific chassis change.

For an owner, that means the year alone does not settle the choice. Look at the tires the car has worn historically, the wheel specification, and the intended use of the car. A Nissan PL710 built for authentic period presentation may call for a different approach than one driven regularly on modern roads, even though both listed sizes are associated with the same production year.

Nissan PL710 does not require inner tubes with the listed 165R13 radial products, which are tubeless metric radials. The 6.45-13 size is a numeric bias-ply fitment, and for that type a tube is required. Tube use follows the construction and size format, not simply the model year.

The practical step is to match the tube decision to the actual size and tire construction being fitted. If your Nissan PL710 is staying on a radial 165R13 setup, tube-related concerns are different from a car being fitted with 6.45-13 bias-ply tires. Always verify the wheel condition and compatibility when changing from one construction style to another, especially on a collector car that may have older rims.

A 1976 Nissan PL710 can use either 165R13 or 6.45-13, and both sizes are listed for that year. The wheel diameter remains 13 inches either way, but the two options differ in sizing convention and construction type. One is a metric radial format, while the other is a numeric bias-ply format.

Start by reading the size on the tires currently fitted to the car and then checking the wheel width if known. After that, decide whether the car is being restored to a more period-style presentation or set up for radial road use. That approach is more reliable than choosing by year alone, because Nissan PL710 carried both formats throughout the run shown here.

The listed Nissan PL710 products come from Michelin and Dunlop. Michelin appears with the XAS-FF and XAS series in 165HR13 form, while Dunlop appears with the SP Sport Aquajet in 165R13. All of the currently listed products are blackwall radial offerings in the 165R13 family.

That gives Nissan PL710 owners a choice among well-known period-appropriate radial names for a 13-inch wheel setup. If you are trying to preserve a certain driving character or visual style, compare the brand and series against the role of the car rather than treating every radial as identical. Brand choice matters most once the correct size and construction type have already been settled.

The listed Nissan PL710 products in the 165R13 radial category are blackwall tires. No alternate sidewall style appears among the available products shown here. That makes blackwall the visible sidewall format represented for the radial choices on this page.

For a mid-1970s Nissan PL710, blackwall styling is also consistent with the restrained appearance many import sedans carried in period. If sidewall appearance is important to your restoration, confirm that the selected size and series align with the visual finish you want before moving ahead. Sidewall style can influence how authentic or era-appropriate the finished car looks, even when the basic size is correct.

The listed Nissan PL710 radial products include Michelin XAS-FF, Michelin XAS, and Dunlop SP Sport Aquajet. All three are radial series in the 165R13 category, but they represent different branded constructions and tread-era approaches within the same general size family. The common thread is that each is aimed at a 13-inch radial fitment for this model.

For a Nissan PL710 owner, the choice between series comes after confirming that the car should be on a radial rather than a numeric bias-ply setup. Once that is settled, series differences become a matter of period character, brand preference, and the kind of driving the car will actually see. Keep the larger goal in mind: visual authenticity and road feel often matter more on a collector car than choosing by name alone.

A Nissan PL710 should be stored in a cool, dry, dark space with the tires kept away from direct sunlight, ozone sources, and long exposure to heat. Tire pressure should be maintained during storage, and the car should not sit for long periods with one part of each tire carrying the full vehicle load. Clean floors and stable temperatures help preserve both radial and bias-ply tires.

Collector-car storage habits have a direct effect on how a Nissan PL710 tire ages, even if tread wear is minimal. If the car will sit for months at a time, move it slightly from time to time or support it in a way that reduces prolonged flat-spotting. Good storage will not stop rubber aging, but it can slow cosmetic cracking and deformation that make a lightly used tire less trustworthy.

Tires on a Nissan PL710 should be inspected before each drive and more thoroughly at regular intervals during the year, especially if the car is used only seasonally. Check air pressure, sidewall condition, tread wear, cracking, valve stems, and any signs of uneven wear or impact damage. Bias-ply and older-style collector tires deserve especially careful visual checks because age often matters more than mileage.

Routine inspection is one of the simplest ways to protect both the car and its occupants. A Nissan PL710 that spends much of its life parked can appear fine while still developing age-related issues that become obvious only under load or speed. Make inspection part of the driving ritual, not something done only at service time, and include the spare if the car carries one.

Tires on a Nissan PL710 should be replaced when age, cracking, hardening, impact damage, repeated air loss, or casing irregularities appear, even if the tread still looks usable. Collector cars often age out tires long before they wear them out. A tire that looks presentable on a low-mileage car can still be unsuitable for regular road use once the rubber and internal structure have deteriorated.

The right time to replace a Nissan PL710 tire is usually determined by condition and age history rather than mileage alone. If the car has been stored for years, returned to service after a long dormant period, or driven on tires of uncertain age, have them evaluated before relying on them. Replacement is cheap insurance compared with the consequences of trying to stretch the life of visibly aging collector tires.

Nissan PL710 is associated here with both 165R13 and 6.45-13 sizes across the 1974 to 1977 production years. The available products shown for the radial route are Michelin and Dunlop 165R13-family tires, while the model also carries the older numeric 6.45-13 fitment pattern. That tells you the car lived in a transition period where more than one sizing approach is relevant.

For an exact restoration, the best path is to compare your Nissan PL710 against surviving factory literature, original tire placards, and marque-specific references for the exact car. A sedan preserved for judged authenticity may call for a different solution than a driver-oriented restoration. Treat the listed sizes as the fitment range for the model and then narrow the choice to the way your individual car was equipped.

Correct tire fitment can affect both the visual credibility and the judged authenticity of a Nissan PL710. Size, construction type, sidewall appearance, and overall stance all influence whether the car looks right for its era. Even when two sizes fit the same year range, judges and knowledgeable enthusiasts may view one choice as more appropriate for a preservation or factory-style restoration.

That matters most when the Nissan PL710 is being prepared for marque events, higher-level shows, or resale to an enthusiast who notices details. If authenticity is the goal, match the tire type to the car's intended presentation rather than simply choosing the most modern-feeling option. Marque clubs, period photography, and original sales or service literature are often the best references when appearance and judging points matter.

Michelin XAS and Dunlop SP Sport Aquajet are both listed as radial series for Nissan PL710 in the 165R13 category. They share the same basic wheel diameter application but represent different branded radial designs from the period-style performance and touring landscape. Michelin is also represented by the related XAS-FF series, giving the model more than one radial-series option within the same general fitment family.

For restoration decisions, the difference is less about whether one size fits and more about which period character best suits your Nissan PL710. Owners often choose among series by balancing originality goals, brand preference, and the kind of road use the car will actually see. Once the correct size and construction approach are established, series choice becomes a finer detail that can sharpen the authenticity of the finished car.

A Nissan PL710 can be driven on public roads when the tires are the correct size, in sound condition, properly inflated, and matched to wheels in good order. The listed 165R13 radial options are the more road-oriented modern construction among the choices shown, while 6.45-13 represents an older bias-ply style with different road manners. Safety depends as much on condition and correct fitment as on the nominal size itself.

Before using a Nissan PL710 regularly, consider how the car is actually being driven and whether its tires suit that role. A lightly used show car on period-style tires should not be treated the same way as a well-sorted driver on fresh radials. Public-road use is realistic for many 1970s collector cars, but only when tire age, wheel condition, brakes, and suspension have all been checked as part of the same system.

Before driving a Nissan PL710, check tire pressure, visible sidewall cracking, tread condition, valve stems, and any signs of uneven wear or impact damage. Confirm that all four tires are the intended size and construction type for the setup on the car. If the Nissan PL710 is on numeric bias-ply tires, include tube condition and inflation retention in the inspection routine.

That quick pre-drive check is especially important on a collector Nissan PL710 that may sit for long periods between outings. Also pay attention to how the car feels in the first few miles, since vibration, pull, or unusual wandering can point to tire, wheel, or suspension issues. Tire condition should always be considered together with brake function and steering response before any longer drive.

A Nissan PL710 should be driven at speeds appropriate to the condition, construction, and age of the tires actually fitted to the car. Fresh radial 165R13 tires are different in capability and behavior from an older-style 6.45-13 bias-ply setup, even when both are associated with the same model years. The practical limit should always be set by the oldest and least capable part of the package, not by what the car can theoretically do.

For real-world use, build speed gradually and pay attention to stability, braking, and steering feel in your Nissan PL710. A collector car that tracks calmly at secondary-road speeds may still be less comfortable at sustained highway pace, especially if it is on period-style tires or older suspension components. Conservative driving is part of preserving both the car and the tires, particularly when authenticity matters as much as transportation.