Opel Olympia Tires

Opel Olympia uses six tire sizes across the 1951 to 1962 production span. The 1951 and 1952 cars use either 155R15 radial or 560-15 bias-ply on 15-inch rims. The 1953 through 1959 cars use either 155R13 radial or 560-13 bias-ply on 13-inch rims. The 1960 through 1962 cars use either 165R13 radial or 590-13 bias-ply on 13-inch rims.

That means the first step is to identify the year group and then confirm whether the car is being kept in a radial or bias-ply format. If the wheels have ever been changed during restoration or prior ownership, measure the rim diameter directly before choosing among the listed sizes.

On an Opel Olympia, 560-15 is a numeric bias-ply size used on 1951 and 1952 models. The 560 is the nominal section width with the decimal omitted, and the 15 is the wheel diameter in inches. Products in this size are bias-ply tires, which place it in the period-correct construction family for early postwar small cars.

A numeric size like 560-15 is not interchangeable by appearance alone with later metric radial sizing, even if both were offered for the same year group. If your Opel Olympia still wears its early 15-inch wheels and you want period feel and stance, this is the size family to compare carefully.

Opel Olympia uses two rim diameters across the years covered here. The 1951 and 1952 Opel Olympia uses 15-inch rims with either 155R15 or 560-15. From 1953 through 1962, Opel Olympia uses 13-inch rims with 155R13, 560-13, 165R13, or 590-13 depending on year and construction choice.

That 1953 change is the most important fitment break in the entire Opel Olympia range. A buyer who starts with size alone can easily end up in the wrong wheel diameter, so verifying the actual rim before comparing whitewall style, tread character, or construction will prevent the most common mismatch.

Opel Olympia bias-ply sizes in this range are the numeric sizes 560-15, 560-13, and 590-13, and those should be treated as tube-required fitments. The radial sizes 155R15, 155R13, and 165R13 are a different construction type and are not described the same way in the available products. Tube use follows the construction and wheel setup rather than the model name alone.

If your Opel Olympia is being restored on numeric bias-ply tires, plan the tire and tube package together and make sure the wheel condition supports tube-type service. If the car is using radial tires, match the tire choice to the wheel and valve setup already on the car rather than assuming the same approach applies to every year.

Opel Olympia was fitted within this range with both bias-ply and radial-equivalent sizes, depending on the owner’s goals and the wheel diameter used in that year group. Bias-ply options are 560-15, 560-13, and 590-13, while radial options are 155R15, 155R13, and 165R13. That gives Opel Olympia owners a genuine choice between period-style construction and later radial behavior.

Choose bias-ply when originality of appearance, stance, and steering feel matters most to the presentation of the car. Choose radial when the car is driven more regularly and you want more familiar road manners, while still staying within the listed size family for the correct year and rim diameter.

Yes, radial tires can change how an Opel Olympia feels on the road compared with bias-ply tires. The radial sizes available for Opel Olympia use a different carcass design than the numeric bias-ply alternatives, and that usually brings a more modern response in tracking and general road behavior. The effect is especially noticeable when comparing a 560-series bias tire with its radial-size counterpart for the same year group.

That change in feel can be desirable for a driver-oriented car, but it also moves the experience away from a strictly period presentation. Owners who show their Opel Olympia or want the car to retain its original-era character often prefer bias-ply, while owners who tour in the car often lean toward radial construction.

Mixing bias-ply and radial tires on an Opel Olympia is not a good practice. The two constructions behave differently under load, in steering response, and in how they react over uneven pavement. Opel Olympia has complete year-group choices in either radial or bias-ply sizes, so there is little reason to create a mixed-construction setup.

Keep all four tires in the same construction family unless a qualified marque or chassis specialist has a very specific reason to do otherwise. When replacing only part of a set, match not just the nominal size but also the construction type already on the car so the Opel Olympia remains balanced and predictable.

Start with the production break points. A 1951 or 1952 Opel Olympia uses 15-inch fitments, a 1953 through 1959 Opel Olympia uses 13-inch fitments in the 155R13 or 560-13 family, and a 1960 through 1962 Opel Olympia uses 13-inch fitments in the 165R13 or 590-13 family. Within each year group, the remaining choice is usually radial versus bias-ply construction.

After identifying the year group, inspect the actual wheel diameter and compare the current tire markings on the car. If the Opel Olympia has been restored, converted, or stored for decades, wheel swaps are always possible, so the physical rim check matters more than assumptions carried over from the model year alone.

Opel Olympia tires in this range are available in blackwall, narrow whitewall, and wide whitewall styles. The radial offerings listed here are blackwall, while the numeric bias-ply sizes include blackwall plus whitewall choices depending on size. The 560-15 family has the broadest sidewall variety, while 560-13 and 590-13 emphasize whitewall options.

Sidewall style changes the visual character of an Opel Olympia almost as much as wheel trim does. A blackwall generally suits a restrained factory look, while narrow or wide whitewalls create a stronger period statement, so match the sidewall to the restoration style you want the car to project.

Opel Olympia tires in the listed sizes come from Firestone, Michelin, Avon, Vredestein, US Royal, Coker Classic, Pro-Trac, Dunlop, and BFGoodrich. Not every brand appears in every size, and the brand mix changes by construction type. Radial sizes lean heavily toward Michelin, Dunlop, Avon, Firestone, and Vredestein, while bias-ply sizes include Firestone, US Royal, Coker Classic, BFGoodrich, and Pro-Trac.

Brand choice should come after year, size, construction, and rim diameter are settled. Once those are confirmed, the Opel Olympia owner can compare sidewall style, tire series, and intended use to narrow the field to the product that best matches the car’s restoration or driving purpose.

Opel Olympia tires are offered in several series, including Firestone F560 Radial, Michelin X, Michelin XAS, Michelin XAS-FF, Avon CR6ZZ, Vredestein Snow Classic, Vredestein Sprint Classic, Firestone Classic Bias Ply, US Royal Classic Bias Ply, Coker Classic Bias Ply, Silvertown Classic Bias Ply, SP Sport Aquajet, and Street Pro Front Runner. Some of those are radial touring-style designs, while others are classic bias-ply lines with period-correct sidewall treatments.

For most Opel Olympia owners, the practical split is between classic bias-ply series for period appearance and radial series for a more modern road feel. Within those groups, sidewall style and tread personality become the next deciding factors, especially if the car is being built for touring, judging, or a custom presentation.

An Opel Olympia should be stored in a cool, dry, dark place with the tires kept away from direct sunlight, ozone sources, solvents, and prolonged moisture. Clean floors, stable temperatures, and proper inflation all help reduce casing stress during long storage periods. Collector cars that sit for months at a time benefit from occasional movement or weight redistribution to avoid flat spotting.

If the Opel Olympia will remain parked for an extended season, check inflation regularly and consider supporting the car in a way that reduces continuous load on one contact patch. Storage habits matter just as much as mileage on collector tires, especially when the car is driven only occasionally.

Tires on an Opel Olympia should be inspected before every meaningful drive and more thoroughly several times during the year, even if mileage is low. Look for cracking, sidewall damage, tread separation signs, punctures, uneven wear, and air loss. On a collector car, age and storage conditions can matter more than tread depth.

A short pre-drive inspection is especially worthwhile because an Opel Olympia may spend long periods parked between outings. If the car uses bias-ply tires or tube-type service, add wheel, valve, and tube-related checks to the routine so small issues are found before they become road problems.

An Opel Olympia tire should be replaced when age, cracking, casing deterioration, vibration, repeated air loss, or other structural concerns appear, even if the tread still looks usable. Collector tires often age out before they wear out. That rule applies to both radial and bias-ply tires, because time and storage environment affect the internal structure as much as road mileage does.

If an Opel Olympia has sat for years or has unknown tire age, treat the set as something to evaluate closely before any serious driving. Replacement decisions should be guided by condition and service history rather than appearance alone, since an old collector tire can look presentable and still be unsuitable for road use.

Opel Olympia is represented here with both radial and bias-ply size pairings across its production years rather than a single universal original-tire specification. Early 1951 to 1952 cars use either 155R15 or 560-15, 1953 to 1959 cars use either 155R13 or 560-13, and 1960 to 1962 cars use either 165R13 or 590-13. The exact original delivery choice for a specific Opel Olympia can vary by year and market context.

For a restoration that aims at factory-level accuracy, use the year range as the first guide and then compare the car against marque literature, surviving originals, and restoration records. That approach will help determine whether your Opel Olympia should wear a numeric bias-ply presentation or a period radial equivalent.

Correct tire fitment can affect both the visual credibility and judging outcome of an Opel Olympia restoration. Wheel diameter, overall stance, sidewall treatment, and construction type all influence whether the car looks appropriate for its year. A 15-inch early car presented on later 13-inch fitment, or a bias-era look replaced by the wrong sidewall style, will usually be noticed immediately.

For value and show presentation, the tire should support the story the rest of the car is telling. If the Opel Olympia is being restored to factory character, align the size, rim diameter, construction, and sidewall style with the year group and verify finer points through marque clubs or period reference material.

Opel Olympia tires in this range are offered in blackwall, narrow whitewall, and wide whitewall styles, depending on size. The radial sizes listed here are blackwall, while the numeric bias-ply sizes introduce the whitewall choices. That means the sidewall style available to your Opel Olympia depends partly on whether you are restoring around radial or bias-ply construction.

A conservative restoration will often favor blackwall, especially where the goal is an understated European presentation. Whitewalls can still be the right visual choice for a period look on a bias-ply Opel Olympia, but the width of the stripe should be chosen carefully so the car’s appearance stays in scale with its compact body and era.

A properly selected, properly mounted, and well-maintained tire from the listed Opel Olympia sizes can be suitable for public-road use, but safety depends on the full condition of the tire, wheel, suspension, brakes, and steering system. Opel Olympia spans both radial and bias-ply choices, and each should be matched correctly to the car’s wheel diameter and intended use. A tire alone does not make an old car road-ready.

Before driving, treat the Opel Olympia as a complete mechanical system rather than a tire-only project. Even when the size is correct, an old wheel, weak brake system, or poor alignment can make the car feel unsafe, so road use should begin only after the whole chassis has been checked carefully.

Before driving an Opel Olympia, check cold tire pressure, visible sidewall condition, tread condition, wheel attachment, valve condition, and any sign of age cracking or air loss. Confirm that all four tires match in size and construction family, especially if the car has been assembled from mixed old parts. Also make sure the wheel diameter on the car matches the chosen tire size.

Beyond the tires, give the Opel Olympia a quick mechanical review that includes steering response, brake feel, and any unusual pull or vibration during the first slow miles. A cautious check at the start of each outing is worthwhile because collector cars often sit long enough for small problems to develop unnoticed.

Appropriate speed for an Opel Olympia on period-style tires should be governed by the tire construction, the age and condition of the set, and the overall condition of the car rather than by what the engine can do. A fresh, correctly fitted radial setup and a healthy chassis can support more relaxed modern traffic use than a bias-ply restoration set, but both require restraint and mechanical sympathy.

The sensible approach is to drive an Opel Olympia at moderate speeds that suit an older suspension, braking system, and steering design, then reduce speed further if the car is on bias-ply tires or has any age-related uncertainty. Stability, heat buildup, and driver confidence should set the pace, not theoretical top speed.