1955 Opel Tire Fitment Guide

1955 Opel vehicles use four sizes across three models. The Caravan & Wagon and Kapitan use either 175R13 radial or 640-13 bias-ply tires, while the Olympia uses either 155R13 radial or 560-13 bias-ply tires. Every size listed here mounts on a 13-inch rim. Where approved rim width information is available, 640-13 fits 4.00 to 4.50 inch rims, 155R13 fits 4.00 to 5.50 inch rims on the listed Michelin product, and 560-13 products span 3.50 to 4.50 inch rims depending on brand and sidewall version.

That means year and make alone are not enough for a final choice on a 1955 Opel. You need to identify the model first, then choose whether you want the original-style bias-ply option or the radial option offered for that model family. Before ordering, compare the actual wheel width on the car to the approved range for the tire you are considering, especially if the wheels may have been changed during past restoration work.

A 560-13 tire on a 1955 Opel is a numeric bias-ply size. The 560 identifies the tire's nominal width class in the older sizing system, and the 13 is the wheel diameter in inches. On the Olympia, this size appears as the bias-ply fitment and is offered in both narrow whitewall and wide whitewall forms, depending on the product. Listed examples carry a maximum load of 850 pounds at 30 psi and fit rim widths from 3.50 to 4.50 inches depending on the specific tire.

Numeric sizes like 560-13 are especially important on restoration-era cars because they communicate both the tire family and the period construction style. If your Olympia is being restored for an original look, this is the size format most buyers expect to see. If your goal is easier road use rather than period appearance, compare it with the Olympia's 155R13 radial option and make sure the wheel width suits the tire you choose.

A 155R13 or 175R13 tire on a 1955 Opel is a euro-metric radial size. The first number is the nominal section width in millimeters, the R identifies radial construction, and the 13 is the wheel diameter in inches. On 1955 Opel models, 155R13 applies to the Olympia and 175R13 applies to the larger Kapitan and Caravan & Wagon. In the listed Olympia products, H-rated examples are available, which means a 130 mph speed ceiling on those specific tires.

That size format matters because it usually points buyers toward a later-style radial solution rather than an original-looking bias-ply tire. The narrower 155R13 suits the smaller Olympia, while 175R13 belongs to the larger model family. If your Opel has replacement wheels or has been updated over the years, confirm both the wheel width and the sidewall marking on the specific tire instead of assuming that any 13-inch radial is interchangeable.

If your 1955 Opel is an Olympia, the choice between 560-13 and 155R13 is mostly a choice between bias-ply character and radial construction. The 560-13 is the period-style bias-ply size and is available with whitewall styling, while the 155R13 is the radial alternative and is offered in blackwall form from Michelin and Dunlop. The listed 155R13 products are H-rated, which gives them a 130 mph ceiling on paper, but that rating does not change the fact that the rest of the car is still a mid-1950s Opel.

Owners restoring for era-correct appearance usually lean toward 560-13, especially when whitewall styling is important to the finished look. Owners who plan to drive their Olympia more regularly often prefer the radial route because the construction itself changes how the car feels on the road. The better choice depends on your priorities, but the starting point is always making sure the tire matches the actual Olympia wheel width and the way the car will be used.

1955 Opel tire sidewall choices vary by size. The 155R13 radial products listed for the Olympia are blackwall tires, while the 560-13 and 640-13 bias-ply sizes appear in whitewall form, including narrow and wide whitewall versions depending on the exact tire. The 560-13 Olympia size has the broadest appearance range, with both narrow whitewall and wide whitewall offerings. The 640-13 size for Kapitan and Caravan & Wagon is represented by a wide whitewall bias-ply tire.

That gives buyers a meaningful visual choice, especially on a 1955 Opel being restored to period taste. Whitewalls generally align more naturally with a mid-1950s presentation, while blackwall radials suit a more understated driving-oriented approach. If appearance matters as much as fitment, compare sidewall style before choosing a product, because the same basic size family can change the entire stance and visual character of the car.

Four brands appear in the available 1955 Opel tire selection: BFGoodrich, Michelin, Dunlop, and Firestone. BFGoodrich covers both 640-13 and 560-13 bias-ply sizes, Firestone also appears in 560-13 bias-ply form, and Michelin and Dunlop are offered in the 155R13 radial size for the Olympia. Brand availability is tied to size, so not every maker appears across the full 1955 Opel range. The larger-model 175R13 radial size is part of the fitment range but has no listed product selection here.

For buyers, that means brand choice starts after model and size are settled. Once you know whether you need Olympia sizing or Kapitan/Caravan & Wagon sizing, the remaining decision is often about sidewall appearance and construction type rather than chasing a single brand across every fitment. It is also worth checking the exact sidewall markings within a brand line, since tube notation, load details, and approved rim widths may differ from one product to another.

Rim width requirements for 1955 Opel tires depend on the size and the specific product. The listed 640-13 bias-ply tire fits 4.00 to 4.50 inch rims. The listed Michelin 155R13 radial fits 4.00 to 5.50 inch rims. The 560-13 bias-ply products span 3.50 to 4.50 inches, with some versions fitting 3.50 to 4.00 inch rims and others fitting 4.00 to 4.50 inch rims. All of these tires use a 13-inch wheel diameter, but width approval is not the same from one tire to the next.

That distinction matters on a restored Opel because wheel swaps and repainting often hide the actual wheel specification. A 13-inch diameter alone does not guarantee that every tire option is equally suitable. Before making a final selection, measure the wheel or confirm its stamped width if possible, then compare that number with the approved range for the exact tire you want rather than relying on the model year alone.

Inner-tube requirements for 1955 Opel tires depend on the size and the exact product. The listed 155R13 Michelin radial is marked TL, which indicates a tubeless tire, while the other listed 155R13 radial is not marked the same way, so tube status varies by product in that size. The bias-ply sizes shown here do not carry a clear tube marker in the same format, so buyers should verify the sidewall marking and wheel type on the actual tire they select. Mid-1950s wheel design also plays a role in whether a tubeless tire can be used as intended.

The practical approach is to treat tube use as a setup decision, not a blanket rule for every 1955 Opel tire. Check whether the wheel itself is appropriate for tubeless service, inspect the condition of the bead seat, and match that with the tire's sidewall marking. If you are keeping original wheels on a collector car, a marque specialist or experienced vintage-tire installer can help confirm whether tube use is advisable for your exact combination.

For each 1955 Opel model family, the bias-ply and radial options share the same 13-inch wheel diameter. That means an Olympia's 560-13 and 155R13 are both built around 13-inch rims, and the Kapitan or Caravan & Wagon's 640-13 and 175R13 are as well. Rim diameter compatibility is the easy part. The more important detail is wheel width, because approved ranges differ by size and sometimes by brand within the same size family.

In practice, many original wheels can remain in service when switching between the two size types for a given model family, but only after width is confirmed against the exact tire. This is especially important if the car has replacement wheels, repaired rims, or accessories added during an older restoration. Keep the conversation focused on the actual wheel on the car, not just what should have been there from the factory.

A stored 1955 Opel should be kept away from direct sunlight, electric motors, welders, battery chargers, and other ozone-producing sources that accelerate sidewall aging. Clean, dry floors and a stable indoor climate help preserve both bias-ply and radial tires. Bias-ply tires on a car like a 1955 Opel are more prone to flat-spotting during long static storage, so occasional rolling or weight relief can be helpful if the car will sit for extended periods.

Good storage practice preserves appearance as much as service life. Keep the tires properly inflated, move the car periodically if possible, and use stands carefully if the vehicle will be off the ground for a long time. On a collector car that only sees occasional outings, storage conditions often affect tire aging more than mileage does, especially when the car is parked for months at a time between drives.

Tires on a 1955 Opel should be judged more by age than by tread wear. A collector vehicle may cover very few miles, but the rubber still ages from time, temperature cycles, sunlight, and storage conditions. A sensible rule is to begin close inspection once tires reach the five-to-seven-year range and to treat around ten years as a point where replacement deserves serious consideration, even if the tread still looks usable. The DOT date code on the tire sidewall is the usual starting point for determining age on modern production tires.

That age-based approach is especially important on lightly used postwar cars because visual appearance can be misleading. Whitewalls may still look attractive and tread blocks may remain deep, yet the structure can still be older than you want for regular road use. If the age is advancing and the car is expected to do more than local show-field duty, replacement becomes a maintenance decision rather than a mileage decision.

Tires on a 1955 Opel should be inspected before every drive and more thoroughly before any longer outing. Look for sidewall cracking, cuts, bulges, uneven tread wear, objects in the tread, and signs of pressure loss. Because some 1955 Opel tire setups may involve tube-type or tube-compatible considerations, valve stems and any signs of slow leakage deserve close attention as well. A spare tire should also be checked, since it is often the oldest tire on the car.

Routine inspection is one of the simplest ways to make an occasional-use collector car more dependable. A quick walkaround before a short local drive can catch obvious issues, while a deeper check before a tour or club event helps prevent small defects from becoming roadside problems. On an older Opel, tire condition should always be reviewed alongside brakes, steering, and wheel-bearing condition as part of normal pre-drive preparation.

A 1955 Opel Olympia would have been a bias-ply car when new, which matches normal passenger-car practice for the period. Within the sizes covered here, 560-13 is the Olympia's bias-ply fitment, while 155R13 is the radial alternative available to today's buyer. Original-equipment branding could vary by market and supply, so the safest historical conclusion is to focus first on the correct size family, construction type, and sidewall treatment rather than assuming one universal original brand for every Olympia sold.

For a restoration, that usually means beginning with 560-13 and then choosing the sidewall style that best matches the car's intended presentation. If the car will be judged, local marque clubs and period sales literature can help confirm market-specific expectations. That extra step matters because European cars from the 1950s often varied by destination market, and judges may care more about construction and appearance than a specific reproduction brand name.

Correct tire fitment matters on a 1955 Opel because show judging often considers size, construction type, and sidewall appearance as part of the car's overall authenticity. On a mid-1950s Opel, a bias-ply tire in the correct size family generally aligns more closely with original presentation than a modern-looking radial. Sidewall style matters too, since a blackwall radial and a whitewall bias-ply create very different visual impressions even when both mount on 13-inch wheels.

What counts as correct can vary by event, class, and how strictly originality is judged. A local driver-class car may have far more flexibility than a concours restoration. If showing is part of your plan, review the event's standards before choosing between the Olympia's 560-13 and 155R13 or the Kapitan family's 640-13 and 175R13, and compare your decision against period photos or marque-club guidance.

Within the 560-13 size for the 1955 Opel Olympia, BFGoodrich and Firestone share the same basic bias-ply construction and listed maximum load of 850 pounds at 30 psi, but they differ in presentation and approved rim widths. BFGoodrich appears in both 1.00-inch narrow whitewall and 2.25-inch wide whitewall versions with a 3.50 to 4.00 inch rim range, while the Firestone 2.25-inch wide whitewall is approved for 4.00 to 4.50 inch rims. All of them remain true to the older numeric bias-ply format.

That means the choice is not only about brand preference. On an Olympia, wheel width and sidewall appearance may decide the issue before anything else. A narrower original wheel may steer you toward one of the BFGoodrich versions, while a slightly wider 13-inch wheel may make the Firestone a more natural fit. If the car is being restored to a specific visual theme, the whitewall width can also change the finished look in a noticeable way.

1955 Opel tires can be suitable for highway driving when they are correctly sized, in good condition, properly inflated, and used within the limits of their construction and speed rating. The listed 155R13 radial options for the Olympia carry H ratings, which correspond to a 130 mph ceiling on those tires. The bias-ply sizes shown here do not list modern speed symbols in the same way. On a mid-1950s Opel, the car's braking, steering, suspension, and overall mechanical condition are often more relevant than the tire's theoretical top-speed rating during normal highway use.

The practical takeaway is to think in terms of the whole vehicle, not just the tire catalog. A freshly inspected radial may be the easier choice for regular road miles, while a bias-ply tire may be entirely appropriate for moderate-speed touring on a carefully maintained car. If highway use is part of the plan, inspect the tires closely, verify age, and make sure the rest of the car is equally prepared for sustained driving.

Inflation pressure on a 1955 Opel should start with the vehicle manufacturer's recommendation for the model and then be checked against the tire maker's rated pressure for the exact tire size and construction. Among the listed products, 640-13 is rated at 1045 pounds at 32 psi, while 560-13 products are rated at 850 pounds at 30 psi. Those figures describe the tire's load-and-pressure relationship; they are not a blanket instruction to run every 1955 Opel tire at the same pressure. The 155R13 radial products shown here do not present the same pressure figure in the listing.

That distinction matters because transferring one pressure number from one size to another can change ride, wear, and handling in ways you do not want. Use the car's handbook or marque reference for the baseline setting, then confirm it against the specific tire's own sidewall and manufacturer guidance. Pressures should also be checked cold, since a collector Opel may sit long enough between drives for pressure loss to become significant.

Before a longer drive in a 1955 Opel, inspect each tire for cracks, cuts, bulges, uneven wear, embedded debris, and signs of air loss. Check cold inflation pressure, verify that valve stems are in good condition, and examine the spare as well as the four road tires. If your setup involves a tube-type or tube-compatible tire and wheel combination, pay extra attention to any history of slow leakage. Tire age should also be part of the review, not just tread depth or appearance.

A longer trip in a 1955 Opel also deserves a broader mechanical once-over. Brakes, steering, cooling system, wheel bearings, and lights should be checked with the same seriousness as the tires, because all of those systems share the load on an older car. Treat the tires as one part of a full pre-drive inspection and you will have a much better sense of whether the car is ready for sustained road use.