1956 Metropolitan Tire Fitment Guide

1956 Metropolitan vehicles use two tire sizes: 520-13 and 560-13. Both sizes apply to the Metropolitan 1500, and both are bias-ply tires built for 13-inch wheels. Rim width guidance in the available products centers around 3.5 inches for some 520-13 applications, 3.50 to 4.00 inches for 520-13 and 560-13 options, and 4.00 to 4.50 inches for one 560-13 option.

That means year and make alone are enough to narrow the field, but you still need to confirm which of the two sizes is actually on your car or best suits the wheel you are using. Since both sizes share the same wheel diameter, the next step is checking the mounted wheel width and deciding how important sidewall appearance is to your restoration or driver-grade presentation.

On a 1956 Metropolitan tire, 520-13 is a numeric bias-ply size. The 5.20 portion is the nominal section width in inches, written without a decimal point in modern shorthand, and the 13 identifies the wheel diameter in inches. It is not a radial metric size, so it should be read in the older bias-ply sizing system common to small mid-1950s cars.

That decoding matters because a 520-13 should be compared to other numeric bias-ply sizes, not to modern P-metric sizes with a different construction and measuring convention. If your Metropolitan is wearing a narrow, original-looking tire and you want to stay close to that visual character, 520-13 is the size code to confirm first before moving on to sidewall style and brand.

On a 1956 Metropolitan tire, 560-13 is also a numeric bias-ply size. The 5.60 portion indicates the nominal section width, and the 13 is the wheel diameter in inches. Some products show the size as 560-13S, where the S indicates a speed rating with a 112 mph ceiling for that specific product rather than changing the basic size itself.

The practical point is that 560-13 belongs to the same vintage sizing family as 520-13, but it is the larger of the two listed sizes for 1956 Metropolitan use. If you are comparing products in this size, look closely at the full sidewall marking because whitewall width and speed-letter marking can differ between one 560-13 product and another.

Both 520-13 and 560-13 are valid bias-ply sizes for the 1956 Metropolitan 1500, so the choice is between two period-style fitments rather than between bias-ply and radial construction. The 520-13 range includes blackwall and narrow whitewall options from Firestone and Premium Sport, while 560-13 adds narrow whitewall and wide whitewall choices from BFGoodrich and Firestone.

Most owners should make that decision by starting with the size already fitted to the car, then comparing wheel width and the overall look they want. A Metropolitan restored with a modest small-car appearance may point you toward 520-13, while a car where whitewall presence is part of the visual goal may lead you toward 560-13 and its broader whitewall selection.

1956 Metropolitan tires are available in blackwall, narrow whitewall, and wide whitewall styles. In 520-13, the choices include a blackwall Firestone and narrow whitewall Premium Sport options. In 560-13, the selection includes a narrow whitewall BFGoodrich and wide whitewall versions from BFGoodrich and Firestone.

That variety gives Metropolitan owners room to tune the car’s appearance without leaving the correct 13-inch bias-ply family. For a more restrained, economy-car look, blackwall or a smaller whitewall usually feels most natural. If your goal is a brighter mid-1950s presentation, especially on a two-tone car, the wider whitewall 560-13 choices will usually be the more visually expressive route.

Three brands appear in 1956 Metropolitan tire offerings: Firestone, Premium Sport, and BFGoodrich. Firestone appears in both 520-13 and 560-13, Premium Sport appears in 520-13, and BFGoodrich appears in 560-13. All of the listed products are bias-ply, so brand choice here is less about switching construction type and more about size availability and sidewall presentation.

That means your preferred brand may be tied to the exact size and look you want rather than the year and make alone. If you want a blackwall in 520-13, the available path differs from someone pursuing a wide whitewall 560-13. Once you narrow the size, compare the brand options in that size with attention to sidewall style, wheel-width compatibility, and any speed-letter marking shown on the tire.

The listed 1956 Metropolitan tires all mount on 13-inch wheels, but rim width guidance varies by product and size. One 520-13 product is shown for a 3.5-inch rim, while another 520-13 spans 3.50 to 4.00 inches. In 560-13, BFGoodrich products are listed for 3.50 to 4.00 inches, while one Firestone 560-13 is listed for 4.00 to 4.50 inches.

That range is why wheel width should be checked before settling on a product, even when the size itself is correct for a 1956 Metropolitan. Two tires with the same nominal size can carry different wheel-width recommendations by brand or series. The safest approach is to confirm the actual wheel on the car, then match it to the individual tire’s approved rim-width range.

The available 1956 Metropolitan product markings do not show TT or TL designations, so the practical decision should be made at the specific tire-and-wheel level rather than by assuming every 520-13 or 560-13 is the same. All of the listed products are bias-ply, and many vintage wheel applications can involve tube use depending on wheel design, condition, and the tire chosen.

A Metropolitan owner should inspect the wheel type, verify whether the wheel is suitable for tubeless service, and then match that to the exact tire being considered. If the car retains original-style wheels, this is a good place to involve a knowledgeable vintage tire installer. Treat tube fitment as a confirmation step during setup, not as something to guess from the size code alone.

Both listed 1956 Metropolitan tire sizes use a 13-inch wheel diameter, so original 13-inch wheels can often remain part of the equation with either 520-13 or 560-13. Diameter compatibility is the shared constant here. The limiting factor is wheel width, because the product range spans from 3.5 inches up to 4.50 inches depending on the exact tire.

That means a stock wheel may accept both sizes in principle, but the exact tire choice still needs to be checked against the wheel you have in hand. If your Metropolitan is on original wheels, verify their width before changing from one size family to the other. If the wheels have been replaced at some point, that width confirmation becomes even more important.

A stored 1956 Metropolitan should be kept in a cool, dry, dark space away from direct sunlight, electric motors, welders, battery chargers, and other ozone-producing equipment that can age rubber. Because the available tires are bias-ply, they are more prone to flat-spotting during long static periods than a modern radial would be. Clean, dry floors and correct inflation also help reduce casing stress during storage.

Owners who store a Metropolitan for extended periods should either move the car periodically or support it in a way that reduces long-term load on one contact patch. Tire covers are helpful if the car sits where light exposure is unavoidable. Before returning the car to regular use, let the tires come back to normal shape and recheck pressure rather than driving off immediately after a long layup.

Tire life on a 1956 Metropolitan is usually governed more by age than by mileage, because collector cars often see limited annual use. A sensible rule is to begin evaluating tires closely once they are around five to seven years old and to treat roughly ten years as the point where replacement deserves serious consideration regardless of remaining tread. The DOT date code on the tire helps establish age.

That approach is especially important on a small 1950s car that may look lightly used but still be running on old rubber. Even if tread depth appears generous, rubber hardening, cracking, and internal aging can make an older bias-ply tire a poor companion for regular road use. Calendar age, storage history, and visible condition matter more than low odometer mileage.

Tires on a 1956 Metropolitan should be inspected before every drive and again before any longer outing. Look for sidewall cracking, tread separation, bulges, embedded debris, uneven wear, and signs that a tire is losing pressure between drives. Since vintage wheel-and-valve arrangements can be part of the system, valve stems deserve the same close look as the tires themselves.

Frequent inspection matters because collector cars often sit for stretches and then return to use with little warning. A quick walk-around catches aging or damage before it turns into a roadside problem. If the car has been stored, include the spare in the inspection routine, since an old spare that still holds air can still be too aged to trust when you actually need it.

A 1956 Metropolitan 1500 would have been a bias-ply tire car when new, which aligns with the available 520-13 and 560-13 offerings for this year and make. That construction type is the key historical point to preserve if authenticity matters. The exact size fitted to an individual car can depend on how the vehicle was equipped over time, so the size currently on the car and period literature are both worth checking.

For a restoration-minded owner, staying in the correct numeric bias-ply family is more important than chasing a modern equivalent that changes the car’s stance and period feel. Sidewall treatment also affects authenticity, especially on a style-conscious 1950s compact. If you are preparing for judged competition, a Metropolitan club or marque specialist can help confirm the most appropriate size and whitewall treatment for your car’s presentation.

Correct tire fitment absolutely matters when showing a 1956 Metropolitan, especially in events where overall authenticity is part of judging. Size, construction type, and sidewall style all influence how right the car looks for its era. A modern-looking tire or an overly aggressive sidewall treatment can stand out quickly on a compact car whose proportions make the wheel-and-tire package especially visible.

That does not mean every show has the same standard, but it does mean tire choice should be deliberate rather than treated as a finishing detail. Owners aiming for a factory-flavored presentation usually benefit from staying with a numeric bias-ply size and choosing a sidewall style that suits the car’s original character. Event-specific judging rules are best confirmed with the sponsoring club before final detailing.

Within 560-13 for the 1956 Metropolitan, BFGoodrich appears in both 1.00-inch whitewall and 2.25-inch whitewall versions marked 560-13S, each rated at 850 pounds at 30 psi and listed for 3.50 to 4.00-inch rims. Firestone appears as a 2.25-inch whitewall 560-13, also rated at 850 pounds at 30 psi, but listed for 4.00 to 4.50-inch rims. All are bias-ply tires weighing 17 pounds in the available listings.

The meaningful differences are sidewall presentation, speed-letter marking, and wheel-width compatibility rather than a major change in basic capacity. If your Metropolitan is on a narrower wheel, the BFGoodrich range may align more naturally with that setup. If your wheel is wider and you want a 2.25-inch whitewall, the Firestone option becomes especially relevant.

1956 Metropolitan tires can be suitable for highway driving when they are the correct size, in sound condition, properly inflated, and matched to a healthy wheel. The available fitments are all bias-ply, and at least some 560-13 products carry an S speed rating, which corresponds to a 112 mph ceiling. In normal real-world use, the Metropolitan’s own 1950s-era braking, suspension, and overall vehicle dynamics are usually a more immediate practical limit than the tire’s maximum rated speed.

Safety on the highway comes down to condition and realistic use, not simply whether a tire is old-style construction. A fresh, properly fitted bias-ply tire can serve well on a collector car driven within sensible limits. Before any sustained highway trip, make sure the tires are free of age cracking, have stable pressure, and are paired with a car that has been fully checked beyond the tires alone.

Pressure should be chosen by the exact tire on your 1956 Metropolitan, not transferred loosely from one size to another. Among the listed products, one 520-13 is rated at 770 pounds at 32 psi, another 520-13 at 1100 pounds at 60 psi, and multiple 560-13 products at 850 pounds at 30 psi. Those are tire rating figures, not automatic running-pressure instructions for every Metropolitan.

Use the vehicle’s original handbook or factory guidance for the car’s recommended operating pressure, then compare that with the specific tire manufacturer’s limits and application guidance. Reproduction and specialty tires can have very different maximum-pressure markings even in the same nominal size. The important point is to set pressure intentionally by tire and vehicle, not by copying a number from a different product.

Before a longer drive in a 1956 Metropolitan, inspect each tire for sidewall cracking, cuts, bulges, uneven wear, and foreign objects, then verify cold inflation pressure and make sure the car is holding pressure evenly from corner to corner. Check the valve stems, confirm the spare is serviceable, and look over the wheel condition at the same time. On a bias-ply-equipped car, pay attention to any vibration or shape change after storage.

A longer outing in a 1950s compact asks for a whole-car inspection, and the tires are only one part of that routine. Brakes, steering play, fluid levels, cooling condition, and lighting deserve the same level of attention. If the Metropolitan has been sitting, a short local shakedown before a full-distance trip is often the smartest way to confirm that both the tires and the rest of the car are ready.