Oldtimer · Spartan · Cold

Setting cold tyres on a Oldtimer Spartan

Drivetrain: front-wheel drive
Body: passenger car
PSI F / R: 32-35 / 32-35
Bar F / R: 2.2-2.4 / 2.2-2.4

psi

34 / 34

Catalogue mid-points, front / rear · 2.2-2.4 / 2.2-2.4 bar

32-35 psi F · 32-35 psi R · 2.2-2.4 / 2.2-2.4 bar · 231/231 kPa

UK winter mornings will show a lower gauge on this Spartan without a puncture. Set 34/34 psi at ~20 °C equivalent, not after a motorway blast. Under-inflation cooks the shoulders of a Spartan; over-inflation wears the centre rib and bangs every cat’s eye.

Temperature and a cold gauge

Roughly 1 psi per 5–6 °C. The table uses 34 psi as a 20 °C baseline for this Spartan.

Ambient	Gauge (front mid)	Bar	kPa	Note
−5 °C (hard frost)	31 psi	2.14 bar	214 kPa	Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
0 °C	32 psi	2.21 bar	221 kPa	Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
8 °C (UK winter morning)	33 psi	2.28 bar	228 kPa	Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
20 °C (set cold here)	34 psi	2.34 bar	234 kPa	Baseline
30 °C	36 psi	2.48 bar	248 kPa	Do not bleed a hot tyre
38 °C (heatwave tarmac)	37 psi	2.55 bar	255 kPa	Do not bleed a hot tyre

How to set the Spartan

Park the Oldtimer Spartan for at least three hours (cold tyres).
Use a calibrated gauge, not the only meter on a forecourt hose.
Set the placard for that axle — about 32-35 psi / 2.2-2.4 bar front and 32-35 psi / 2.2-2.4 bar rear on this catalogue row.
Recheck all four. A 2 psi miss on a front-wheel drive Spartan is enough to feel a pull.
Refit valve caps and reset TPMS if the handbook asks for a relearn.

Oldtimer Spartan placard versus sidewall

If the Oldtimer sticker is painted over, the handbook is next. This website is a map, not a replacement VIN label.

Estimated pressure by tyre size (225/50R17 and others)

225/50R17 is the first planning size here. 225/45R17 is usually the plus-size or LT step. Keep load index at or above original equipment.

Tyre size	Front PSI	Rear PSI	Front bar	Rear bar	Front kPa	Rear kPa	Note
225/50R17	35	35	2.41	2.41	241	241	Touring 17-inch
215/55R16	34	35	2.34	2.41	234	241	Slightly wider 16-inch
225/45R17	35	35	2.41	2.41	241	241	Sport 17-inch
205/60R16	34	34	2.34	2.34	234	234	Taller 16-inch
245/40R18	36	36	2.48	2.48	248	248	Wide touring 18-inch
225/40R18	36	36	2.48	2.48	248	248	Low-profile 18-inch
195/65R15	34	34	2.34	2.34	234	234	Very common compact
205/55R16	34	34	2.34	2.34	234	234	Typical mid-compact OEM

PSI, bar and kPa

PSI-led conversions for the Oldtimer Spartan band (32-35 / 32-35).

PSI	Bar	kPa
30	2.07	207
32	2.21	221
33	2.28	228
33.5	2.31	231
35	2.41	241
36	2.48	248
38	2.62	262
40	2.76	276
44	3.03	303
50	3.45	345
60	4.14	414

Load notes

Load moves the rear of a passenger car first. If the factory placard already has a “laden” column, use that instead of these sketches.

Condition	Front (est.)	Rear (est.)
Driver only	34 psi / 2.34 bar	34 psi / 2.34 bar
Full occupancy	34 psi / 2.34 bar	35 psi / 2.41 bar
Motorway + luggage	35 psi / 2.41 bar	36 psi / 2.48 bar

Oldtimer notes

No special Oldtimer exception: the Spartan uses the door-pillar placard. Size estimates on this page only help if you have left the original load index behind.

Spare and inflator kit

A matching full-size spare on the Oldtimer Spartan usually follows the higher axle (often the rear, near 32-35 psi). A space-saver is commonly 60 psi / 4.1 bar — read that tyre’s own sidewall. An inflator kit is not a spare; check the sealant date.

If the Oldtimer sticker and this page disagree, the sticker wins.

Other Oldtimer models

Barkas Autobianchi Alvis Amphicar Adler AMC Abarth American

Questions about this Spartan

Front versus rear on the Oldtimer Spartan?

This row is 32-35 F / 32-35 R. Even when they match, a laden rear can justify a higher number if the sticker prints one.

Is the sidewall number correct on a Oldtimer Spartan?

No. Sidewall PSI is a maximum. The Spartan placard is the operating target, near 32-35/32-35 psi.

What tyre pressure should a Oldtimer Spartan use?

Catalogue reference is 32-35 psi front and 32-35 psi rear (2.2-2.4 / 2.2-2.4 bar), cold. Confirm on the door-pillar placard.

How often should I check a Spartan?

Monthly, before a long trip, and after a 10 °C weather swing. Include a full-size spare.

What PSI if I plus-size toward 225/45R17?

Keep load index at or above OEM. Low-profile sizes usually stay at or slightly above the placard. Use 225/50R17, 215/55R16 and 225/45R17 as a planning band.

Handbook: placard · bar vs PSI · front vs rear · cold inflation