Spare Tire
For the 1974 Vw Van
these pictures show the inflatable tire, and accesory compressor.. I have included a scan of the Vw Camper Manual page.....and at the bottom there is a picture of a homemade donut spare that I made.

Installing the inflatable / collapsable spare , I wouldn't drive far on this tire,, as it is almost 30 years old..and who knows how rotten!  It would be my day, if I had a flat, installed this special tire, and had it self destruct as well!
You have to be careful with the stock jack also,, most jack points will collapse due to rust, and you can see even a good jack point has a tendency to lean the jack and twist ,,,, use wheel chocks!
 
 

Starting to inflate the tire,, I have to plug in the air compressor yet!
 

Blown up... way bigger tire,,, it is actually taller than the tires I took off
 

The picture below is the spare without air,, completely folded up , just out of stowage.


 

The next picture shows the tire with a slight bit of air inflation.


 

More air,, and the rim starts to rise off the ground.

This is the fun part,, as the rim really rises off the ground as the tire unfolds itself

Below , it is almost fully inflated, and the rim starts to sink back to the center of the tire

Fully Inflated photo is at the top of the page.......

Below is a home modified spare,,,

Here is a chrysler? donut that I drilled new holes in for the Vw Pattern,, I don't recommend this,,, I live on the edge of life, If it falls of and flys down the road and kills someone, you'd be sorry!
 

Here is a close up of the rim center on the front axle ,, the original holes are chrysler I think,, and I drilled holes in between them,, I don't plan on ever using this rim... if I have an opportunity to have a flat.. I won't drive very fast ,, or very far! This wheel is easy to store, and I plan to make a cradle to hang it under the belly of the Camper