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66 Tires

Started by Rob Gerace #16100, May 08, 2005, 12:33:38 AM

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Rob Gerace #16100

Hi everyone,
   Yes, the time has come for when the tires on my 66 SDV are 10 years old.  So, Im looking at getting some replacements this summer.  

It currently has size P235/75R15 tires on it right now, which is what most people who own these cars uses.  Anyway, it is obvious that the front tires have been rubbing the frame during sharp turns.  Is there any other suitable-sized tires that will not do this?  Or is this just something that people live with?  Is buying bias-ply tires the only solution for getting rid of the rubbing?

Let me know what you guys/girls think.  Also, is there anyone who makes a radial tire with the original-style triple ring white wall?  

Thanks for your advice.

Rob

Doug Houston

I think that you can go a size lower on the size (230-75R15). I have the same problem on my 96 Buick Roadmaster wagon, and for now, Ill just grit my teeth and bear it.

Im inclined to doubt if you can get the original style triple stripe whitewalls in radial, even with the many designs available. I never had radial tires on the 66 I had. I used regular bias ply tires, with the single wide stripe, The three stripe models disappeared quickly.

Garnted, it would be nice to have all of those options available, but the tire designs were so proliphic in those days, your second set of tires could never match the first set and, worse yet, if you lost a tire from damage or whatever, you couldnt match it a year later.

Bob Hoffmann CLC#96b

Rob, Diamond Back will make any whitewall design you want in a radial. 888 922-1642 Bob

Mike #19861



 The P235 75R15 tires are the correct replacement size for your car. The rubbing is a result of the tire width being wider than that of the originals. Todays tires are typically wider for a given size than the originals.

 Tire widths can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, even when the sizes remain the same. You can look around at differant brands and look for the narrower types.

 The tires on my 70 Fleetwood are made by Hercules and I do not have this problem. The frames between your car and mine are virtually identical.

 At one time I did have Good Year Custom Polysteels on the car, and they were wider than the Hercules, and they did rub.

  Mike

Rob Gerace #16100

Doug, Bob and Mike,
  Thanks for all the suggestions.  I think my best option for now is to go with a standard white wall radial 235/75R15 tire, due to my financial life at the moment.  Ill just have to research which tires would run on the narrow side.  

Youre definitely right about tire size varying from brand to brand.  At the shop I work at, you can put two tires of the same size, but different brand, next to eachother, and they sometimes are noticeably different than each other.  

I did consider buying original-style bias ply tires.  But, I figured that they probably wouldnt be the best option, because theyd be expensive, wear quicker, and perform worse.  I kind of like the look and originality of the bias tires.  But, I dont think that would outweigh everything else.  What do you all think?  

Thanks again for the advice.

Rob

Rich Sullivan CLC #11473

You may want to consider the Broadway Classics radial tires. I have them on my 71 Eldorado and they have a single, wider band, white sidewall, similar to what was standard on Cadillacs beginning in 1975. The performance has been very good, they are reasonably priced, and look very sharp. I think the steel belted radials are acceptable on a 1966 Sedan deVille because for me, they are still period correct--meaning that many original owners replaced their bias tires with Steel Belted Radials as they gained widespread use (around 1970, 1971). They were a logical replacement tire, and I find them to enhance the ride and handling of these cars.

Louis Johnson - CLC #20579

I have just purchased a set of Broadway Classics for my 69 Cadillac convertible.  Price is right and the tires look wonderful on my car. Tire dealers sell them local and there are dealers listed on the web site. They are Steel Belted and ride great.

http://www.tbcprivatebrands.com/cordovan/viewline.asp?id=21 TARGET=_blank>http://www.tbcprivatebrands.com/cordovan/viewline.asp?id=21

The white wall is 1.3 wide and they are available in several sizes and I am sure you can find one that will work for you.

Rob Gerace #16100

Those tires look pretty nice, so their definitely worth a look.  I bought my car with tires that had a similar white wall to those.  It looked really nice like that.  

Do you guys know if there is an online supplier for Broadway Classics?  I can mount and balance for free at the shop that I work part-time at.  So, Id rather just order them if thats possible.  Ill keep looking, but please let me know if you know of an online source.  

Thanks to both of you for the recommendation.

Rob
66 SDV