Great day today...had the 56 out for the first time in a year and a half (added disc brakes and ABS hydro boost...long story on getting the brakes to work. A bible for another time). Well, finally found a chicago style dog in kansas city...crusing in the buick...best day in a long time. Then blew my front tire on the way back from work! Sweet! I need to know what radial sized tire is the stock replacement. I say this because the more I search the more the confusion builds...I have it as a 215 75/15. Now, do I blow some hard earned cash on whitewalls....or junk all blacks. If whitewalls, 2.5 or 2.75" wides? Jegs has Cokers for 189-218 a piece (ouch!). Talked with the whitewall wheel store (something like that..cant remember off hand) in Cali...recommended on the site. They have them for two hundred or so. I run steel wheels with hubcaps now....advice on size? (heard 225's rub). Thanks, I will check back in the AM! (going to look at the titanic-ed buick to see what happened...they were old and cracking..so it was a matter of time.
Its all in the look you want and what'll fit obviously..... 75 series will be a bit taller. Depending on how your wheel openings are on your Buick and if its lowered at all or not; the 70 series might have a gap between the body and tire which always looks off to me....
Just looked again at Coker and they recommend 215/75 15. Right now I have 70's and it is dropped two inches. I think you are right...75's to fill the wheel well. That is what I am going with. Summit Racing right now has the best pricing...217 for the 2.75 whitewall cokers. Man-hope they are worth it! Considering the mileage (lack there of) these tires should last longer than me.... I'll have to send pics once it is all wrapped up.
Just a word from experience here - on a heavy car such as your Buick, you might want to look at Diamond Back MX series Michelin based www radials. I have a set on a 4000 lb + car and they ride beautifully. I was not about to penny pinch when I live with the tire quality and comfort every time I drive it. Denise - HotRodLadyCruser runs them on Big Olds and swears by them and she certainly drives the wheels off that car. Diamond Back MX www.dbtires.com
Damn you for mentioning Chicago style dogs - now I'm hungry! I'm off to Chitown again in a couple of weeks - Vienna Beef dogs mmmm....
Vienna Beef is like gold in my house....had a case shipped to my freeze from my peeps back home. The best...knock down an italian beef or two for the other people that cannot have the true taste of chicago! FYI, I have the diamond back catalog at home...they seem like they would be the best quality out of all tires. I will have to get them to requote before I pull the trigger...thanks for reminding me! Appreciate the advise! that is why I love the HAMB!
I have a '55 Cadillac (go here: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=329070&highlight=the+best+55+caddy+build ) and run 225 75R15's...I also run 36 pounds of pressure in them. My Cadillac is a bit heavier, at 4680 pounds, than your Buick...and I run (for several years on a couple of different cars) and believe in Diamondback tires...they ride great, balance great and I've NEVER had a bit of problems with them (can't say the same for the two Cokers I've owned). Radials are great highway tires...IF that's what you like to do. R-
What are the issues with Cokers? Cheap construction or just poor craftsmenship on the whitewall application? I have heard 50/50 on the cokers to good reviews and bad.
The pair I had leaked at the bead, under the whitewall and the rim was not the problem (cuz I now have Diamondabacks on the same rim)...and they weren't exactly white all the time... R
This site may be helpfull to you to compare tires. You can enter tire size like 205-225 and 75-70-60. http://www.1010tires.com/tiresizecalculator.asp
I ran Goodyears from Kelsey Tire in Camdenton MO. They were great. Balanced great and ran true. John Kelsey is the owner and will treat you right. The big plus is he knows tire and wheel sizes. Toll free number is 1-800-325-0091. Later, Dick
damn i could go for 3 or 4 of the Red Hots better then steak guess it's my Chicago roots blowing a tire not fun i feel your pain been there done that
215/75r15 and 225/70r15 are very close to same height, but the 225 are wider. Most tire companies don't make wide whitewalls anymore, but they do still make the smaller white walls, which would save you alot of money but lose the large whitewall look, i sell Cooper Trendsetters for these type of tires
...diamond backs actually are priced right (not too crazy...but whitewalls are nuts on pricing)! Giving Kelsey a call...just three hours away, then DB. I feel my pocket book getting lighter.... I'll keep you all posted....
Talked with John Kelsey at Kelsey tires...what a nice guy. He deals with the Goodyear whitewalls. They are extremely nice and at the higher end of the cost per tire. Even though he is relatively local...I went with Diamond Back. Ended up talking with the owner also, and as you have it, a great guy too. Their pricing is way better than anyone else and I am getting a better tire than everyone else (except for maybe Mr Kelsey). I hate not to spend my money locally, but in this case I can have my tires shipped to my door, mounted, etc and still save money for a hot dog! The car just got more expensive, but it should look a little better...now people may not see the crack in my windshield so quickly! I will have them in time for Greaserama here in KC, so look out!
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