Guest u571 Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 I would like to upgrade the tires on my "63.The car came with stock 3/4 or 1 inch( I cant remember) whitewall korean hankook tires.I see there are are several choices out there with prices ranging from good to what seems like very expensive.Can anyone recomend a particular american,stock looking brand? These of course are radial tires so the look of the tread doesnt seem to be a negtative when I see them at car shows.There was a lot of controversy recently in one of the hemmings magazines and a lot of folks hate white walls.I remember as a kid in the 60's and early 70's thinking black walls made a car look cheap and I guess that stuck with me .A high end classic like a riviera looks natural with white walls like a '67 gto with redlines...but I digress.What would be a good source/brand for the $$? and would 2" whitewalls be a negative at a car show?...we aint talkin pebble beach here!ROA is a great club with some knowlegeable down to earth folks,glad to be a new member.Thanks,Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Cannon Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 the car had 1" WW from factory if WW was selected.I think the car looks good with 1" WW.it's your car, put on it what you like. I have see 4" WW on a '63 Riv. looked good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petelempert Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 This thread is very timely for me. I'm getting ready to replace the whitewalls on my 63. I too, think the whitewall looks best on the Riv. Coker and several other specialty tire vendors have a wide array of wall thicknesses. Those tires are very spendy though. I'd understand if they were speed rated racing tires, but no. Anyway, yesterday, I found a set of 235/70/15 Dunlop radials with a 1" whitewall for $108 per. This tire should fit the factory road wheels, but will look a little wider and not rub. Seems like the way to go. PRL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Cannon Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 who has these dunlop tires?Several years ago I got some radial tires from Coker that were 1.3 inch whitewall. A bit wider than stock but looks OK. No longer available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bb1970 Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 Just my 2 cents. But I think wide whites look terrible on a Riv. They belong on earlier era automobiles. 1" or less white walls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelman Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 I usually agree with bb1970, but whitewalls do look good on some cars. You have a 63, so most likely not road wheels. Here are a few examples. See which one you like best for your car. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petelempert Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 Jim-I meant to include in my post...I found them at Discount tires. The manager said he'd have to order them...but he could get them. They are Dunlop D65 (not sure what D65 stands for) Tour Elite 235/70/15 tires. Also, the $108 he quoted includes mount/balance on loose wheels that I'll bring in. Seems like a good deal to me. I'm really looking forward to getting them...I'm pretty sure my current tires are older than I am and they ride like they are made of wood. PRL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 Here's the original style. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest u571 Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 Thanks for the replies and the pics! I respect everyones opinions and am glad people take the time to respond.I'll be checking with discount tire soon.That price almost sounds too cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
64R Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 The ones on my 64 came with the car when I bought it, some really odd name that I never heard of, probably made in China? I like the look, about a 1 1/2" white wall. I just bought some American Classics made by Coker I assume for the Caddy last week, they're pricey (~$200) but the only other ones I could find were Firestone and they were another $50 a tire. The price you were quoted seems awfully cheap but then I'm in Canada so that may be the difference? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul K. Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 I just put a set of Kumho Solus Kr-21 white stripe radials on my 64 this week. The white stripe appears to be 3/4". This is my third set, the other two sets went on a 76 Rolls and a 78 Bentley. White stripe tires in the 225 and 235 widths especially are very hard to find as most are SUV tires. I agree with all the positive reviews you will find on the internet about the Kumhos I mentioned. And they are VERY quiet. Handling is crisp and a smooth ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest u571 Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 I have used kumhos on my last bmw 540i with good results for the money but for me,I just dont see korean brand names on a classic american car that is not a daily driver.If I can get the riv to the point that I feel it is worthy of showing at a respected,judged venue,I may need to source some bias ply tires.On another note,I recently saw a '84 rolls with gold line tires,avon I think...that was a first for me and I didnt like the look much but Im sure the owner loved em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul K. Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 I know what you are saying about the Korean label on a classic. I went through the same feeling when I put the Kumhos on my Bentley. But, on the car they look fine to me and it IS a driver as is my Riv. Nobody poo-poos them at local meets. As you mentioned, "we aint talkin Pebble Beach here." I don't show any of my cars for judging due to the politics which often cause too many "head scratching" moments. If you saw gold stripe tires on a Rolls, they were probably Vogue tires often seen on Cadillacs. The Kumhos I mentioned are recommended by R-R dealers as well as Vogues due to them having a white stripe and proper load rating. Avons which were OEM for many R-R and Bentley cars are a very poor and overpriced tire IMO and easily develop flat spots. Your dilemma is a common one and like most problems can be solved with money. You need one set of wheels and tires for SHOW and the other set for GO. Rivieras are cars that need and are loved to be driven. A lot of people I have met have two sets of wheels and tires to accommodate their needs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 A friend of mine recently put Kumhos on his '65 Riviera custom. Not because they were the correct whitewalls, but because they came in the staggers he wanted front to rear. He has nothing bad to say about them.Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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