new tires for 1936 model 40

[rlcokc 8]

Getting ready to purchase new tires for the 36 model 40. Has sidemounts so I'll be purchasing 6 tires 6.5 x 16. Been to Lucas, Diamond Back, Universal/Coker and not sure what I should purchase. Do want whitewall 3.5-4 inches but don't know what looks best---would like most original look. Any help/suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks

Rod

[Jeff_Miller 0]

I put diamond back on my '36 series 40 and I love them. The radial took out a lot of wandering and I think the wide whites with the applied edge looks really good although I'm not sure it is all that original looking.

[packick 81]

Jeff: What size radials translate to the original 6.50x16 tires?

[mclbuick2002 0]

Diamond Back sold me 4 tires for my 1936-40 they claimed were equivalent to 6.50x16 tires. They have a tread width of 7" . They rub fenders on turns and the glued on whitewalls started to come off after 3 or 4 years and about 5000 miles. I just bought 4 Coker tires that are stamped 6.50x16 tires for my 1935-40 series. They have 5 1/2" tread , do not rub fenders and whitewalls are not glued on. If you buy Diamond Back you had better measure tread width to ensure they will fit.

[rlcokc 8]

Contacted Diamond Back and advised that 225/75R16 is modern translation of tire but with a cross section of 8.7 inches. Since I have sidemount spares which I intend to replace this would eliminate those tires as width would be too great to fit. Thanks for replies--additional comments/suggestions welcome.

Rod

[egor 1]

Lots of modern tires (and all radials) are wider than the original 6.50-16's, and you'll have trouble fitting them in your sidemount covers. Some owners have resorted to deflating the tires in the sidemounts, and throwing an inflated tire (or an inflater) in the trunk. Just something to consider. If you do decide to go the radial route, 225/75R-16 are pretty much a match for 6.50-16's. I've got 215/85R-16's on my 38-41 that were put on by the previous owner. That's the metric equivalent of a 7.00-16. They look cool and drop the engine rpm's a bit, but they do rub on the fenders in tight turns. Sounds like that's what Diamondback sold mclbuick2002. I like the look of the Goodyear bias-ply repro's out there, but I can't (yet) justify the worse handling, price, and inner tubes I'd have to deal with if I changed over.

[Jeff_Miller 0]

Hmm... its been 4 years for me and luckily no delamination issues for me. My tires also do not rub but I do know that they are wider than the 6.5x16's that were on the car originally.

Unfortunately I can not locate the invoice for the tires and there doesn't seem to be any markings on the tires to indicate their size so I can't tell you exactly what they were. I do remember being concerned about the 225 size and I believe I got something with a lower number but I know it wasn't an 85 profile. Sorry, I wish I could be more help.

Jeff

[mclbuick2002 0]

The P225/75R16 Diamond back radials on my 1936 are not a match for 650-16s . They are nearly 2 " wider. The 650-16 Coker radials are the same width and look identical to the 650-16s bias ply tires I took off the 36. They fit in wheel wells when inflated. Diamond back radials look like sidewalls are glued on which they are. I was happy enough with the Diamond Back look and especially ride except on corners or with passengers until the joints became visible and sidewalls started to separate as much as 1" from tread side of tire. When I bought the Diamond back tires they were the only supplier of 16"WW radials I could find.

[FLYER15015 782]

Getting ready to purchase new tires for the 36 model 40. Has sidemounts so I'll be purchasing 6 tires 6.5 x 16. Been to Lucas, Diamond Back, Universal/Coker and not sure what I should purchase. Do want whitewall 3.5-4 inches but don't know what looks best---would like most original look. Any help/suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks

Rod

F.Y.I

I'm running MARTIN B-16's on my '40 buick LTD. They are a 5 ply nylon tire, with a great big white wall, and a linear tread. Size stated as "700-16". They thump a bit if you let the car sit a lot, but i keep her up on blocks when stored.

Mike in colorado

:)

[Terry Stock 14]

See my earlier posting on another thread. We run 650x16 Bridgestone Light Truck on our 1939 Special. Profile is not out of character and looks the part; and gives you a modern ride. If you are happy not to have whitewalls (a dress up option of the day), then try your local tire shop for a 650x16 Light Truck.

[Valdimar 10]

Wire Wheels Buick 1931 Series 80-90

[Mark Shaw 1,699]

I run Goodyear Deluxe All Weather tires on my 38 Buick Special. They are 6.50 - 16 and have a 4" wide white wall that is ribbed to give the tires a great period correct look.

They are not radials, but then I don't drive this car cross country either....

My 2 cents...

[rlcokc 8]

Funny-checked dwith Lucas tires and they told me Goodyear's $190 and when I said I'd take 6 said they were out of stock. Email today said back in stock but price raise to $210 apiece. May be going price but don't like doing business like that---told them I'd pass. Not in hurry for tires but would like to go ahead and do rims but I'll wait a while I guess.

Thanks for response--I do think from photos I've seen that they do look best.

[CAFoster 10]

I found some blackwall 205/80R16 radial tires online for $93 which are now on sale for $80 plus shipping. This size is very close to the 6.50/16, about 1/2 less in diameter and 3/4" wider. This would make less than 1mph difference at 60mph. They fit in the trunk spare tire compartment. The photos show before and after the wheels were stripped, derusted, ground smooth on the sealing surfaces and epoxy primed and painted. I also brush painted over the rivets with 2ton type epoxy cement.

[Terry Stock 14]

I burbled on about this before. Our '39's specification is 650 x 16. It's had Bridgestone light truck radials 650 x 16 for nearly 10 years. If you don't need white walls check out Bridgestone. Tread is about 5½ inches. The overall width is a bit more. They are a tallish tire and with no car weight, a spare shouldn't be more than 6½ inches (guessing). Look original unless you are up close.

[Joseph P. Indusi 202]

CAFoster:

You lucked out! The original 6.50/16 tires are very hard to find an equivalent in radial size. I think the original 6.50/16 profile is about equal to an 85R radial tire; 195-85R16 would be very close. However, I don't think anybody makes this size so your 205-80R16 is a pretty good match. I put 205-70R16 on my 1948 Special that came originally with 6.50-16 tires but I had the rear end changed from 4.45 to 1 to a 3.36 to 1 so it runs just fine for me on the open road. Without the rear end change it will really be hard to get anything better than the size you found. By the way, mine do not rub on hard turns but the wheelhouses on the 48 sedanets are large.

Joe, BCA 33493

[Tom_S 27]

CAFoster: The photos show before and after the wheels were stripped, derusted, ground smooth on the sealing surfaces and epoxy primed and painted. I also brush painted over the rivets with 2ton type epoxy cement.

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I will be needing new tires later this year after getting my 36 Buick out after 15 years storage and front end rebuild. Could you elaborate on the epoxy primer, done inside and out? Also the 2ton epoxy on the rivets. I assume from these discussions that you no longer use innertubes. Your tires seem like a reasonable price way to go although right now mine has white portawalls on it. I may look around to find some whitewall tires. The Goodyears that mark mentioned also seem like another way to go.

Thanks,

Tom

[CAFoster 10]

Tom,

I had the rims down to bare metal, de-rusting and paint stripping with the molasses bath and some stripper followed by metal prep zink phosphate treatment and rinse. Some of the rims had pitted rust on parts of the sealing areas, so I ground these areas down smooth with a side grinder and sanded them with 120 discs, also around the air valve sealing area. To paint the rims , I used some fence wire tied to washers, threaded through the rim bolt holes to make a cradle and hung them on the hook of a ratchet strap tied to an overhanging tree branch. This allowed spinning the rim during the painting which made things easier. Using a spray gun I put on two coats of epoxy primer over all the rim surfaces followed by 3 coats of Muskateer Blue single stage 2K urethane(TCP Global), which is the color I plan to paint the car. I haven't put the red scalloped pinstripe on yet, still learning the pinstripe trade. While the rivet areas looked good with the primer I decided to coat over them on the inside of the rim with epoxy cement as insurance. I used the 2 ton or long set type epoxy (the 5 minute epoxies are definitely inferior in all aspects to the long set epoxies). I used an acid brush (used to apply solder fluxes) to paint the epoxy over the rivet areas. The tire people had no problems mounting the tires as tubeless, although they did use a special air tank to blast a pulse of air to pop the tires onto the rims.

Chris

[Tom_S 27]

Chris,

You certainly went first class with the wheel restoration. Mine are in pretty good shape on the outside. The last time the inside was seen was when I installed the Gulf brand tires/tubes for my grandfather in 1963. I will take a picture. The molassis baths are great, but I canot bring myself to use the molassis. It is much better on my wifes homemade sourdough rolls she makes every Sunday for lunch!! YUM!

Tom

[papaw 0]

I agree with Mark on the Goodyear all weather. Good tire and handle good.