Buick 66 GS - Wheels Size

[charlooze44]

Hi,

I' new on this forum.

I'm from FRANCE, and I've the chance to have a buick riviera 66 GS in pretty good condition.

I need some information on the wheels and tire size.

1) My car has rallye wheels, but I don't know exactly the size of the tire I need to put on... I don't know the exact size of the wheels either.

Any idea of the specification of tires needed ?

2) Rallye Wheels are not in very good condition, do you know if I can found new one in the US? (here in france, there no way to find it !!).

Thanks in advance for any help.

Charles.

[Jim65Riv]

Congratulations on finding the Riviera. The first thing you should do is join the Riviera Owners Association. There is a lot of information on their website, but you must be a member and get the log-in and password to access most of it.

Your Riviera came with 15"x6" wheels. The tires were 8.45 x 15, either whitewall or redline.

In 1966 Buick sold 45,348 Rivieras, of which 5,718 were GS models. There is an article in the members only section about how to identify a true GS.

Also, we love pictures - post some when you can.

Good luck with the Riv.

[charlooze44]

Thanks for the quick answer.

I'll continue looking for the tires in France, but you may be right, this asso could help.

will think about it.

[charlooze44]

Hi,

Do any actual size (ex 205/55/R15) exist to replace 8.45 x 15 tire size ?

This will probably be easier to find here in France....

Thanks in advance.

[RivNut]

I'll 2nd what Jim65Riv said earlier. The first and least expensive tool you need for owning/maintaining/restoring any Riviera is a membership in the ROA. If you were a member, your most recent question plus the first question could have been answered by looking at the ROA website.

If you'll promise to join , I'll go ahead and give you the tire info you're requesting. To replace the 8.45 x 15 OE tire, you'll want to use a P-metric 225/75R/15 tire. If you're going with the OE whitewall, it will be a little harder to find. Some owners will substitue a 225/70 or 235/75 for the 225/75. Trial fitting is the best way to find out if you have any clearance problems.

There's also an article on the website that tells you how to identify the correct wheels for your car. There are differences in the diameter of the hole for the center cap from year to year, and some of the wheels will not fit cars equipped with the disc brake option. They all look the same, but there are small technical differences.

Here's a link to the ROA's website and membership page. Check it out. Good luck with your car. https://secure.netsolhost.com/rivowners.org/apply_form/membershipform_check_mo.php

Ed

[68RIVGS]

Welcome to the ROA section of the AACA forum, and please do check out the ROA website as others have advised, when you get a chance. It will probably be the best investment you can make, next to a proper shop manual for your '66 GS!

New chrome ralley wheels are almost 'unobtainium', so good 'used' will probably be your best source, and shipping to France will be very expen$ive as they weigh a lot, and require rather large shipping containers.

Good luck with your '66 Riviera GS !!