Moving the spare wheel location on ‘63

[rodneybeauchamp]

Hi all,

well we did a short getaway for a couple of days and car show last weekend and discovered how small and impractical the boot space is in our ‘63 Riviera, with the spare wheel on the floor. Thinking it may be better with the spare under the parcel shelf as the later builds did.

 

At the moment, we run 235/75 R15 on optional 6” rims and they won’t fit up under the parcel shelf, (unless flat perhaps and I might try this option.)

 

So thinking of fitting a 5 1/2” rim and a narrower tyre (not sure of size) under the shelf.

 

Can someone advise what the mounting hardware looks like that  is used to fix it down. Can the existing L shaped threaded hook be used.

 

Happy to look at pictures if someone could post.

 

many thanks Rodney

(The ‘67 has the spare under the floor, a great idea that should have been used in 63-4-5)

 

[SwedeDownUnderR63]

Hi Rodney,

I will take a few pictures later today. It is possible that your hook could be used but I haven’t seen the setup in real life for an early -63.

 

Jan

[SwedeDownUnderR63]

Rodney,

Here are a few pictures. Not the best I have taken but hopefully enough for this. (Sorry for the flower-power).

 

Jan

Edited February 27, 2018 by SwedeDownUnderR63 (see edit history)

[first64riv]

Not to hijack this post but I have a similar issue with too big a tire to fit under the shelf.

 

Does anyone know what the original spare tire size is for the 1st gen's?

 

Thanks and sorry again for adding more questions to your post!

 

Chris

[telriv]

I have a 225/70/15 tire under mine. It's a tight fit full of air, but DOES FIT.

[Barney Eaton]

Have you considered a newer compact spare?

They can be picked up at Pick-n-pulls from late Buick Roadmasters and Chevy Impala/Caprice.

 

[RivNut]

7 hours ago, first64riv said:

Not to hijack this post but I have a similar issue with too big a tire to fit under the shelf.

 

Does anyone know what the original spare tire size is for the 1st gen's?

 

Thanks and sorry again for adding more questions to your post!

 

Chris

All cars from the era came with a full sized spare, it was used in the tire rotation. The original tire size was 7.10 x 15 bias ply on a 5.5" rim. An optional 7.60 tire was available that came on a 6 inch rim. (make sure you know the correct method for measuring a rim - it's inside the bead, NOT the cross section of the wheel.)  The 7.10 converts to a 215/75R15. The 7.60 converts to a 225/70R15.  215mm or 225mm is the width of the tire no matter what the aspect ratio is.  60, 65  70, or 75; they're all the same width. A 215 or 225 will fit with no problem.  I ran 225/70 tires on my 64.  It took some nudging but that tire would fit under the shelf.  A 235 or wider tire will not fit.  That's why the tire cover is only a half cover; there's no room for a tire and a full cover. All of this tire info is on the ROA website along with tire info for ALL Rivieras. 

Edited February 28, 2018 by RivNut (see edit history)

[1965rivgs]

5 hours ago, RivNut said:

All cars from the era came with a full sized spare, it was used in the tire rotation. The original tire size was 6.70 x 15 bias ply on a 5.5" rim. An optional 7.60 tire was available that came on a 6 inch rim. (make sure you know the correct method for measuring a rim - it's inside the bead, NOT the cross section of the wheel.)  The 6.70 converts to a 215/75R15. The 7.60 converts to a 225/70R15.  215mm or 225mm is the width of the tire no matter what the aspect ratio is.  60, 65  70, or 75; they're all the same width. A 215 or 225 will fit with no problem.  I ran 225/70 tires on my 64.  It took some nudging but that tire would fit under the shelf.  A 235 or wider tire will not fit.  That's why the tire cover is only a half cover; there's no room for a tire and a full cover. All of this tire info is on the ROA website along with tire info for ALL Rivieras. 

Thought the original standard tire size was a 7.10 X 15 on the 5.5 inch rim??

  Tom

[RivNut]

You're correct.  I'll change my post. Thanks.

Edited February 28, 2018 by RivNut (see edit history)

[KongaMan]

On 2/27/2018 at 10:54 AM, RivNut said:

A 215 or 225 will fit with no problem.  I ran 225/70 tires on my 64.  It took some nudging but that tire would fit under the shelf.

 

Is that so?  I tried to fit a 215/75 on the shelf; it was a no-go.  I laid the tire and wheel on the ground to measure the height and compared it to an old bias ply tire (which does fit; H78(?)), but in typical fashion I can't find the numbers now. My idea was to get a thinner tire on the stock wheel; something about 90% of the way to a full-size spare.  (It would be a full-size, just not the same size.) I figure that the car isn't driven enough to need 5 tires in a regular rotation, so what ever I get would be good enough to get back to where I can fix the problem tire, and a lot better than a temporary spare.  In a perfect world, some local tire shop would have a used one that I could get for cheap.

[Loren@65GS.com]

Thought this may be handy information for reference.

 

 Loren

[1965rivgs]

6 hours ago, Loren@65GS.com said:

Thought this may be handy information for reference.

 

 Loren

Hi Loren,

  Charts are great but this chart is potentially confusing. I am not a vintage tire expert but my understanding is from `64 to `65 the industry tire size standards changed. So, a `64 owner may consult the chart knowing his original tire size is a 7.60 X 15 and not find same in the chart. Therefore a 1964 7.60 X 15 is the equivalent of a 1965 8.45 X 15. This equivalency is stated on the sidewall of original `65 tires.

Tom

[RivNut]

7 hours ago, Loren@65GS.com said:

Thought this may be handy information for reference.

 

 Loren

The problem as I see it in addressing the issue at hand is that there is no dimension for sidewall cross section width.  That dimension is what is under scrutiny here as it applies to storage of the spare under the package tray.

[RivNut]

1 hour ago, 1965rivgs said:

Hi Loren,

  Charts are great but this chart is potentially confusing. I am not a vintage tire expert but my understanding is from `64 to `65 the industry tire size standards changed. So, a `64 owner may consult the chart knowing his original tire size is a 7.60 X 15 and not find same in the chart. Therefore a 1964 7.60 X 15 is the equivalent of a 1965 8.45 X 15. This equivalency is stated on the sidewall of original `65 tires.

Tom

Here's a conversion chart from Coker tires that shows how the tire industry changed their size ratings.  1964 and earlier and 1965 - 1972 show basically the same size conversion for a 7.60 x 15 tire and an 8.55 x 15 tire - it all depends on the year.  Strangely enough, no one reproduces an 8.45 x 15 tire even though they were standard equipment on 1967 and later Thunderbirds, of which there are many.  The chart from Diamond back is way too general to have any real meaning.

 

 

 

[Loren@65GS.com]

My apologies for adding to your confusion.

 Loren

[1965rivgs]

8 hours ago, Loren@65GS.com said:

My apologies for adding to your confusion.

 Loren

Loren,

  No apologies necessary. The chart you posted is a decent but very general conversion chart. The reason I pointed out the fact the actual change was made from `64 to `65 is because the cars in question in this thread fall smack dab in the midst of the changeover.

  I have found over the years this results in misunderstanding re original tire sizes.

  For instance, I have had many members over the years mention that Buick really became aggresive with the `65 models because they increased the tire size from 7.10 in `64 to 8.45 in `65. When consulting the more detailed chart it is apparent the oversize tire in `64 (7.60) is the same size as the standard tire in `65 (8.45). The change was not as dramatic when one knows the change in tire sizing occured in that time frame.

  Tom

Edited March 2, 2018 by 1965rivgs (see edit history)

[1965rivgs]

11 hours ago, RivNut said:

Here's a conversion chart from Coker tires that shows how the tire industry changed their size ratings.  1964 and earlier and 1965 - 1972 show basically the same size conversion for a 7.60 x 15 tire and an 8.55 x 15 tire - it all depends on the year.  Strangely enough, no one reproduces an 8.45 x 15 tire even though they were standard equipment on 1967 and later Thunderbirds, of which there are many.  The chart from Diamond back is way too general to have any real meaning.

 

 

 

There appears to be a mistake in this chart or the tire size conversions are "ball-parked" as I have witnessed in other charts. I`m quite sure the original `65 tires, both Goodyear and Firestone, state on their sidewall the 7.60 is the equivalent of the 8.45.? I think the 8.55 size was standard on the Cadillacs in the mid `60`s?

Edited March 2, 2018 by 1965rivgs (see edit history)

[Riviera63]

On 2/28/2018 at 2:14 PM, KongaMan said:

 

Is that so?  I tried to fit a 215/75 on the shelf; it was a no-go.  I laid the tire and wheel on the ground to measure the height and compared it to an old bias ply tire (which does fit; H78(?)), but in typical fashion I can't find the numbers now. My idea was to get a thinner tire on the stock wheel; something about 90% of the way to a full-size spare.  (It would be a full-size, just not the same size.) I figure that the car isn't driven enough to need 5 tires in a regular rotation, so what ever I get would be good enough to get back to where I can fix the problem tire, and a lot better than a temporary spare.  In a perfect world, some local tire shop would have a used one that I could get for cheap.

That is what I did to get rid of that headache. The local shop that works on my car gave me a good used tire, I don't remember what size it is, 195 or 205. Slid right in. No more climbing into the trunk and wrestling with a tire that is too big. Problem solved. Chances are it will never get used. As you said, it only has to get you to the nearest tire shop.

 

Bill