Looking for 15" wheels for my 1963 Buick Wagon

[roadmaster29]

My 1963 Buick Special station wagon has 13" wheels on it and it is geared too slow for highway speeds. I was looking in my owners manual and there is an option for 15 inch wheels listed. I would like to replace the 13" with 15" inch and want some original wheels so I can use the dog dish hub caps. Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

[Marty Roth]

Check the size of the bolt circle, and how many lugs.

I suspect, but am not certain, that it would be 5 lugs and a 4-3/4 inch circle.

In that case, wheels for a 1949 - 1957 Chevy should work,

Coker also offers aftermarket rims in varying sizes, primed, painted, powder coated, or chrome, as I recall

[roadmaster29]

Ok thanks I will check that out asap.

[DE SOTO]

On 12/2/2019 at 4:18 PM, roadmaster29 said:

Ok thanks I will check that out asap.

IF ITS 5 ON 5 I SHOULD HAVE BUICK & PONTIAC STOCK STEEL WHEELS IN 15"

[B Jake Moran]

I don't think it's 5 x 5.  None of the A bodies were 5 x 5 from at least 1965 to the 1980's.  5 x 5 was reserved for big series Buicks.  I think 5 x 4 3/4 is correct but because we are speaking about pre 1965, not sure there either. 

[roadmaster29]

Well it surprised me but these wheels are 4 bolt pattern. Now I am not sure where to go this is really oddball. Maybe I will need to look for some very tall 13 inch tires or just deal with what I have. It just sounds like the motor is screaming at 65 miles an hour. 

[g-g-g0]

A long shot but you might call Jim’s  Vintage Auto Parts in Mountain Home, ID or Trenton Browne at Browne Auto Salvage in Sunset, Tx. Both are vintage salvage yards. Google for contact info. 

[Pete Phillips]

All 1961-62 Specials and Skylarks have 4-bolt wheels. I have a set of 15" 4-bolt wheels that I would be willing to sell. Shipping from Texas to S. Dakota would be a considerable expense on top of buying them, though.

Pete Phillips BCA #7338

Leonard, TX.

[billbuickgs]

Pontiac used the 15" wheel 4 bolt on their 63 Tempest with the transaxle .

You will find more tempest with these wheels . Most Buick Special sedans and wagons had 13's 

Bill

[Barney Eaton]

A little research shows the Tempest came with 15"  and Pete had a Buick Special with them that were apparently an option

The size was 4 x 4 1/2   with 7/16 studs.

If you cannot find originals..... Datsun and Toyota (of the same period) used the 4 bolt x 4 1/2 and  depending on the model had 13, 14, or 15.

Edited December 11, 2019 by Barney Eaton (see edit history)

[Buickborn]

       Roadmaster -- Your busy-engine problem seems odd for any American non-performance car built as late as 1963, by which time the low axle ratios of the past were long gone (except in trucks and performance cars).  Near as I can determine, your Special should have a 3.23 axle ratio, which, with 13" wheels (assuming about 25" tire diameter), equates to about 2590 engine revolutions per mile -- not exactly overdrive conditions but well within the comfort zone of a high-revving engine like the V6. 

        Have you been able to determine the actual rpm of the engine while underway?  Sometimes conditions other than rpm will cause an engine to seem busy, such as a noisy exhaust system or even a heavy-duty fan.  Further, RPM-related problems caused by excessive torque converter slippage would only be aggravated by larger wheels/tires, which would add loading and increase heat generation.

Edited December 12, 2019 by Buickborn
Wrong year stated for car (see edit history)