15” Tires for my ‘62 300 - Thoughts?

[weim55]

Sometimes I feel like I live in a cave - example: I thought tires were going to be a simple Tire Rack order and go.
235-75-15 thin whitewall Michelins-done. Oh no Michelins(?) OK, let’s choose from the other couple dozen choices. Oh wait, no whitewalls-huh(?)
Truck tires?? ……..

Well, I guess it’s 2023 and the once common tire is a thing of the past (like me - laughs……)

Bottom line: I will not put black walls, raised white letter or wide whites on this car. Thin whites ONLY. my sheer stubbornness leaves me with close to zero choices. So my question is what has been the solution for some of you?

Steve weim55 Colorado

 

[Dan Scully]

I have used these, with no problem.

Amazon product ASIN B071YF3HXX

 

[413]

forget the tire rack, poor selection, past their prime.

Ironman RB-12 NWS 235/75R15 105S WSW Tires
Milestar MS775 P235/75R15 105S WSW Tires
Venezia 787 P235/75R15 105S WSW Tires

Suretrac Power Touring P235/75R15 105S WW Tires
Vercelli Classic 787 P235/75R15 105S WSW Tires

 

[Boydsdodge]

Nexxen AH5 235/75R15 with good smooth results.

 

[saforwardlook]

I have a 1962 Chrysler 300H and I am putting the Nexens referenced by Dan above on it very soon. I have already put Nexens on my other C bodies and am completely satisfied with them.

This is a photo of my car but with slightly wider whitewalls on it now but the Nexens are just slightly more narrow and more preferable in appearance to me.................these cars didn't come from the factory with wide whites either.

 

[weim55]

Thank you for the replies. Nexens will do me and car well and they are quite affordable. 300 is just a cruiser so highway smoothness is my biggest concern. I’ll never put enough miles on them to ever wear them out. I am anxious to get them on the car and replace the 25-year-old 14”ers that are on the car now. Should be a major upgrade to the old rubber and give the car a proper look with tires of the proper height as well.

Steve weim55 Colorado

 

[Boydsdodge]

Show us some photos when you get the new tires installed.

 

[weim55]

I have a 1962 Chrysler 300H and I am putting the Nexens referenced by Dan above on it very soon. I have already put Nexens on my other C bodies and am completely satisfied with them.

This is a photo of my car but with slightly wider whitewalls on it now but the Nexens are just slightly more narrow and more preferable in appearance to me.................these cars didn't come from the factory with wide whites either.

View attachment 633759

Boy that H is beautiful, gives me a hint of buyers remorse. When I started my search, I intended only to look for an H. Purchased my 300 sport because it is a twin to the one my grandfather had. Same colors,(red on black leather) same interior and a wonderful, low mileage original car.
But my personal favorite and choice would be an H w/ white on tan leather. You know where this is going: is there a possibility of a pair of 62s in my future life?
Thanks for sharing…….

Steve weim55 Colorado

 

[weim55]

Show us some photos when you get the new tires installed.

I will do that! The last piece to the puzzle is locating the correct 15 inch wheel covers. Real 300 wheel covers (only installed on G,H and J models) are incredibly rare and expensive and I have been unable to locate a set nice enough for the condition of the car that I can afford. My second choice has been ‘66 disc brake wheelcovers which are slightly easier to find and more affordable. The problem has been coming up with a full set in really good condition. This has been a VERY difficult search. They show up on eBay but the condition of the stainless is going to require a TON of work to properly restore for the car. But that’s just the way it goes sometimes in the old car world. I’ll post a picture when I have the full package on the car, hopefully by the beginning of spring.

Steve weim55 Colorado

 

[weim55]

forget the tire rack, poor selection, past their prime.

Ironman RB-12 NWS 235/75R15 105S WSW Tires
Milestar MS775 P235/75R15 105S WSW Tires
Venezia 787 P235/75R15 105S WSW Tires

Suretrac Power Touring P235/75R15 105S WW Tires
Vercelli Classic 787 P235/75R15 105S WSW Tires

Thank you for turning me onto this Tire site. I hadn’t heard of them before,it looks like they have some good selection. I haven’t fully decided on tires yet, it’s great to have the extra choices.

Steve weim55 Colorado

 

[saforwardlook]

For me, the non-letter 1962 Chrysler 300 non-letter cars were pretty significant as well as the letter car. Here is one that my dad bought new in 1962 and I restored that car as well when it was well worn and my dad was considering buying a new car. It had the 300H dual 4-bbl carb sport package engine in it even though it wasn't a letter car, because it was an available option. I liked it almost as much as my "H". Here are some photos of that one.................

 

[NitrousTuner1]

Is it a real driver or a garage piece?
As you can Easily put any sized white wall on any tire...
IF it's a driver than buy a Quality tire then have a white wall cut/buffed into it. I do it all the time with BIG sticky Mickey Thompsons. Trying to fond even a decent meaty white wall in 2023.... Nope

 

[Boydsdodge]

Is it a real driver or a garage piece?
As you can Easily put any sized white wall on any tire...
IF it's a driver than buy a Quality tire then have a white wall cut/buffed into it. I do it all the time with BIG sticky Mickey Thompsons. Trying to fond even a decent meaty white wall in 2023.... Nope

View attachment 634047

What technique are you using to cut your letters down to get white wall. I want to give it a try. I was thinking of finding an old tire balance machine, but that would take up too much space.

 

[weim55]

Is it a real driver or a garage piece?
As you can Easily put any sized white wall on any tire...
IF it's a driver than buy a Quality tire then have a white wall cut/buffed into it. I do it all the time with BIG sticky Mickey Thompsons. Trying to fond even a decent meaty white wall in 2023.... Nope

View attachment 634047

Well, your post certainly got my attention! I’ve never thought of adding white walls, didn’t even know it could be done. Guessing I can just surf on the Internet and find a little information about that.
Probably like many of us here my car is certainly a driver, to the tune of about a couple thousand miles a year. The car is just a cruiser, so I don’t intend to really go out. Blasting on ramps and canyons. Stock 383, so full throttle traction shouldn’t be an issue.
I am the consummate hot rodder so I’m resisting all urge to modify this car but a proper suspension w/ sway bars, shocks and quality rubber would be a BIG upgrade. (the car doesn’t even have a front sway bar.?!?)

K in your picture certainly made a double take! Something is certainly going on with that car, do tell

Steve weim55 Colorado

 

[NitrousTuner1]

So 90% of tires already have a white in the sidewall. Even if it's NOT a raised white letter. In the pic is a 64 K that makes over 600hp. I had Wheel Vintiques special make all the wheels. The rears are a 15 x 10.5" wide with a 275/60/15 Cooper Cobra Radial GT with a period correct white wall (buffed) into the sidewall.
I've done this for 30 year's on sticky tires to make sleepers that almost dead hook on the street.... A STI's nightmare at the import street races with my Grandpa's 64 . It also has 4 mufflers with the new 421c.i. horsepower kind of hush hush....
The machines that do this are from the 60's. I've seen 3 different manufacturers of the original piece. Then a guy in Phx has made a newer JIG design that holds any sized tire onto a balancer & his buffer is moving.... The old original machines sit on the ground next to the car & you place the car in gear on stands & it spins the tire. Just depends on where your at....
And for the guy with the stock 383 EVEN IF it's a 2 barrel Your car should Easily be able to not spin BUT fry that passenger tire just by giving it full throttle. IF it's not able to then the timing is Far retarded from optimum & the carb needs tuned...
SPECIALLY Those junk tires other's have posted. You have to understand those are BOTTOM of the barrel tires being made now in 3rd world countries...
Those boat anchor 318's can even spin them rubber band white walls.
Sorry I'm NOT trusting Any of my car's on that ****!
This car gets driven daily & Not pussy footed.

 

[Boydsdodge]

I plan to do the car rear on stands with trans in reverse and a sander.

 

[NitrousTuner1]

I plan to do the car rear on stands with trans in reverse and a sander.

Definitely start with a FEW junk tires as it's very very very easy to ruin a tire. Biggest issue your gonna have trying to keep the depth uniform as the tires aren't square. Then you talk about these junk cheapy tires. The sidewalls are wavey as ****!
The machine has tension adjustment on a spring to compensate where your arm doesn't...

 

[garyh]

Are Cooper Trendsetters still around ? At least the were American.

 

[NitrousTuner1]

Are Cooper Trendsetters still around ? At least the were American.

In a couple smaller 15"s only. And to the matter of still being made in the US I highly doubt it

 

[weim55]

OK, finally switched out the original 14” rolling stock for new Nexen AH5 whitewall 235/75/15s. Wheels are mid 70s. 15” OEM road/rally wheels that I sandblasted and painted topped w/ Nice set of 300 G wheel covers.

While the wheel covers fit the later 15s” , they are a bit tight on the rim, and I have to be very careful as center just right and knock them on.
I would really prefer a set of the correct 15” wheels w / nubs for the wheel covers that I have yet to come across a set.

These are just cheap white wall radials but I’m perfectly happy with the performance/drive so far. White walls are in little narrow to be correct for the car, but I’m not that picky. I think they’re just fine.

Steve weim55 Colorado