Time to get up Ruby

[polara10x500]

What's the biggest tire that could be put on 14" steelies for 1964 Polara? I want to get the car back up on her feet again so I can roll her in and out of garage and work on this winter. Back in 93 or 94 I put Creager star wires and 15" tires on her and I never liked them (the rims) too hard to keep clean and didn't never balance correctly also the chrome seemed to start deteriorating no matter what I did to protect the finish. Time to put the factory 14" and spinner hubcaps back on for now but I want a tire that will look better sitting in those huge wheel wells in the front of a 64. Later on, I will get 15s back on with the wheels that I should have bought the first time. Just looking for suggestion's comments and opinions. I really appreciate the factory look of those hubcaps more now than when I was 20 something. Having trouble uploading pics. Thanks.

 

[Justin Plant]

Tire size calculator on Tiresize.com compare with the size you're currently dealing with, go from there.

 

[CBODY67]

Orig size was probably 7.50x14, which became 7.75x14, which became F78-14, which became something like P205/75R-14, after the 195/75R-14. P215/75R-14 might be a tad taller and wider to better fill things? ONE limiting factor would be the factory 5.5" wide wheel rims, but the P215/75s would work with them, too.

Hope this might help,
CBODY67

 

[413]

225/70R14 Tall is more important than wide to me.

a 235/60R14 is wide but much to short

 

[Big_John]

What's the biggest tire that could be put on 14" steelies for 1964 Polara? I want to get the car back up on her feet again so I can roll her in and out of garage and work on this winter. Back in 93 or 94 I put Creager star wires and 15" tires on her and I never liked them (the rims) too hard to keep clean and didn't never balance correctly also the chrome seemed to start deteriorating no matter what I did to protect the finish. Time to put the factory 14" and spinner hubcaps back on for now but I want a tire that will look better sitting in those huge wheel wells in the front of a 64. Later on, I will get 15s back on with the wheels that I should have bought the first time. Just looking for suggestion's comments and opinions. I really appreciate the factory look of those hubcaps more now than when I was 20 something. Having trouble uploading pics. Thanks.

How close are you to being finished with the car?

Here's why I ask... Tires only last just so long before they start breaking down. If you are going to have the car running next spring, great... Buy some new tires. If its going to be a couple years, wait to buy your tires when you are about done.

So many times I see project cars with brand new 20 year old tires on them that have only seen the garage. Are they still good? I don't know... Would I trust them? Nope.

 

[413]

I have a friend and he has 38 year old new tires. They are quite hard. The nubs on the tread feel like a wire brush.

he is determined to use them. I told him he has lost all sanity. Even has a Os rocker trim on one side. I told him to remove all wheel well and rocker trim to save the pm from damage when the tire blows.

 

[Loadrunner]

Tire shops are starting to get weird about installing any tire older than 10 years.

 

[polara10x500]

Good point John, that's exactly what has happened to the tires on the car now. I drove the car maybe 2800 to 3000 miles on those tires before parking it. New house other projects and interest, working away from home next thing you know its 27 years later and I got rotten tires that hold air (so far) but scared to roll the car outside. Gona see if I can find a good set of used 14" to get by on for now. Last time the car was actually tagged and driven was 2006 so I have a lot of inspection, replacement, flushing, cleaning, polishing, little bit of engine and carb. work also. Good thing is the cars been inside all this time.