Tire Sizes

[Burke]

What current Radial Tire size is closest to the old 670x15 tires that came on my 1960 Hawk. Any suggestions on what size sould use on the Hawk.

[Sam Roberts]

I use 205X75R15s on my 1955 coupe, as well as my 1966 Cruiser with great success, on stock Studebaker rims.

quote:Originally posted by Burke

What current Radial Tire size is closest to the old 670x15 tires that came on my 1960 Hawk. Any suggestions on what size sould use on the Hawk.

Sam Roberts

[Alan]

6.70-15 were a 78 aspect ratio about the closest you can come is165-15
wich is slightly smaller or 185-15 which is slightly larger. I have
never seen 175-15 , kind of rare.

[Roscomacaw]

THE tire of choice for your average postwar Stude is the 195X75-R15 The tire shops don't ALAWYS have them on their shelves but they can get them with one phone call. Whitewall or blackwall. These are NOT (as some have suggested) VW tires. Most recently they've been factory-fitted to some mini-vans. (Remember mini-vans? They lost out to the super-size mindset of today!) 205s will fit alright, but without power steering, they are a bit cranky about turning easily while parking. I use 195s on our V8 '60 Lark ragtop (a heavy car!) and they do really well.

Miscreant at large.

[Transtar60]

The 195 R75 x 15's are also base tire size for Jeep Cherokees(XJ)

[BUNOSS]

quote:Originally posted by Mr.Biggs

THE tire of choice for your average postwar Stude is the 195X75-R15 The tire shops don't ALAWYS have them on their shelves but they can get them with one phone call. Whitewall or blackwall. These are NOT (as some have suggested) VW tires. Most recently they've been factory-fitted to some mini-vans. (Remember mini-vans? They lost out to the super-size mindset of today!) 205s will fit alright, but without power steering, they are a bit cranky about turning easily while parking. I use 195s on our V8 '60 Lark ragtop (a heavy car!) and they do really well.

Miscreant at large.

[BUNOSS]

[quote]Originally posted by Mr.Biggs

THE tire of choice for your average postwar Stude is the 195X75-R15 The tire shops don't ALAWYS have them on their shelves but they can get them with one phone call. Whitewall or blackwall. These are NOT (as some have suggested) VW tires. Most recently they've been factory-fitted to some mini-vans. (Remember mini-vans? They lost out to the super-size mindset of today!) 205s will fit alright, but without power steering, they are a bit cranky about turning easily while parking. I use 195s on our V8 '60 Lark ragtop (a heavy car!) and they do really well.

Miscreant at large.
[/quote

Mr. Biggs,
I have a 9G Champion with 640x15 tires currently. I have discussed purchasing the P195/75R15 with Coker Tire and want to go ahead with it... but can't find a 'solid' replacement rim with a four bolt pattern. Pretty easy to find the 'solid' five bolt rims. 1) Do you think this poses an appreciable safety problem--keeping the current rim? 2)Do you or anyone who sees this on the forum have a source for such a 'four bolt' rim? 3)Any other ideas on tire upgrades? By adding an extra inch or more to the tire width on the radial tire that you put on your Lark, how much(subjective to your personal perception)"harder' does steering become at slow speeds? Any other comments about the steering,ride,etc would be helpful. Thanks a lot.

[Roscomacaw]

Honestly - for me, it's not really a big deal. But while I"m not saying I look like Chas Atlas (I look more like a globe![xx(]), I have pretty big arms. And even at age 60, they've not given me much pain such as arthritis. But I say all this because I hear other Stude guys carp about what a pain it is to steer their cars while parking. (Maybe we've all just gotten spoiled by everything nowdays having power steering)
I can say - as many others do - that radials make the car MUCH more of a pleasure to drive on the open road. MUCH more.

I don't feel comfortable passing judgement on the capabilities of those old Champion wheels. I'd THINK they might do fine for no more stress than I envision a 9G putting on them. If you're gonna use full disc wheelcovers, you might find that they'll be prone to "walking" around the rim a bit - can't say that for sure tho. If you're using the "bottlecap" hub caps, no problem.
I THINK I've read of a later type wheel that will work on these old Champions - Early Falcon or something from the 60s. I guess I'd know more in that realm if I'd had to have addressed it myself already. But that's not the case.[8D]

Miscreant at large.

[N8N]

If you could tell me the bolt pattern and offset of the Champion wheels I might be able to tell you something that would fit. If it *is* Falcon, I imagine there'd be tons of wheels that would fit, including some easy to find junkyard wheels like Pinto and 4-bolt Mustang.

nate

--
55 Commander Starlight
62 Daytona hardtop

http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

[Peter in London]

My Speedster arrived in the UK with pretty good cross ply tires so I drove on them until they needed replacement, when I invested in 5 ([) new, radial whitewalls. (The authorities are strict about these things here and although I pay no annual road tax as an "Historic Vehicle" it gets no concessions on roadworthyness rules.)

I found the radials an AMAZING improvement. I could look at a bird in the hedgerow for a moment as I passed it and when I turned to face forwards again I was still on the same side of the road....

Peter.

[Studedude]

But I say all this because I hear other Stude guys carp about what a pain it is to steer their cars while parking. (Maybe we've all just gotten spoiled by everything nowdays having power steering)

Boy, howdy, I wish you could feel my pain![}]

Dave

[BShaw]

N8N: I think the four-bolt wheels are the same as on my 39 Champion...which are 4 on 4". Don't know the back spacing, though. I'd think that Falcon wheels would be 13" or 14".

-Webmaster

[N8N]

the reason I asked was, that Ford used 4-bolt wheels on the Fairmont and Mustang up until fairly recently. But never having had a champion, I don't know if the bolt pattern is the same.

nate

--
55 Commander Starlight
62 Daytona hardtop

http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

[hank63]

When going from x-ply to radial tyres, find out the "rolling diameter" of your old type and try to match or come close with your preferred radial tyre. Also check what rim width your radial tyre requires. Your tyre supplier should have the info. It's not a real good idea to fit wider tyres on too narrow rims.
Otherwise I agree with the comment about how much better radials are. One of my old classics (not Studebaker) became a real pleasure to drive, thanks to steel radials (195 x 16, series 90). That tyre has the same rolling dia as the original 5.90 x 17 x-ply. AND the radials + the rim mods came in cheaper than the "correct" x-ply's. I got better handling and comfort for less dollars. Pretty much a win-win deal at the "expense" of non-genuine rims and tyres.
/ Hank

[johnesmonde]

I have 205's on my Hawk and find them amazing for all aspects of touring from interstate to backroad.

John

'62 Hawk
'30 Chev Coach