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Drivetrain => Rims & Tires => Topic started by: mdmcs1 on March 13, 2013, 04:14:21 PM

Title: 65 skylark (not GS) wheels
Post by: mdmcs1 on March 13, 2013, 04:14:21 PM
hello all!!

Ive got a bone stock 65 skylark with the 14" wheels.   I want to replace those with bigger wheels/tires.   I am leaning twards 17x8's with 4.5" backspace on all 4, with 245/50/17's on them.  you guys have way more experience with this than i do, will this fit ok?  i dont want to get them and have a size that wont work...

please let me know your thoughts!!!

michael

Title: Re: 65 skylark (not GS) wheels
Post by: dsags on March 13, 2013, 05:13:55 PM
My experience is that will not work. This picture shows 8 x 17 with 4-3/4" backspacing on the rear with 235/50-17's and 7 x 17 with 3-1/2" backspacing on the front with 215/50-17's. Tried running the 235's on the front and they rubbed in turns. 245's were just dangerously close to the fender lip. 17x 8 with 4-1/2" bs is equal to my 17 x 7 with 3-1/2" as far as closeness to the fender lip. The 245/50-17 is at least 10" in section width vs. the 8-3/4" section width on my 215/50's.
Where are you located ?
Title: Re: 65 skylark (not GS) wheels
Post by: sjfd04 on March 13, 2013, 06:21:15 PM
Michael

Upgrading to the 17" will enhance the look of the car greatly, however, you should consider an upgrade to the brakes as well.  The larger diameter wheels and tires will reduce your stopping capabilities.  The drum brakes were designed to work with 14" wheels, not 17".  I would suggest putting disc brakes on the front and running a dual master cylinder.  Just an opinion.

Tom
Title: Re: 65 skylark (not GS) wheels
Post by: WkillGS on March 13, 2013, 11:27:25 PM
I have 15x7 Buick mags on several of my '66's and they will take up to a 255 width tire fairly well, but it gets close to the outer wheel lip. Tuck the wheels in a half-inch more and 275's will fit.
The Buick mags have 4-3/8" backspace. So for a 7 inch wheel, 4-1/2" to 5" should center a tire in the wheelwell nicely.
Add 1/2" backspace for an 8-inch wide wheel.... 5"+ should be ideal, up to 5-1/2".

There are tire fitment tools available, such as "Percy's WheelRite Wheel and Tire Fitment Tool", or make your own:
http://www.homemadetools.net/tire-fitment-tool (http://www.homemadetools.net/tire-fitment-tool)
Title: Re: 65 skylark (not GS) wheels
Post by: mdmcs1 on March 14, 2013, 08:24:39 AM
dsags,

thanks for the pic, that car is beautiful!! 

what brand and model of wheels and tires are those?  they look awesome!

does the car in the pic have the standard width rear axle in it? 

in an old post you had stated this: The car has 17" American Racing Torque Thrust II's (TT2's). The fronts are 7" with 4" backspacing while the rears are 8" with 4 3/4" backspacing. Those are both standard backspacing for those wheels so they don't have that custom pricing. The tires are 245-50 rear and 215-50 front. The rears are actually about the same diameter as my old 225-70/14's.

is that the same car thats in the pic above?    reason i ask is that im only finding 17x7's with 4.0 backspace and 17x8's with 4.5" backspace at most places - just want to clarify for sure which ones are the ones you are using now, and if you had a problem with the wheel sizes in the quote above that made ya switch to what you have now??  thanks again for your help!!!!

thanks a ton everyone!!

michael
Title: Re: 65 skylark (not GS) wheels
Post by: dsags on March 14, 2013, 07:02:35 PM
Michael,

Here's a link to the place I bought my wheels from http://www.ebay.com/itm/AMERICAN-RACING-TORQ-THRUST-2-515-17-X-8-BUICK-OLDS-CHEVY-PONTIAC-WHEEL-/300718804542?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item46043cce3e&vxp=mtr (http://www.ebay.com/itm/AMERICAN-RACING-TORQ-THRUST-2-515-17-X-8-BUICK-OLDS-CHEVY-PONTIAC-WHEEL-/300718804542?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item46043cce3e&vxp=mtr) Note that on the 17 x 8 you have a choice of 4 or 4-3/4" backspacing. Price is the same. They sell other brands too.

The wheels are the same you mentioned - AR TT2's. The rear tires were switched to 235/50's due to the closeness to the wheel well lip. The tires are General Exclaim UHP - now discontinued. Car had standard for '65 posi-traction axle width. The mid '66 and '67 posi-traction axles are an inch wider.

What are you planning to put on your car ? The wheels with more backspacing will allow bigger tires but cost quite a bit more due to the special order nature of them. A great place to research and buy tires is http://www.tirerack.com/index.jsp. (http://www.tirerack.com/index.jsp.) Shop tires by size if you know what sizes you want - it allows for different front and rear tire sizes. Or choose 'show all available tire sizes' then select the tire diameter you want. A good way to find a tires section width and diameter is to click on specs for the tire you are interested in. For example they show 14 tires of 245/50-17. The General G-Max specs show a section width (its widest) of 9.7" and a diameter of 26.3".

Thanks for posting your location,
Title: Re: 65 skylark (not GS) wheels
Post by: Loren At 65GS on March 15, 2013, 10:49:37 AM
Dan,
  Thanks for the great info on tires and wheels.

  Loren
Title: Re: 65 skylark (not GS) wheels
Post by: texasekberg on March 15, 2013, 11:09:06 AM
Hey there,

I run 275-50-15 on the back with stock width -65 rear end on my Skylark, I have those on Wheel Vintiques Series 57 Buick Style Ralley wheels
which are 8" wide with 4 3/4" backspacing, use the same wheel but 7" wide with 4" backspacing in the front.
Title: Re: 65 skylark (not GS) wheels
Post by: dsags on March 15, 2013, 12:50:00 PM
Those tires have to be 11" wide. 245/50/17's are 10" and are the max that fit under my red car. Does your car have an 8.2 posi rear end ?
Title: Re: 65 skylark (not GS) wheels
Post by: texasekberg on March 15, 2013, 04:36:34 PM
Dan,

I have my original -65 GS 3.08:1 posi rear end under the black Skylark (shame on me abusing it this way...).
I have 1/2" clearance to the frame rails on each side and I even have the chrome trim around the wheel wells
which stick in a little further than the well lip (if I launch without air in the passenger side bellow it will rub lightly
just on the bulge of the tire).
Running stock GS springs and Bilstein gas shocks in the back (and a bellow in the passenger side spring).
Br Anton
Title: Re: 65 skylark (not GS) wheels
Post by: texasekberg on March 15, 2013, 04:41:49 PM
Dan,

Forgot the 1" swaybar and aftermarket square tubing controlarms....
Br Anton
Title: Re: 65 skylark (not GS) wheels
Post by: texasekberg on March 15, 2013, 04:45:59 PM
Dan,

10.8" wide and 25.8" circumfernce maybe little over 11" at the bulge of the tire, remember they are on 8" wide rims.
Br Anton
Title: Re: 65 skylark (not GS) wheels
Post by: dsags on March 15, 2013, 05:17:33 PM
Thanks for the update and additional information. I still find it incredible that those fit. Did the 4 3/4" backspacing require a special order ?

Are you happy with the quality of the wheels ? How long have you had the wheels ? I ask because some people have mentioned that the more recent Wheel Vintique wheels are not as good as they used to be.
Title: Re: 65 skylark (not GS) wheels
Post by: texasekberg on March 16, 2013, 09:16:08 AM
Dan,

No not a special order bought it through Summit racing (they still sell that particular rim today)....the quality issue is true, it took 3 returns before i had a set that I was happy with.
First batch had 2 leaking rims (leak in the weld seam of the rim), second batch (of 2 rims) could not balance one of the rims (took 11oz to get decent
balance). Third time a winner as they say.
It is a nice looking rim though and when I was shopping they were $40.00 a piece cheaper than OPGI........
It should be 25.8" tall for my back tires not circumference by the way.....
Title: Re: 65 skylark (not GS) wheels
Post by: bobbybuick on March 17, 2013, 01:03:17 PM
If you were going to custom make an 8" wheel for 275x60-15
would you set the BS at 4 3/4 ,47/8, or 5 ?
Title: Re: 65 skylark (not GS) wheels
Post by: WkillGS on March 17, 2013, 07:00:16 PM
A 275/60 is going to be taller, close to 28". Hitting the fender lip will be an issue.
Tuck them closer to the frame rail. 5" or even 5.25". You really need to measure your car, it's not uncommon for a rear to be a little offset to one side.
If you don't have enough clearance on the inside, you can always shim the wheel out a little with a wheel spacer.
But if you are lacking clearance on the outside, there isn't much you can do except for trimming or bending up the fender lip.
Title: Re: 65 skylark (not GS) wheels
Post by: texasekberg on March 17, 2013, 08:10:05 PM
Bobby,

I agree 100% with Walt, with that tall of a tire your rearend of the car have to sit way up there to clear, my other "real" tire is a Hancook 255-60-15 that works with the same rim and stance on the car and no clearance issues.
Not sure if they are available no more, bought them at pepboys 4 years ago..
Br Anton
Title: Re: 65 skylark (not GS) wheels
Post by: texasekberg on March 17, 2013, 08:13:46 PM
Bobby,

A 8X15 rim with 5" backspace would be even better in my case, I could have come down another 1"-1.5"
(like when the car is sitting heavy in the rear).
Br Anton
Title: Re: 65 skylark (not GS) wheels
Post by: bobbybuick on March 17, 2013, 08:22:04 PM
im having them made and he can go up to 5 " so i will do that
thanks Bob
Title: Re: 65 skylark (not GS) wheels
Post by: sjfd04 on March 17, 2013, 08:48:27 PM
15x8 in the rear with 245 60.  15x7 in the front with 235 60.   Hotchkis springs 1" lower than stock.
Title: Re: 65 skylark (not GS) wheels
Post by: 455pev on March 19, 2013, 12:15:56 PM
On my street strip car I run 295 50 r15 for the street.  Mounted on a 15 by 8 wheel.  its a tight fit but it works.  the rims have a 5.5 inch back spacing, If I remember right.  The 65 has a 72 8.5 rear under it.
Title: Re: 65 skylark (not GS) wheels
Post by: homemadetools on August 26, 2015, 11:11:48 PM
There are tire fitment tools available, such as "Percy's WheelRite Wheel and Tire Fitment Tool", or make your own:
[url]http://www.homemadetools.net/tire-fitment-tool[/url] ([url]http://www.homemadetools.net/tire-fitment-tool[/url])


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Title: Re: 65 skylark (not GS) wheels
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