OE tires 65 Skylark

[Super65lark]

Just like the photo on the homepage, the whitewall size is 1" and white, is that right? This is a Skylark and not a GS. I want it to be the same way as came from factory.

[elagache]

Dear Iain and mid-60s Buick caregivers with an eye to originality,

Just like the photo on the homepage, the whitewall size is 1" and white, is that right? This is a Skylark and not a GS. I want it to be the same way as came from factory.

The 1965 Buick full line sales brochure is available online from oldcarbrochures.org:

http://www.oldcarbrochures.org/United%20States/Buick/1965_Buick/1965-Buick-Full-Line-Prestige-Brochure/index.html

There is a photo of the Buick Skylark with 1" white-wall tires.  There are either drawings or photos of all the other Buick A-bodies with the same white-wall tires.  It is possible that some of the bottom-line Specials didn't come with white-walls, but the Skylark was a basically the highest trim package for the A-bodies.  All of them should have had 1" white-walls.

Cheers, Edouard 

P.S.  Which company or companies where you considering for Ruthy's tires?

[GreatScat1965]

In the For what it's worth department, I researched this about 25 yrs ago. I'm in the wholesale tire business so I had to look.
I came up with 7/8" WW. Brands always varied back then but I settled on the US Royal to be the appropriate if not one of the original tires.

Jerry

[65GSConv]

In a 7.75x14 w/~1" White Wall, I could only find two different tires available today:

• Firestone in 7/8" White Wall
• BF Goodrich in 1" White Wall

Is there a US Royal still being made and available in a 7.75x14 w/1" White Wall?

[GreatScat1965]

No, it looks like they only make the US Royal 7.75-14 in a redline for the GTO crowd. Depending on the car, that might actually look good. It would be a period correct upgrade I would guess.

Jerry

[Super65lark]

Thank you all for your input. I assumed it was 1" but then saw many different ww width on coker tire website. So, I sent them an email asking what they think was stock for this year and combo.
I haven't considered any other companies yet, Edouard.
When it comes to wheels they can be bought used but one can't know if they are true. Coker also sells stock wheels, new.

[elagache]

Dear Iain, Jerry, 65GSConv, and mid-60s Buick caregivers,

Thank you all for your input. I assumed it was 1" but then saw many different ww width on coker tire website. So, I sent them an email asking what they think was stock for this year and combo.
I haven't considered any other companies yet,
. . . .

FYI:  Biquette had a set of Coker tires put on in 2010.  As you found out they are more like 3/4" instead of 1".  It is a subtle, but noticeable difference.  Here is a photo of Biquette back in 2010:



In 2018, Biquette was fitted with larger tires with true 1" white-walls from Diamond back tires:

https://dbtires.com/

Here is a photo of Biquette with her new tires:



I wouldn't be surprised if even most purists wouldn't notice the difference, but I really like the additional width.  The additional width is enhances the contrast with the rest of the tire and really gives that 1960s look.  Alas, Diamond back tires tend to be more expensive, but you keep an eye, they do have sales from time to time.

Cheers, Edouard 

[Loren At 65GS]

 For what it is worth, the stock size for a Skylark was 7.35 X 14. Standard on a new Skylark was a black wall tire. White walls were an option at additional cost. I don't have that information on cost in front of me because it is back home in Nebraska and I'm still stuck in Florida.
 Also the standard rim was 14X 5 for a Skylark.

 A Gran Sport tire was the 7.75 X 14 . Again black wall was standard equipment and the original white wall was 7/8" or 1", seems to depend on manufacturer . If I recall correctly US Royal were also installed originally.
The original spare tire in my GS is a Firestone 7.75 X 14 white wall  . The Gran Sport and Sport wagon used a 6" wide rim.

  I don't recall seeing a 7.35 X 14 tire being reproduced and the 7.75 X 14 is accepted on a BCA show field.

  Loren

[elagache]

Dear Loren and mid-60s Buick historians,

For what it is worth, the stock size for a Skylark was 7.35 X 14. Standard on a new Skylark was a black wall tire. White walls were an option at additional cost. I don't have that information on cost in front of me because it is back home in Nebraska and I'm still stuck in Florida.
. . . .

Okay, I stand corrected!  I'm sorry that you can't look up the difference, it would be interesting!

Was it actually very common to have Skylarks come off the factory with black wall tires?  I would expect that Specials and even Deluxe Specials might have been equipped with black walls from the factory, but even in 1960s, I would assume that Buick would have manufactured cars with some optional goodies and had the dealers profit for because of the factory installed options.

Cheers, Edouard 

[Super65lark]

The reason I asked about the white walls is because when I got Ruthy she wore WW, no idea what size it was and they're long gone. But, it leads me to believe that the person wanted to keep the look. The spare tire, also long gone, was a bf goodrich blackwall which I assume was original to the car.

[elagache]

Dear iain and mid-60s Buick caregivers,

The reason I asked about the white walls is because when I got Ruthy she wore WW, no idea what size it was and they're long gone. But, it leads me to believe that the person wanted to keep the look. The spare tire, also long gone, was a bf goodrich blackwall which I assume was original to the car.

I'm also very curious to know if Biquette came from the factory with white walls or not.  The first pictures we have of her show black walls, but I'm reasonably certain that she had her tires replaced before being sold second-hand.  Since we bought her second hand, I'll never know.

What I do know is that when my Dad bought new tires for Biquette he insisted on white walls, so I do the same.

There are a number of other vendors that provide white wall tires.    Here are 4 more that I've found over the years:

• Universal tire- https://www.universaltire.com/
• Kelsey Tire- https://www.kelseytire.com/
• Lucas Classic Tires - https://lucasclassictires.com/
• American Classic Tires - https://www.americanclassictires.com/

So you can shop around and still get as good a deal as the market provides for speciality tires likes these.

Cheers, Edouard 

[wildcat65]

Looking at this for Pure Stock possibility.