That's a pretty wide tire for a 7" wheel but you'll be able to get the tires on the wheels. What I don't think you'll be able to do is get them under the rear fenderwells of a `64, if that's what your plan is. Unfortunately, our early A bodies don't have a ton of room under there. I have 275/60-15s on 8" wheels under my `65, but they have a 5 1/2" BS (I have a `70 rearend in the car, which is 1/2 wider on each end than the original). With the original rearend I would need a 5" BS. Anyway, I can't get my fingers in between the tire and the outer wheelhouse or between the tire and the frame on the inside, and I don't have fat fingers. I think the 15x7 Chevy rally wheel has a 4 1/2" BS, or close, which I think will put the tire too close to the outer wheelhouse. If so, I think it'll be really close. Might need to go with a smaller tire, possibly a 245/60 or 255/60. Or a hammer and a Sawzall.
Right now I have the XGS's old front tires on the special @ 235/60/15 (25" tall), and they look good. Id like just as wide but 2" taller on the rears. The ones on the rear of the XGS are 275/50/15s and are too wide? Probably 15 X 8 on the Cragars. Bill
Bill there is a company in Wilmar Mn. that will custom make any aluminum radiator you want (Wilmar is not to far from me). I didn't know they even existed until a couple of years ago. A fellow member of the 61-63 group had a nice cross flow radiator custom made and wasn't that expensive either. It fits great and works great too. We can't buy a direct drop in replacement radiator for our 61-63Y body's. Yeah we all know about the Champion brand that supposedly fits but don't! Keith
These the guys? https://www.northernfactory.com/ Now that the core support is made up I can get some actual sizes without guessing. I am probably guessing a 1967 GS Big block 3-4 row core and 25-3/8" across so it will fit will be the one. Ive got feelers out with German Ticklers going 240! I wish someone could answer how the saddle mount works. The OEM jobs have a tank to core ridge that sits in the rubber saddle groove. The new al. jobs are smooth on the top and bottom. ws
Not sure if that's them or not, been awhile but don't ring a bell. Not sure if this will help you or not, but I had to make new saddle brackets for the aluminum radiator I'm putting in my car. I used some 1/8"X1" flat stock, formed and bent to fit, then lined it with a piece of old serpentine belt cut to length (already 1" wide) and glued in with some 3m weather strip adhesive. Radiator fits nice and snug! And guys ask me where I found the rubber at lol. Gotta think be outside the box sometimes! Keith
I like the belt idea! BRAVO! So do you saddle the core itself or the tanks? Thats an idea I can work with! Bill
Picked up and installed the new back shoes yesterday. The BAD LASS took on the strange lines of a gasser. The back end needs to come up about 2 inches. The final call was R235-70-15s. The front is at R235-60-15s. The coopers are just about 2" taller.Couldnt go much wider either way with a 4 inch BS on the stock wheels, its all good Getting closer every day! Gotta finish up with the heat exchanger, brake bleeding, plug wires, and some pipes. Well maybe a day or two for the little things. Sunday is BOAT day. Need to get a headstart on that one too... ws
Um, I don't know Bill. Unless that's the look you're going for, I think the front end needs to drop 2-3 inches. The back end looks like it's at a perfect ride height right now. But of course that's your call. That's gonna be a cool Burrick when it hits the streets, can't wait to see it done!
The front springs were from a 1965 GS Nailhead (425?) and the owner thought it sat too high for his taste. They were brand new MOOGS that the moog girl recommended. I too think the front will settle out. Thats not an aluminum 350 up there ya know? The back end has stock new springs that are actually a good inch taller than the OEM rusty ones. Im old school and installed some Gabriel air shocks on the back. Im gonna hook up the hoses today and see where it sits. Right now the rear bumper is up against the door and its gonna be 60F here today. Ill get that done and also put the rear end cover back on and fill that with oil. Heck if its nice enough I may pull the power washer out and give her a douche. The car was delivered the day after Christmas so washing it was out. Ive already eaten most of the road dirt that fell off in my face since then LOL. Like the Pollocks in Chicago say' bugarzuponya. Nice and black. Yesterday I ordered to exterior trim clips, a pressure/vacuum brake bleeder, and an 8mm plug wire crimper. Picked up THREE pairs of the Buick plug wire clips that go on the valve cover studs. Four for this one and two for the 72 that are "marginal" in condition. Each pair was about 3.99 from dorman at crackauto. Big enough for 8.5mm wires I believe. Gotta go turn the shop on and get dressed for anudder banner day. The playoffs are just around the corner, HA! ws
My new springs settled down some after a bit of spirited driving doing some aggressive turning and heavy start and stop driving. I personally wouldn't care for 60's in front and 70's in the back. But as somebody already said, that's your call Bill. Traction will be minimal as it is with that big old 455, then going to a narrower 70 series tire will take away a little more.
I can go with that Mike. I am at a point where I had to try and make things work as none of it is a factory install. The front springs are a bit taller than I wanted to see, but we'll hafta let them settle in. I have the OEM springs and another set of used GS BBB springs. Its not that bad to change, but as I said I had to start somewhere, and just didnt want the front end "plowing". After today, I aired up the back and it leveled out pretty well with some weight transfer to the front as well. The 70s went on to accommodate some extra height in the back and wasnt sure if I could spare any more width. Stock 15x7 wheels and about 1 inch on either side of the tire to the sheet metal/frame. The traction issue will get resolved next year with some more suspension work. Pics in a while... pizza time! ws
Hey Bill, I managed to fit 275-60-15 drag radial tires on 15" Buick rally rims(not sure what back spacing they have?) that went on my '64 Skylark that fit ok and looked great('67 Chevelle 12 bolt rear end). I'll try to remember to go out tomorrow when its not raining to see what I have on the fronts but those are 14" Buick rallies so...... Made for a great looking stance with just the right amount of rake with stock style springs all the way around.(IMO anyway) The above just for a future reference after those are burned off and if you find a set of Buick rallies? With the front being slightly higher will help to transfer the weight to the rear tires quicker for better traction. When I had the worn out rear springs on my '65 Impala I couldn't make the rear tires spin on wet pavement! But that was also when I had the factory sbc 283 in it, that 100 extra cubes REALLY makes a difference! Plus the new springs made the front passengers side spring break after the new ones were installed! I think I bought big block springs for the front(can't recall its been a while since I bought them but I think that's what I got from my CRS memory) so I can try to get the front up higher than the rear so maybe I can get more traction like it was with the 283 in it? Hoping to have the time, $$ and energy to put the brand new used frame in the Impala this summer so I can drive that thing again! Thanks for you inspiration with your Skylark thread, would like to get some work done on one of my Skylarks as well this year?(we'll see?) If I do, it will be the first naturally aspirated pump gas Nailhead that makes over 650 HP!(that I know of anyway?)
I can't remember for sure, but it seems like my front springs settled about 3/4" over a few months. Did you try the 60 series from the front on the back? Just curious. Man, you are flat going after this project! Looking good!
Attitude is everything.. Full quart of gear oil in the peg leg; didnt spill a drop! Clean, clean, clean, then ran a tap in the holes with neverseize. All the stove bolts screwed in finger tight. Finished up on the air lines, and pumped them up. From 10 feet away its gonna look tetas. Kinda hard in a small shop. Dressed the one rear wheel for effect. Cleaned out 20 lbs of decomposed steel from the trunk. Probably gonna need a floor. So at a garage sale today picked up a REED Mfgr. bench vise with pipe jaws... real industrial unit all cleaned and painted, along with a few gallons of mineral spirits for .50/gallon. Also some drill pres vise grips at .50 each. I guess 20 pairs wont hurt eh? The best part was the four blue matching handy mats for the floor. Didnt want to cut a hole in that uber rare 1964 ONLY full width front and rear Skylark mats that are for sale. Match the pedal pads perfectly. Now all I need is a blue stomper pedal pad. Tomorrow Pat and I are going to an Easter Sunrise service over the lake at 5:45, then its off to the boat. I need a day off from car stuff. Earned or deserved Im not sure! Ordered 8mm wire crimpers, a vacuum brake bleeder. May hafta ditch the fan clutch. Will a fixed blade take care of business for me? What about noise and power loss????. These are all rhetorical questions that I will figger out and answer myself. Happy Easter everyone.. and a big ol' salami in the Lincoln for those who arent... ws
Mine sits quite a bit lower and the tires are tucked under the rear fenderwells. If I understand correctly, your rear tires would rub if you lowered it? I have Hotchkis 1" drop springs under mine and the rear disc rotors add another 3/16" on each side.
Not quite the case Bill; I can lower it probably 10" (full travel) without a rub even with the tall tires. Unfortunately, fleet farm (tire store here) wouldnt mount them (on my $$$) and return them if they didnt fit once mounted. They also got pissy about going any wider on a stock rim. Although I couldve gone 1 or 2 sizes wider on the 7" rims as per their catalogue. Tire Pro's dont always have a clue; of course rubber band wheels are OK. Right. Im not spry enough to be swapping tires and rims anymore, so sizing was a crapshoot. I sure didnt wanna get stuck with skins that rubbed especially on the sides, plus I knew I was gonna need the height. This little car is gonna look as wild as I hope it behaves! Next time around, Ill drive it to the tire place(s) and get accurate measurements for a decent fit. Once again, its a case of measuring air. Now back to the cooling plan...
Bill ! You like Me have been around the block enough times to know that a shmitty old tire on a rim and a chunk of broom handle can buy You an extra inch of space? If that is not enough than an angle grinder and a cut off wheel can get Ya more. Just saying! I should say the broom handle only works if there is no bondo in yhe lip.
