Wheels

[Yadkin]

Maybe a little ahead of the game, since I have a good set of OEM steel wheels and hubcaps, but I've always been a fan of wire wheels. What are the cons? Tubes? Do they work with radial tires?

[YellowRose]

Wheels

Steve, over the years, people have written about the problems that they have had with KH type wire rims. Others have not had any. I understand that you have to run tubes in your tires with these rims. I know that some have had problems with the tubes developing leaks. In fact, I think that Chris ~ bird 60 covered this subject recently. I do not know if they will work with radials. Others can tell you that. I suspect they do, but with tubes again. One way around this, if you like the look of the wire rims, is doing what one of our ex-members did. He bought the wire wheel covers for his Squarebird. When they got dirty, he popped them off, and put them in the dishwasher (when his wife was not around...) In a few minutes, he had clean "wire rims", slapped them back on the car and away he went...

[Yadkin]

Yesterday I took the first step to purchasing a set of Coker "Thunderbird Wire Wheels". Their website shows two sizes for 64-66 Birds. Their '64 model has a 4" backspace, and the 65-66 has a 3.5" backspace.

My current wheels are 3.5" backspace an 2.38" hub, fitting the drums perfectly. I'm not sure where I got them. Apparently they are not original.

I'm converting to front discs, and the hub is slightly larger at 2.47" diameter. I talked to a Coker rep and he told me the hubs are 2.52", which hub should fit, and I've ordered a single wheel to check.

I found a helpful web page to help visualize wheel and tire configurations, here.

Also a tire size comparison from antiques, to classic, to modern P Metric sizing, here. The second comparison chart is the easiest to read.

For tires, it looks like the two OE sizes are 815-15 or 825-15. Choosing the larger, that is equivalent to 215/75/15. I'm planning on going to a slightly lower profile, and have chosen 225/70/15.

I'm currently running 235/75/15 and have cut the skirts to fit, so I shouldn't have an issue with the new wheels/ tires.

[Yadkin]

Coker has no problem running radials with these rims, and recommends tubes with them. From what I've been reading the tubes help keep the interior of the rim from rusting.

[Yadkin]

Coker sent me a bare wheel for a '65 TBird, and it fits the front disc conversion perfectly. About one finger between the caliper and the rim. Lots of room on the OE rear drums.

So I pulled the trigger and ordered the complete set. Three wheels, tubes and 225/70/15 tires, 3/4" raised white walls, mounted and balanced, a fourth wheel, tube and tire loose, for me to have mounted locally, and four hub caps. Delivered to my door for under $2500.

The hubs are all metal except for the small center. Very nicely chromed.

[Yadkin]

The wheels came in, three mounted. Look at the BS job some joker at Coker did here. Count 'em- 18 weights! It's off to my local shop to get re-mounted and balanced correctly.

[Dan Leavens]

Steve that is just bizarre with all those weights. Certainly let Coker know so they can isolate who did this and punt them.

[Yadkin]

My tire guy re-mounted the tire, rotating it 180 degrees, and came up with this. About the same weight, so it's either the tube or the wheel that's out of balance. It runs true and these weights won't fall off, and that's what's important.

[Yadkin]

Here's what she looks like (no hubcaps). Way better than the ugly steelies and small hubcaps!

[RustyNCa]

Steve that is just bizarre with all those weights. Certainly let Coker know so they can isolate who did this and punt them.

Hmm, well, Coker, shall I tell you my Coker tire story?

The tires up front on our lil coupe....

[Yadkin]

The wheels make the car! Looks so much better.

Before and after:

[Dan Leavens]

Steve the wheels look classic and she sits great

[Yadkin]

As far as the "sit", or rake, I was a bit overzealous 25 years ago when I installed the last set of front springs. I bought "heavy duty" front springs and ended up cutting three coils out. The front end was too low and the ride was terrible. This time I ordered the springs for a non-AC car and cut only one coil off. There is just a slight bit of rake and it rides nice.

My original sales receipt solved a small mystery. The factory repair manual specifies 8.00 x 14 tires, and that always confused me because the steel wheels that I had when I bought the car were 15". The sales receipt says that the car came with 815x15 tires.

The increased wheel width, reduced backspace, increased tire width, and lower profile all work together to make this set look just perfect, in my opinion. And, the narrow whitewall gives the effect of a much larger wheel with a super low profile tire.

[Dan Leavens]

And, the narrow whitewall gives the effect of a much larger wheel with a super low profile tire.

They also pull the exterior colour to contrast the wheel wells. Nice