Buick Skylark/Special Forum - '61, '62, and '63
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1962 Buick Skylark Convertible

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Post by cdnwillyg Wed Feb 19, 2020 3:58 pm

Time to go and buy some tires but not sure which way I want to go yet. I do like the original look of the 13" too, thats the way i"m leaning!!
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Post by 62cutlassconvert Wed Feb 19, 2020 4:42 pm

IMO, I would go to 13” only if it’s a show car. Very poor selection of tires. Don’t get the 185 70 13 that are available at a decent price because they are too small/ smaller than original equip 13” tires. And don’t get trailer tires which are available in 185 80 13, bad ride and handling.

Coker has some pricey ones, again show tires, not particularly good handing.
Don’t go to 14” wheels either as there is a very poor selection there too, and getting worse. You gotta pay way to much for the Radial TA.

I put Wheel Vintique 15”x 6” rims and 205 65 15” tires ,big selection of tires at all price levels. Look good and handle good. Manual steering is harder. You could always go to a skinnier 15” to get a more period look and easier steering if that’s a concern. The cars did come with a 15” wheel option, at least the Olds’ did.

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Post by cdnwillyg Wed Feb 19, 2020 6:16 pm

All good points and the beauty is I have the optional 15" factory rims for the Skylark so for show it would still be original. The Skylark has power steering so that won't be an issue either. So how are the 205 65 15 working?? The tires on the 15" rims are 205 75 15 but the rim is only 4.5" wide if its like the 13" rims I have.


Last edited by cdnwillyg on Sun Mar 22, 2020 1:51 pm; edited 2 times in total
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Post by 62cutlassconvert Wed Feb 19, 2020 6:30 pm

The tires work great. I put a rear sway bar on it with 1” lower spring at stock spring rate and it handles really good.

4.5” rims are too narrow for 205s. They will roll over onto the sidewalls and handle like crap. I think 5.5” are minimum recommended and 6 or 6.5” better.

You could run 185s which are still a bit wide on 4.5” rims bit would be a lot better. Not sure what’s available in 185s. You want to adjust your ratio when you change width so you diameter stays close to the same. Don’t know if something is available in a decent tire. Again, Coker problem has something at twice the price for half the tire.

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Post by cdnwillyg Wed Feb 19, 2020 6:34 pm

Im just guessing at the width on the 15" I have but they have 205 and look okay so maybe they are wider than the 13"
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Post by 62cutlassconvert Wed Feb 19, 2020 6:41 pm

A tire place can measure them on the car for you. Hey, if your happy with them go for it. Watch the sidewalls and see if they are rolling over onto them. Also, make sure those rims are safe for tubeless tires if that’s what you’re running. There is a difference.

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Post by cdnwillyg Fri Feb 21, 2020 11:42 am

The 15" are tubeless tires already so that won't be an issue.
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Post by 62cutlassconvert Fri Feb 21, 2020 6:11 pm

They may be holding tubeless tires but some rims at that time were not designed for tubeless and they could slip a bead on cornering... Might be fine, a good tire shop will know, or use a radial tube with the tubeless tire.

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Post by cdnwillyg Sun Mar 22, 2020 1:45 pm

So I think I will be going with 215/65/15, a little smaller than the 205/75/15 and slightly larger than the 185/75/13 that were on the car originally. Has anyone used the whitewall Portawall rings on their tires? I have heard that Atlas is the only brand to get...thoughts
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Post by 62cutlassconvert Sun Mar 22, 2020 1:59 pm

The 215s are about 2” bigger than the 185 75 but the modern 185 75 is smaller than the original anyway. I forget if your running theorig trans and speedo gear but if so you’ll be quite a bit slow.

Those didn’t turn out to be 4.5” rims did they, you need at least 6” + for 215s

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Post by cdnwillyg Sun Mar 22, 2020 2:03 pm

You're right but just going with a summer tire as the car will only be driven then and way cheaper! Call me frugal! Laughing
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Post by 62cutlassconvert Sun Mar 22, 2020 2:11 pm

Have fun.

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Post by cdnwillyg Wed Mar 25, 2020 7:50 am

Well my top hydraulics went south on me. So for now I'm going to just use it as a manual top since the cylinders seem to have failed to the point the motor and pump can't move them without overloading. One step forward two steps back....grrrrr!
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Post by cdnwillyg Thu Apr 02, 2020 5:28 pm

Well just pick up some new Hankook 205/70/15, I know not what I was saying I was going to get but the price was right $250 cdn. for all four. My windshield guy has found me a windshield and installed for $405 plus gasket. (not sure what that will be but not cheap for sure) and then just the exhaust. But of course this pandemic needs to smarten up before any of this gets done........maybe still this year????
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Post by cdnwillyg Sat Apr 11, 2020 5:45 pm

So I got the rims cleaned up ready for their new shoes!

1962 Buick Skylark Convertible - Page 4 Old_wh10

1962 Buick Skylark Convertible - Page 4 New_wh10

1962 Buick Skylark Convertible - Page 4 Thumbn60

Now off to the shoe maker for the install.
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Post by 62cutlassconvert Sat Apr 11, 2020 6:04 pm

Looks good.

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Post by cdnwillyg Wed Apr 15, 2020 7:43 am

I'm thinking she will need hubcaps, just too old school for her!!!

1962 Buick Skylark Convertible - Page 4 New_wh11
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Post by 62cutlassconvert Wed Apr 15, 2020 7:45 am

Definitely need caps. Those are orig equip wheels right?

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Post by cdnwillyg Wed Apr 15, 2020 7:52 am

Yes they are the optional 15". I have the hub caps just not the greatest!
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Post by 62cutlassconvert Wed Apr 15, 2020 8:01 am

Saw another post from you and had another one too about a set on eBay but don’t see it now.
Anyway, they are a full wheel cap for 13” ad says so I guess they won’t fit. I think the center cap style type would be same size but don’t know for sure.

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Post by cdnwillyg Wed Apr 15, 2020 11:22 am

I do have a full set for 13" wheels in good condition myself, which now won't help. I have looked into just a center cap but these being 9.5" makes them an unusual bird! So the 15" caps I have will go on for now but I think I will look for wire wheel caps in the future. Or move into a 5 lug wheel with disk brakes on the front and just adaptors for the rear.
Here is what it looks like with the old 15" caps. Should work until I find something else.
1962 Buick Skylark Convertible - Page 4 Hubcap10
1962 Buick Skylark Convertible - Page 4 Hubcap11
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Post by 62cutlassconvert Wed Apr 15, 2020 12:00 pm

“Adapters for the rears ”?

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Post by cdnwillyg Wed Apr 15, 2020 12:08 pm

Very Happy


Last edited by cdnwillyg on Tue Mar 23, 2021 6:16 am; edited 1 time in total
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Post by cdnwillyg Wed Apr 15, 2020 12:08 pm

Yeah everyone is redrilling their back axles when an a wheel adaptor would do the job just fine. Now they do add length and push the wheel out but back spacing can take care of that on the rims. I have used them on jeeps with a whole lot of more torque than these cars will develop no problems. It changes the 4 lug to 5 and any pattern you like....and cheap about $100 for the set.
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Post by 62cutlassconvert Wed Apr 15, 2020 12:15 pm

Yeah, I see them on Summit, pretty thick but if you’re buying new wheels you can set up for that. The word I got was it’s not good to redrill these axles, and new axles are $$$ , so yeah looks good I guess.

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