15" Tires for my '63 LCC

[mge825y]

I may have shared that I have had too many problems with my American Classic P235/75R14 tires on my '63 LCC. So, I have decided to go up a tire size from the stock 14" to 15". I'm doing this simply to have better tire options.

I have a set of 15" Lincoln rims from a 64/65 that were media blasted and powder coated. I have a set of 64/65 hubcaps that are on the way to me.

My question is - has anyone else upgraded to 15" wheels on their '63 and what tires are you running (I'm trying to make a tire decision)?

When I ran the P235/75R14's on my '63, the fronts would rub on the upper ball joint. Don't want that with the new ones.

Thanks for any advice or recommendations.

[Ken Stevens]

235/75R15s from Diamondbacks on 15” Lincoln steelies. Those tires are so nice; easy to balance and they are actually round. Just ordered my second set with 2-3/8 www (it’s for my ‘61). First set is 9 years old, so I’d feel better with newer rubber. The old set is being kept in storage as they still look great and have good tread.

[mge825y]

235/75R15s from Diamondbacks on 15” Lincoln steelies. Those tires are so nice; easy to balance and they are actually round. Just ordered my second set with 2-3/8 www (it’s for my ‘61). First set is 9 years old, so I’d feel better with newer rubber. The old set is being kept in storage as they still look great and have good tread.

Thanks Ken!

[Lee]

Mark, just to add to your candidates list, Cooper produces a line of tires, some with whitewalls, marketed under the “Ironman” trademark. I had never heard of them until now.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/irn-94039

Dan, do we possibly need a thread for for available tires, and owner experiences? (Maybe there already is, and I didn’t see it). There are still quite a few P235/75R15’s out there, but not many whitewalls remaining, that’s for sure.

Unfortunately for us 14” guys, the list is short: American Classics.

[Mike]

Good to know about those iron man tires. I have another car that needs them.

I'm in the 14" pool for now lincoln wise.

[mge825y]

What I've learned from the preliminary feedback on P235/75R15 tire options. (Prices are based on what I see in Charlotte, NC):
- Better: Diamond Backs Auburn Premiums are one of the better options. They are pricey and you have to order them and have them shipped to you. You can get them to put any size whitewall you want. The price is $299 / tire (and up based on the size of the whitewall and amount of customization)
- Better: VOGUECLASSIC WHITE. You can buy them at national retail tire stores. The whitewall is 1.5" probably for 70's Cadillacs. Not sure this whitewall size looks / works on a 60's Lincoln. Pricey at $218 / tire
- Better: HANKOOK OPTIMO H724. You can buy them at national retail tire stores. Backordered in my area. Narrow whitewall. $95 / tire
- Good: NEXEN N PRIZ AH5. You can buy them at national retail tire stores. Narrow whitewall. $117 / tire
- Good: Ironman RB-12 NWS All Season. You can buy them at some national chain tire stores. But can also order on-line. It has a narrow whitewall. $100 / tire.
Of course there's Coker American Classic.

[Mike]

Vogue tires are usually at the bottom of lists. People rate them high because of looks but typically say they they suck if they're on a car that sees much driving.

[LithiumCobalt]

My personal preference, I’d skip the Hankook Optimos. Sidewall is too busy/ugly. I’ve got them on my Mark III and would like to switch them. I had a set of Toyo Extensas on my ‘67 sedan. No complaints from those at all.

[mge825y]

Vogue tires are usually at the bottom of lists. People rate them high because of looks but typically say they they suck if they're on a car that sees much driving.

Good to know!

[mge825y]

My personal preference, I’d skip the Hankook Optimos. Sidewall is too busy/ugly. I’ve got them on my Mark III and would like to switch them. I had a set of Toyo Extensas on my ‘67 sedan. No complaints from those at all.

Good to know! Looks like they (the Optimas) are being discontinued and replaced with a similar Hankook style named Kinergy.

[TonyC]

Discount Tire told me something different regarding Nexen vs. Hankook, two months ago. The tech there said that Hankooks are not reputed to have the best tread integrity, that the Nexens they (Discount) sell would be a bit better. So, I'm sporting the Nexens on Frankenstein's front wheels. The pair I bought proved to be less of a dollar amount than the Hankooks I had been buying from Peerless since being in Kansas (before Discount Tire started to appear in the state). Having done the math based on what I paid, it would cost me $100 less for a set of Nexens from Discount than a set of Hankooks from Peerless! The Nexen tires also have M+S rating, which may not sound like much here but is critical in places like Germany. And if what they said about tread integrity is true (still saying "if"), then that's an even better deal.

---Tony

[Lee]

Here’s another for the list. Don’t know a thing about them…
https://www.suretractires.com/wsw/

[LC67Vert]

Mark, many thanks for posting the results of your tire research. I am leaning toward getting the Diamondbacks even though they may be more expensive. I don’t mind paying extra if the tires have a higher weight limit, better specs and offer better handling characteristics than others. Also, I prefer a tire that has the proper size whitewall for my ‘67 which is a narrower ww than those on a ‘63. When I first bought the car the whitewalls were way too wide but I soon replaced them with correctly sized ones which I prefer.

[LC67Vert]

Here’s another for the list. Don’t know a thing about them…
https://www.suretractires.com/wsw/

Those tires look decent too. Thanks for posting.

[mge825y]

Lee - Thanks for the intel on the SureTracs. I saw those too but I also know nothing about them and don't know anyone personally that have purchased them. I wished there was more data out there on them.

Nick - Thanks for the intel on the Hankooks. You own some - so you know. Plus, I saw this week that they have been discontinued. I'll take them off the board.

Tony - Thanks for the intel on the Nexens. I've been looking at them closer since I read Nick's feedback, and that the Hankooks have been discontinued .

LC67Vert - I'm torn on going with the Diamond Backs or the Nexens. Although it's hard to see, I think the Nexen whitewall is smaller than what '63's originally came with. It may be a small enough difference that I can live with. With Diamond Backs, they will put any size WW on the tires. But then I looked at the load ratings - if I'm reading it right, those Auburn Premiums are rated for 2205 and the Nexens are 2271. Ugh. So many choices to ponder.

Well, I'm not going to get to the tire store until next week, so I still have time to think on it.