Baby waitin’ for a new set of shoes…
The original correct tire size for the Electra 225 was Bias Ply 800 x 15 with white walls optional. Unfortunately, that exact size is not currently available. I had to make a decision to either go with radials or original bias ply. After much deliberation…and even canceling an order of radials moments before they were shipped…I decided to go with Coker’s (http://store.cokertire.com/) U.S. Royal branded 820-15 bias ply with 2 3/4″ whitewall. I could have gone with the Coker brand with 2 1/2″ whitewalls, but there was no such thing as “Coker” brand tires in 59.
By most accounts, correct whitewall width should be between 2.3″ and 2.5″ (the factory installed different brands with each brand having slightly different white wall widths). Luckily…after installation the whitewall measures exactly 2.5″ because 1/4″ is inside the rim.. I’m hoping that with the entire front end being rebuilt it will be nice and tight so I won’t be all over the road with these bias ply tires. Just in case… Greg is painting me a second set of wheels if I want to throw on some radials at a later date.
One of the regular Buick Options for many years through 1958 was having the wheels painted red from the factory. For 1959 Buick decided to make the standard wheel color black, with the only option of changing the wheel color to body color. In the case of a white car it meant going with either standard black wheels or optional white wheels. As purchased, this car had optional white wheels which quite honestly look like poop. The temporary black rims that were on the car in the shop were not much of an improvement. Below is a picture of white 59 Buick where the rims were painted red to match the interior (note that this car has the Deluxe wheel covers, whereas the Electra 225 came with the Super Deluxe wheel covers with spinners) …
In the case of a white car with red interior, I think the factory missed the boat and should have offered red wheels. I’ve decided to deviate from stock on this issue and have the wheels painted red! (heck…I like these red wheels so much maybe I’ll just chuck the wheel covers)
Out of the shop for the first time…
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~ Tom Sidoti
1959 Buick Electra 225 Convertible