What Was the Standard Wheel Diameter for '65 Signet Convertible?

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dibbons

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The majority of '65 Valiants came standard with 13" wheels (the formula "S" I believe came with 14" wheels). Our '65 Signet convertible currently has 14" wheels and I was wondering if those came from the factory originally or if a previous owner upgraded? Thank you.

Signet edited.png
 
I would agree with others that 13" are very likely what it had. 14" are an excellent upgrade!
 
IF the car had disc brakes OR the handling package it would have left the factory with 14" wheels. Both were available on the Valiant, but discs were a late year addition to the option sheet.
 
I was wondering the same thing, my daughter just pick up this car, and it has 14's on it, and its an original Commando car

Attach0001.jpg
 
IF the car had disc brakes OR the handling package it would have left the factory with 14" wheels. Both were available on the Valiant, but discs were a late year addition to the option sheet.

My non-Formula-S 65 Barracuda with Commando 273, four speed, ten inch drum brakes and handling package originally was equipped with 13 inch wheels.

Formula S Barracudas had 14 x 5.5 inch wheels standard.
 
My non-Formula-S 65 Barracuda with Commando 273, four speed, ten inch drum brakes and handling package originally was equipped with 13 inch wheels. Formula S Barracudas had 14 x 5.5 inch wheels standard.

Yea Mopar in the early days, just proves they did what was available on the line the day your rolled down the line!
 
My non-Formula-S 65 Barracuda with Commando 273, four speed, ten inch drum brakes and handling package originally was equipped with 13 inch wheels.

Formula S Barracudas had 14 x 5.5 inch wheels standard.
My 65 Barracuda, (non-Formula S) 273 Commando, 4 speed, 7.25 rear, I bought from the dealer, came factory equipped with 14" wheels.
 
My non-Formula-S 65 Barracuda with Commando 273, four speed, ten inch drum brakes and handling package originally was equipped with 13 inch wheels.

Formula S Barracudas had 14 x 5.5 inch wheels standard.

Handling package included 14" wheels. Sway bar may have been added.
 
Early 65 factory literature doesn't even list 14 inch wheels as an option. It does list a handling package with HD springs and torsion bars plus a front sway bar, with no mention of 14 inch wheels.

Rallye suspension:

65_Barracuda0008.jpg


Standard tires were 6.50 x 13 blackwall for six cylinders, 7.00 x 13 blackwall for V8's:

65_Barracuda0010.jpg


Optional were 6.50 x 13 whitewall and 7.00 x 13 blackwall for six cylinders, and 7.00 x 13 whitewall for V8's and sixes:

65_Barracuda0011.jpg


Accessory groups included a "Performance Group" that included the Commando 273, rally suspension and power brakes (with no mention of tire size) and a "Sport Group" that included 13 inch whitewalls. My Barracuda (which I've owned since 1968) has both these groups and also the "Basic Group."

65_Barracuda0012.jpg


One would think that if 14 inch wheels came with the handling package, the literature would have said so.

Note that HD shocks were not included in the non-S handling package. They were a separate option. The S included both, as well as fourteen inch wheels (plus a tach, which my non-S Commando 273 did not have).

My sway bar could not have been added after the fact without also swapping the original lower control arms for a set with the factory mounting tabs. I have owned mine since August of 1968, when it only had 30,000 miles on it. I am quite convinced that did not happen, and that my car originally had HD suspension with sway bar and 13 inch wheels.
 
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My factory book shows all 1965 Valiant tires are 6.50 x 13 inches except Barracuda Formula S 6.95 x 14 .

Unless you had the factory tow package.

Factory tow packages came with
HD cooling
Front Sway Bar
10” Brakes
14” wheels
Wiring to accept trailer pigtail
 
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My 65, (circa) late December, 65 early January 66, came with 14" wheels. The first thing I did was get rid of the awful OEM hub caps, and of course went to "Moons." I don't remember a sway bar.

barracuda miami.JPG


barracuda miami 1.JPG
 
My 65, (circa) late December, 65 early January 66, came with 14" wheels. The first thing I did was get rid of the awful OEM hub caps, and of course went to "Moons." I don't remember a sway bar.

View attachment 1715845022

View attachment 1715845024

I think you mean late 64, early 65. At any rate, my 65's build date was December 4, 1964, so kinda early in the production year. Rules may have changed later.
BTW, related to another post a while back, I note that your center grille is body color, and the inset area of the front valence, under the bumper, is painted black.
 
1965 mopar parts book.
Item 22-01-5
Valiant/Dart 13x4.5 part number 2534 167
Valiant/Dart 14x4.5 part number 2660 308
Barracuda 14x5.5 part number 2660 312

PS: 64 parts book shows only 13x4.5 different part number 2073 342
Does not list Barracuda, and I don't have the 64 Barracuda parts book.
 
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I think you mean late 64, early 65. At any rate, my 65's build date was December 4, 1964, so kinda early in the production year. Rules may have changed later.
BTW, related to another post a while back, I note that your center grille is body color, and the inset area of the front valence, under the bumper, is painted black.

No, I bought it late in the year (65) or January, 66. The dealer (I think is now called Dadeland Dodge and Chrysler) had the car for several months after the sale fell through because of the 4 speed and Commando engine. A young guy (rich kid) got it for his graduation from high school (June 65) to drive to college. (UAF) He put a thousand miles or so on it and brought it back and traded it for a slant 6 automatic. He told the dealer he didn't like driving the 4 speed in traffic, it used too much gas and most of all it was too (resonator) loud. The black in the picture must be from the negative, or a shadow. It had no black paint on it. I owned it clear up until 1975, until in a fit of anger, traded it in on a new Chevy step side. (Stupid!) I've searched for it (I have the VIN Number also) for many years without luck.
 
No, I bought it late in the year (65) or January, 66. The dealer (I think is now called Dadeland Dodge and Chrysler) had the car for several months after the sale fell through because of the 4 speed and Commando engine. A young guy (rich kid) got it for his graduation from high school (June 65) to drive to college. (UAF) He put a thousand miles or so on it and brought it back and traded it for a slant 6 automatic. He told the dealer he didn't like driving the 4 speed in traffic, it used too much gas and most of all it was too (resonator) loud. The black in the picture must be from the negative, or a shadow. It had no black paint on it. I owned it clear up until 1975, until in a fit of anger, traded it in on a new Chevy step side. (Stupid!) I've searched for it (I have the VIN Number also) for many years without luck.

OK, you mean you bought it then, not that it was built then. My working theory now is that only 13 inchers were available early in the production year, with 14's available later - initially as standard in the Formula S package, which was announced in November of 64, and then optionally in non-S cars - when??

BTW, here's what the Barracuda's front valence looks like when the inset portion is NOT blacked out:

9702025-1965-plymouth-barracuda-std.jpg
 
OK, you mean you bought it then, not that it was built then. My working theory now is that only 13 inchers were available early in the production year, with 14's available later - initially as standard in the Formula S package, which was announced in November of 64, and then optionally in non-S cars - when??

BTW, here's what the Barracuda's front valence looks like when the inset portion is NOT blacked out:

View attachment 1715845122

Strange, I never noticed that before. I see now what you are talking about. I'll have to look at some other pictures I have. I do know, I never put any paint on my car???
 
Strange, I never noticed that before. I see now what you are talking about. I'll have to look at some other pictures I have. I do know, I never put any paint on my car???

You wouldn't have had to; the factory blacked out that area. Although not everyone believes that, because a lot of stuff has been altered in the almost sixty years that have passed since these cars were new.

On the other hand, I have discovered that things I "knew" were true for all my life were not necessarily true for every one or every car or every assembly plant or every shift in the same plant or every part of the production year. So I try not to be a know it all, but then I don't always follow my own advice, either.
 
You wouldn't have had to; the factory blacked out that area. Although not everyone believes that, because a lot of stuff has been altered in the almost sixty years that have passed since these cars were new.

On the other hand, I have discovered that things I "knew" were true for all my life were not necessarily true for every one or every car or every assembly plant or every shift in the same plant or every part of the production year. So I try not to be a know it all, but then I don't always follow my own advice, either.

These are the valances of the two Barracudas I have now. The other pictures are from my original car. In one of the pictures, I was in the process of removing the 8.75 rear I had installed shortly after I bought the car in 65. I had the front bumper removed for some reason and you can better see that the valance was open all the way across. I had owned the car for nearly 10 years by then. Anyway, as previous said, a lot of stuff came out of the factories a little different, depending on where they were made.

blue cuda valance.jpg


grey cuda valance.jpg


Ft. Walton Barracuda front end.jpg


Miami barracuda race.jpg


Miami barracuda engine.jpg
 
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