'69 Valiant SBP on steelies: Comparison of original bias-ply with various radials

[cudak888]

This isn't as much a question as rambling through one of my crazy projects.

My '69 Valiant originally came with 6.50x13 bias-ply tires on the original 13" rims (don't know if they're 4" wide or 4.5") - of which one bias-ply still survives in the trunk. The rest of the car came with a set of P185/70/R13 Goodyear radials on the same rims, which are terribly undersized in diameter to the original 6.50's.

Since then - following a lot of failed attempts, I finally got my hands on a mutt set of 14" SBP rims (three 4.5" wide, and one 5.5"), and I may be able to get the final 5.5" rim. I'm not keen on the idea of two different rim widths, but this is all I've found locally, and I dare say the difference won't be that noticeable. Seeing that I've got a bone stock 225 slant under the hood, I see no reason to overplay or even try to play big and littles - not that I want to, either.

In the meantime, I wanted to get an idea of how each of these wheels appear next to another, so I shot a few quick comparison pictures. Nothing here is too scientific, but it might help someone in the future.

Note that I haven't mounted any of these, so I don't know if the 215's will clear everything on the Valiant to begin with. We'll see when I try installing it.

In the meantime, here's how the tires stack up next to the Goodyears on the car now:

6.50x13 bias-ply next to Goodyear P185/70/R13. (Had the PO made an effort to match the originals, a P185/80/R13 would have worked, though they're hard to come by):

P215/70/R14 on 14x4.5" SBP rim. Looking good, and a bit better contact patch too. Yes, I know the bead is not mounted correctly on the inside.

I also found that the P215's (with rims) will fit in the trunk cavity, but stick out quite a bit. Ditto for a P195/70/R15. Width is an issue, and far as I can see, the only thing that actually fits in there is the old bias ply (which might explain why its still there).

Honestly, I'm not sure if those P215's are too big for the front or not. I plan to try them out today.

-Kurt

 

[cudak888]

I mounted the P215/70/R14's to the front of the Valiant this morning as a test. I don't feel confident that the P215's bulging on the 4.5" rims is a good idea, but a set of the wider 5.5" SBP's will solve that (unfortunately, I have three 4.5" rims and one 5.5").

That said, it sits a bit high on the torsion bars, but so do the 13's - easing them off would solve that. Looks a hell of a lot better than the 13" wheelbarrow wheels:

Clearance is ample:

The best part about this is that after installing the P215 wheels, I found that my wandering front-end handling disappeared. It actually self-centers itself on the road now, allowing me to look down at the gauges for more than a quarter second.

The front end had previously been aligned with the 13's to the street specs for radials listed here on the forum (after doing the offset bushing modification), but it still darted around the road. I'm not sure if it's because the caster was increased with the back end on the ground, whether the larger sidewall deflects better, or if the control arms are in a sweet spot with the taller wheels.

Whatever the case, I don't hate the Mopar power steering box anymore. With the alignment dialed in, it's no better or worse than a Saginaw box of the same era.

-Kurt

 

[AJ/FormS]

That car looks to be in fine condition.

 

[cudak888]

That car looks to be in fine condition.

It is. 22k on the clock and even the seatbelt buckles aren't scratched. Also a bare-bones car - auto transmission, heater, 225 slant, and nothing else. Not even a factory gradient tint on the front window.

There is evidence that it was damaged and repaired on the left rear quarter and door long ago, but the repair was done reasonably well, and the paint (for better or worse) done nicer than the factory paint which is over the rest of the car (hood, trunk, roof, and all of the RH).

Even though those are the original 13" wheels, the small tires are the only things ruining it for me - both in looks and drivability.

-Kurt