It seems some of us are never done with our rides. Always tinkering, repairing, modifying and trying to mold them to suit our own personal tastes and sometimes others. My 50 Burb is my daily and fits more of what I do every day, hauls the family and dogs, pulls the trailer on the weekends , than a 29 coupe of a 40 sedan would. As much as I would love to have a 29, it's not in the cards just yet....but soon. The Suburban is currently rolling on 16" stock wheels and some thin Coker wide whites with tubes. We pull a 20' Avion from Spring through Fall and I would feel more comfortable using a better weight range tire. This throws me into changing tires, wider wheels etc. which gets me excited to have a couple sets to switch around " when the mood strikes". I have looked at Vintiques smoothies in a wider wheel with thier caps, Wheelsmiths "Artillery" wheel that is wider and can get them in 16-18 inch and also kicking around the Lakester Halibrand cast look( no billit ) with blackwalls. I prefer wide whites, but mabey i'm crazy for using them on such a large vehicle and washing them every other day up here in the NW during the winter? What would you run, what color etc. on this ride if you drove it everyday, hauled your dogs in it, hauled your travel trailer with it etc , but still wanted something traditional(ish)?
Personally I love the way it looks now, so I would go with a bit wider wheel, the same color and radials
Guess I'm the minority, but I think a set of Artilleries would be a cool change up - maybe with narrower ww's. What color is the interior? Wheels color matched would be cool. Maybe a dark green, if it doesn't clash w/ the interior.
Thanks guys. Interior colors: Mocha brown metal seat back panels and rails ( same as wheels), dark tabaco vinyl and a tan ( similar to body color) cloth headliner, dooor and inner quarter panels. I hear what you are saying about " leaving it" or " I like the look" I do like it also. I guess I'm just bored, can't stand to leave something alone and have to buy tires and wider wheels anyway for towing. Mabey an Artillery painted Mocha with a body color pinstipe accent on each " finger" and use the same ribbed 3/4 rings and caps?
how about some supremes and some narrow whitewall radials? you could get a decent load range and a wider wheels that way. may be a bit lowrider for you but would definately fit the car matt
^^^ I like the look of supremes and pinners on Riv's , Impala's but on this big truck I think they would look out of place. I also live in the NW where your car gets keyed if it is too heavily modified or shiney and someone doesn't approve.
I'd give the burb a split personality depending on what I was doing with it at the time. Keep the wide whites for when you are doing something where wide whites rule and put a set of radials that are rated for the loads you intend to carry and tow on some 15 or even 16 inch steelies with caps and rings. Have that outfit down by you grind you a set of whitewall radials if you want wide whites on it. Not a thing in the world wrong with being able to say that "these are my cruising tires and those are my towing tires". It wouldn't be the first rig in the PNW with more than one set of wheels and tires to choose back and forth from.
It is perfect the way it sits. That being said, i would look into some diamondback ww radials on some equivalent wheels if you must. My suggestion is to leave well enough alone and save for the 29. Everything ive seen you build has a cool vibe. Youve built 2 trucks now in what 6 months. Hell just build a tow rig! Show off!
NO RADIALS!!! I think Artilleries would look pretty cool with some bias plies with a heavier load rating and a WIDE whitewall like you have. I think it looks perfect as is, are you having troubles with how it tows or do you just not feel comfortable with it? Fight the urge to change if not necessary, go build a model car or something
Pulling a trailer? Wheel Vintique steelies with caps and WWW radials. Otherwise, I'd leave it. I remember, as a kid, when my dad got his first set of radials for the family wagon. Man, he floated out of Sears on a cloud of pride. He talked about those tires till my mom made him shut up.
Get a set of stock 16's widened to accept wider tires and keep the look you have now. The truck looks great IMO!
Here's last summer with the old tired motor, truck 4sp , 3:08s . Now it has a 200 hp 250, 700r4, 3:73s, lowered, all new bearings front and rear, trailer brake etc. We do tow a lot with it and I hate the thought of continuing to run tubes.
That trailer house pic is AWSOME! Perdue, it was only a month on the Apache hehehe. I bought the burb in a box and trailered it and a truckload of stuff home on memorial day weekend last year 2012 when I sold the 55 wagon. It had radial Hurst Racing WWs , basically a new modern tire with a WW bonded to the outside. They rode super nice like tfeverfred's dads car but like streamliner is leaning towards, look nothing like a traditional bias ply. These. Cokers have the look, just need a stiffer sidewall and no tube.
that burb rocks! Are you on the airstream forum? From what i gathered if a guy keeps his speed down and has some decent radials for the added weight towing the 20 footer should be a breeze.
The Jalopy Journal
