Tires

[Mark Bartlett]

Hi I am new to this Discussion  I currently purchasing a 64 Deville convertible and It has bias ply tires that are 15 year old  they have L-78-15 tires and would like to put on radials . Question  what is a good cross to radial tire and is l-78-15 the original tire size. Thanks  Mark

[C. Van Tune]

GM made radials standard on almost all of its car lines in 1975, replete with a special tread pattern developed by GM to be used with Goodyear and Firestone tire designs. 

The Eldo and Fleetwood were optionally available with radials starting in the '73 model year (maybe '72 in some instances) but radials didn't become standard on all Cadillac models until 1975. 

Lincoln beat Cad by a country mile, as the '70 Mark III was the first American car with radial tires. The Continental got 'em too.  Michelin X, as I recall. 

And yes, radials do everything better than bias-ply tires.   Only for big car shows would I ever again put bias ply tires on my classic cars. 

[C. Van Tune]

Thanks Tony!  I'm full of otherwise-useless automotive trivia.  Nice to have this Cadillac forum to share some of it with.  

Van

[C. Van Tune]

Diamondback Tires will custom make your sidewall however you want it.

I special ordered a set of their tires for my '71 Imperial, and they exactly matched the Imperial-unique double-whitewall design. My car has its original spare tire, and I sent them pix of it as a guide.

I am amazed at how accurate they were able to make the new tires' sidewalls look.

No need anymore to settle for a wrong style.  

[Logan Robb]

Anyone know the name of the correct wheel weights? I know they are getting harder to find. 

[Ray Schick]

[Mark Bartlett]

Thanks