1958 Buick: Questions from new owner.

I just bought a '58 Buick Special Estate Wagon, haven't got the shop and body manuals yet, and would like a translation what the data plate on the firewall is telling me. Can you help?

Doorjam plate says: '4 E3018263'

Firewall plate says: 1958 Model 49 3 Body No. 2381 Trim No. 455 Paint No. B-B Acc. B

Also, do you know what size tires were originally put on the car, and what the newer code for that same size would be? It's a sort of a pushmobile on four flats, right now, and none of the tire dealers I've been to have interchange manuals that go back that far. The tires, the four flats, on the car, might be the wrong ones.

Finally, are there 1950s Buick mailing lists you might recommend I sign on to? And are there any other '58 Buick owners reading this newsgroup?

Thanks very much.

Coker

If the wheels are 15', put on 225 or 235R15s and if the wheels are 14' use 215R14 (or 205R14 if you can't find the wider ones) tires. Coker tire has the outside diameters of all of the tire sizes for old tires like that along with diameters for newer tires. Use the 75 series tires although they are a little fatter than the original 78-80 aspect ratio tires used back then. I have a '57 Chevy wagon (came with 14' wheels) and used the 215 width with no problems. Radial tires will work on the car quite nicely and provide a good ride. If your front end alignment is good and you drive mildly, you can expect better than the nominal milage out of a set of tires.