1964 Humber Tire Fitment Guide

1964 Humber vehicles use four sizes across two models. The Humber Hawk uses 175R15 in radial form or 640-15 in bias-ply form, while the Humber Super Snipe uses 185R15 in radial form or 775-15 in bias-ply form. Every size mounts on a 15-inch rim. Where product-specific wheel width guidance is available, 640-15 spans roughly 4.00 to 5.00 inches depending on the tire, 185R15 spans about 4.5 to 6.5 inches, and 775-15 spans about 4.50 to 6 inches.

That means year and make alone are not enough for a correct starting point on a 1964 Humber. Confirm whether the car is a Hawk or a Super Snipe first, then narrow the choice to the bias-ply or radial size that belongs to that model. After that, compare the exact tire’s approved rim width and sidewall style against the wheels and presentation you want on the car.

On a 1964 Humber, 640-15 is a classic numeric bias-ply size. The 6.40 portion refers to the nominal section width in inches, while the 15 identifies the wheel diameter in inches. On this year and make, 640-15 belongs to the Humber Hawk rather than the Super Snipe, and it is a bias-ply construction rather than a radial.

That size matters most to owners restoring a Hawk with an original-era appearance and bias-ply driving character. It is also the point where sidewall appearance starts to shape the car’s look, since 640-15 is available in both wide and narrow whitewall treatments. Before choosing one, compare the exact tire’s wheel-width range with the wheels on your Hawk so the final fit is correct.

On a 1964 Humber, 185R15 is a metric radial size. The 185 means the nominal section width is 185 millimeters, the R indicates radial construction, and the 15 is the wheel diameter in inches. Because no aspect ratio is printed in the size itself, it is conventionally treated as an 80-series radial. For 1964 Humber applications, 185R15 belongs to the Super Snipe.

That makes 185R15 the radial path for a Super Snipe owner who wants to stay with the car’s correct 15-inch wheel diameter while moving away from a traditional bias-ply feel. Sidewall style and speed rating can also affect the final choice within that size, especially if you are balancing road use against period appearance. Checking the exact version of 185R15 before purchase helps avoid mixing visual style and use case.

The right answer depends on which 1964 Humber you own and how you want it to feel on the road. A Humber Hawk uses either 175R15 radial or 640-15 bias-ply, while a Humber Super Snipe uses either 185R15 radial or 775-15 bias-ply. Bias-ply tires align more closely with an original 1960s presentation and steering feel, while radial construction is generally chosen by owners who want a more contemporary driving character for regular road use.

A show-focused restoration often leans toward the bias-ply option because construction type is part of how an era-correct car looks and behaves. A driver-oriented car often leans radial, especially if the Humber will spend more time on modern roads than on the judging field. The key is not to cross models: choose the Hawk’s pair of sizes for a Hawk and the Super Snipe’s pair for a Super Snipe.

1964 Humber tires span several sidewall styles depending on size. The 640-15 Hawk bias-ply options come in wide whitewall and narrow whitewall. The 185R15 Super Snipe radial options come in redline, narrow whitewall, and blackwall. The 775-15 Super Snipe bias-ply options come in redline, narrow whitewall, and goldline.

That variety gives a 1964 Humber owner room to tune the car’s appearance without changing the basic size family for the model. For a formal British saloon of this era, whitewall and blackwall treatments usually read most naturally, while redline and goldline choices create a more stylized period look. If originality matters for an event or restoration goal, compare the sidewall style to period photos and club guidance for your exact model.

Several brands cover 1964 Humber fitments. BFGoodrich and Firestone supply the 640-15 bias-ply Hawk size, while Coker Classic and Michelin cover the 185R15 Super Snipe radial size. BFGoodrich and Firestone also cover the 775-15 bias-ply Super Snipe size. That gives the Humber range access to both traditional American-brand bias-ply offerings and well-known radial options associated with European touring cars.

Brand choice on a 1964 Humber usually comes down to the size your model requires, then the appearance and construction you want within that size. A Hawk owner is choosing among bias-ply brands in 640-15 or moving to the separate 175R15 radial fitment, while a Super Snipe owner is choosing among Michelin or Coker Classic radial styles in 185R15 or BFGoodrich and Firestone bias-ply styles in 775-15. Start with model and size, then narrow by sidewall and intended use.

Rim-width guidance on 1964 Humber tires depends on the exact size and product. For 640-15, approved wheel widths run from 4.00 to 5.00 inches depending on brand and version. For 185R15, the range runs from about 4.5 to 6.5 inches. For 775-15, the range spans about 4.50 to 6 inches, again depending on the tire you choose.

Those ranges matter because two tires that share the same nominal size may not share the same wheel-width approval. Before fitting a tire to a 1964 Humber, compare the actual wheel on the car with the exact tire’s approved range instead of assuming every version of that size fits every 15-inch wheel equally well. That step is especially important on restored cars that may no longer wear their original wheels.

Tube requirements on 1964 Humber tires depend on the exact size and product. The Michelin 185R15 radial options for the Humber Super Snipe are marked TL, which identifies them as tubeless tires. The bias-ply 640-15 and 775-15 products shown here do not carry a TL marking in the size field, so they should be checked individually against the wheel type and the exact tire’s sidewall or manufacturer guidance before installation.

The practical point is that tire construction and wheel design need to be considered together on a 1964 Humber. A tubeless radial may still need careful wheel-condition review on an older rim, while a bias-ply installation may call for tube-related checks depending on the exact tire and wheel combination. Confirming tube compatibility before mounting is much easier than correcting the issue after the car is assembled.

All of the 1964 Humber sizes here mount on 15-inch wheels, so the wheel diameter is consistent across the Hawk and Super Snipe fitments. That does not mean every 15-inch Humber wheel is interchangeable across all four sizes, because each model uses its own size family and each tire has its own approved rim-width range. A Hawk’s 175R15 and 640-15 belong together as Hawk choices, while a Super Snipe’s 185R15 and 775-15 belong together as Super Snipe choices.

Owners should treat diameter compatibility as only the first checkpoint. The more important question is whether the actual wheel width on the car falls within the approved range for the exact tire being considered. If your 1964 Humber has replacement wheels or a long restoration history, measuring the wheel and matching it to the tire’s approved width range is the safest way to avoid an awkward fit.

A 1964 Humber should be stored in a cool, dry space away from direct sunlight, electric motors, battery chargers, furnaces, and other ozone-producing equipment that can accelerate sidewall aging. Keep the tires clean, maintain proper inflation, and move the car periodically so the same footprint is not loaded for months at a time. Bias-ply tires such as 640-15 and 775-15 are generally more prone to temporary flat-spotting during static storage than radial tires such as 175R15 and 185R15.

That difference matters if your Humber spends long stretches parked between shows or weekend drives. If the car will sit for an extended period, some owners roll it occasionally while others use stands to reduce sustained load, especially on bias-ply tires. Good storage habits preserve ride quality, reduce cosmetic aging, and help the car feel more predictable when it returns to the road.

Tires on a 1964 Humber should be judged more by age and condition than by mileage, because collector cars often travel very little yet still age out their tires. A sensible rule is to inspect them closely starting around five to seven years of service and to treat about ten years as a serious replacement point regardless of tread depth. The DOT date code on the tire is the quickest way to determine its age.

That approach is especially important on a Humber because appearance can hide age-related hardening, internal deterioration, or sidewall cracking. A low-mile car is not automatically riding on safe tires if the rubber has simply grown old in storage. If the date code shows the tires are aging, replacement planning should move ahead even when the tread still looks deep and the car is only driven occasionally.

Tires on a 1964 Humber should be inspected before every drive and again before any longer outing. Look for cracking, bulges, cuts, irregular wear, tread separation, and slow pressure loss, and include the spare in the same routine. If your Humber uses a tube-related setup, valve stems and any signs of chafing or leakage deserve the same attention as the tread and sidewalls.

Frequent inspection matters because collector cars often go from sitting still to road speed with little use in between, and problems develop quietly during storage. A five-minute walkaround catches many issues before they turn into a roadside interruption or damage to a restored body and wheel. Building that habit into every drive is one of the simplest ways to protect both the car and the people riding in it.

For a 1964 Humber Hawk, bias-ply construction is the historically expected starting point for an originality-minded restoration, and 640-15 is the period-style size associated with the model here. The alternative Hawk size, 175R15, is a radial. By the mid-1960s, radials were becoming more familiar in European applications, but bias-ply remained the traditional construction many restorers associate with factory-era presentation unless a specific market or late-production detail says otherwise.

If the goal is strict authenticity, confirm your car’s market history and restoration target before choosing between the two Hawk sizes. A marque club, period road test, or factory literature can help resolve whether your specific car is being restored as a home-market saloon, export car, or driver with tasteful updates. The safest general rule is that 640-15 better reflects a traditional period look, while 175R15 reflects a later-construction choice within the Hawk’s fitment path.

Correct tire fitment can matter a great deal when showing a 1964 Humber, especially in concours or marque-judged settings. Judges and knowledgeable enthusiasts often notice three things quickly: whether the size matches the model, whether the construction suits the period, and whether the sidewall presentation looks appropriate for the car’s market and restoration theme. A Hawk wearing Super Snipe sizes, or a car restored for factory originality but wearing an obviously later-style construction or sidewall treatment, can stand out for the wrong reasons.

That does not mean every shown Humber must wear the same tire style, because event standards vary. Preservation classes, touring classes, and driver-quality shows may be more forgiving than strict originality judging. Before finalizing the tires, compare your choices with period photos, factory literature, and the standards of the club or event where the car will be entered so the tire complements the rest of the restoration.

For the 1964 Humber Super Snipe in 185R15, Michelin XVS and Coker Classic radial tires differ in sidewall presentation, speed rating availability, and some wheel-fit details. Coker Classic appears here as a redline 185R15 radial with a 5.00 to 6.50 inch approved rim-width range and a load rating of 1355 pounds at 35 psi. Michelin XVS appears in blackwall and narrow whitewall versions, with H-rated 185HR15 options and a V-rated 185VR15 option; its approved rim-width range runs from about 4.5 or 5.00 inches up to 6 or 6.50 inches depending on version.

That makes the choice less about whether both fit the Super Snipe and more about the look and specification you want within the same size family. Michelin offers a more varied touring-style radial presentation, including different speed ratings, while the Coker Classic redline brings a distinct visual statement. Matching the wheel width, appearance goal, and driving expectations will usually separate the better choice for your particular Super Snipe.

1964 Humber tires can be suitable for highway driving when they are the correct size, in sound condition, and used within their design limits. The radial 185R15 Super Snipe options include H-rated versions with a 130 mph ceiling and a V-rated version with a 149 mph ceiling. The bias-ply Humber sizes here do not carry speed letters in the same way. In normal collector-car use, the car’s own mechanical condition, braking ability, suspension wear, and alignment are often more important than extreme tire-speed capability.

A highway-ready Humber is about the whole package, not just the name on the sidewall. Fresh rubber, correct inflation, proper wheel condition, and a well-sorted chassis make a larger real-world difference than choosing a tire by maximum theoretical speed alone. If the car will do regular road miles, many owners prefer radial construction for its more modern behavior, while a bias-ply tire calls for driving within the character of the era.

Inflation pressure on a 1964 Humber should start with the factory vehicle recommendation, then be checked against the exact tire’s own rating. The 640-15 bias-ply tires here carry load ratings up to 1190 pounds at 32 psi, with one version at 970 pounds at 32 psi. The 775-15 bias-ply tires carry 1490 pounds at 32 psi, and the Coker Classic 185R15 radial carries 1355 pounds at 35 psi. Those figures are tire capacities at stated pressures, not blanket instructions to use one pressure across every Humber tire.

The practical takeaway is to avoid copying pressure from one size to another or from one construction type to another. A Hawk and a Super Snipe do not use the same tire sizes, and a bias-ply and radial in the same model do not automatically want the same inflation practice. Use the owner’s manual as the vehicle baseline, then confirm the exact tire’s sidewall and manufacturer guidance before setting final pressure.

Before a longer drive in a 1964 Humber, inspect all four road tires and the spare for cracking, cuts, bulges, tread wear, and correct cold inflation. Check for signs of air loss around the valve stem and bead area, and give extra attention to valve stems or tube-related components if your tire and wheel combination uses them. Because these are older British saloons, the tire inspection should be part of a broader pre-drive check that also includes brakes, steering, fluids, and wheel fasteners.

Longer drives put more heat and continuous load into the tires than local trips, so small issues become more important. A spare that has held air for years in the trunk may still be too old or too weathered to trust when needed. Running through the tire check before departure reduces the odds that a simple age or pressure problem interrupts an otherwise enjoyable trip in your Humber.