I want to run this tire:
http://www.mickeythompsontires.com/strip.php?item=ETStreetRadialII

In this size: P305/45R18
Section width is 11.8"
Height is 29"

This seems like it might be too big of a tire at first given the 5"+ sidewall height. I would like the most tire I can get under the back, provided it doesn't hit anything. but I do not want to look like an SUV.


The front wheels are 18x9, and front will be lowered morseo than the back will be. can someone recomend a front tire for me?

Mike, I have close to that size on my 72 ragtop (295-45-18), fits perfect, looks great , IMHO. I like a little more sidewall myself. Yours should look good with that size. I'm running 245-45-18 fronts for the same reason, little more sidewall. Thats as tall a tire as I can run with the Eibach Pro Kit front springs. Pics in my links in my sig. Good luck, Jim.

I agree, 245 to 255/45-18 should compliment the 305/45 nicely and will fit on a 9" wheel.

Aint the internet great.

Thanks fellas! :)

Mike,
M/T recommended wheel width max is 11. IMO 2 inch wider wheel could be a problem.

This the 245/40/18 on an 18 inch wheel and a 295/45/18 on a 10 inch wheel:

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r167/jwamod/Old%20Blue/DSCN0037.jpg

Mike,
M/T recommended wheel width max is 11. IMO 2 inch wider wheel could be a problem.

This the 245/40/18 on an 18 inch wheel and a 295/45/18 on a 10 inch wheel:

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r167/jwamod/Old%20Blue/DSCN0037.jpg

He's talking about a 305/45 on an 18x10 wheel, inside of a 13" wide wheelhouse, not a 13" wide wheel.

What he said.

Thank you Jeff for the picture. Any chance of getting a side on shot?

I am starting to concern myself with the tire height and my low 3.25ish gearing, but hopefully my 540cid will have enough to get the job done. It'll help out my cruise RPM, at least.

http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=311666 only pics I have so far

What springs are you planning on running?

I have Nitto 555 255/45 17 up front. You can look that up for equivalent size, but it's close to 26" I think. I personally would go with a shorter tire and less sidewall than the 305/45, but that's just my preference. Are you set on those Micky Thompsons? What rear gear are you running?

Any reason for a 29" tall tire?

What will the primary use of the car be? Drag, road/autocross or cruising?

BTW my rear tires: 275/40 17 Nitto 555R are 25.63" tall and with 11" rear springs the quarter lip is at the tire.

We've run as wide as a 305/40/18 in the back with a 275/35/18 and a 18x9 and 18x10 wheel and tire combo.

I wanted more sidewall for acceleration traction on the street and also for ride quality because the roads around here are pretty awful. that and I dislike really thin rubber band tires for asthetic reasons.

I am rethinking it all now and thinking that the 29" tall tire and the larger (5") sidewall might be a bit much. The 305/34 is what the ford lightning trucks run. So I think I will step down in the series and overall height.

I will just wait until I the wheels are mounted on the car, and then I will load the car down with weight and see how much room I have to work with. I have rollers to get me by in the mean time, so I will take my time to make sure I get this right.

What springs are you planning on running? That will determine the amount of space.

We've run as wide as a 305/40/18 in the back with a 275/35/18 and a 18x9 and 18x10 wheel and tire combo.

Any pictures of this setup? :)

Mike, I have close to that size on my 72 ragtop (295-45-18), fits perfect, looks great , IMHO. I like a little more sidewall myself. Yours should look good with that size. I'm running 245-45-18 fronts for the same reason, little more sidewall. Thats as tall a tire as I can run with the Eibach Pro Kit front springs. Pics in my links in my sig. Good luck, Jim.

Beautiful car. It looks great and the stance with the rims/tire combo really make the car stand out. Great job

Mike,
M/T recommended wheel width max is 11. IMO 2 inch wider wheel could be a problem.

This the 245/40/18 on an 18 inch wheel and a 295/45/18 on a 10 inch wheel:

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r167/jwamod/Old%20Blue/DSCN0037.jpg

Looking GOOD Jeff.........

305/35/20, so almost 29". im a huge fan of the larger tires. these things have HUGE wheel wells.

http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab145/chevelle496ci/IMG_5426.jpg

http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab145/chevelle496ci/IMG_7648.jpg?t=1267854558

I just installed some 295/35/18s on the back of my 71. I put them on 9.5" Boss 338s. i absolutley love them. I was skeptical of the size at first, but dont let the 35 series scare you, remember it is 35% tall as it is wide, so the wider you go , usually that ratio goes down. My tires are 26" in daimeter and 11.6" in width, however on the smaller rim the tires tuck in slightly. I am glad they did, otherwise it would have been too tight. If you are using an 11" rim, you may want to go a little wider (as long as it fits), I am of the opinion that if the rim size is too close to tread width it looks bad. I had the same rims with 10.5" tires and they looked too skinny for the 9.5" wheel. Not to mention I now have less potential for curb rash. The ride on these tires is fine. I dont really want that mushy boat feel that these cars are known for. Another point is, I spent hours researching this, the the larger diameter 18" tires are only available from very few tire suppliers. The cost is so much more that other sizes. I dont know if you would be interested but the tires I bought are from ebay item# 300379641289, they are Nokian (european all season tires). I only paid $70 each delivered (using bing cash)! At that price - they are good just for rollers - even cheaper than some used tire shops. I am VERY happy with them (would have preferred nittos - but cant afford them - yet)

Search forums for bing cash info if you are interested - great info

good call on wheel width vs tire width. ive always heard that you want to run the max width wheel for a specific tire, but that isnt always practical on the street when curbs are involved. my plan is a 315 on a 10.5. if somebody wants the 305's pictured above for a good price, let me know.

btw, just checked nittos suggestions; 315/35/20 is 12.4 wide, but the minimum rim is a 10.5(acutally measure 11.5) so there would be .5" on either side. the max rim is 12.5 (measures 13.5), so the rim would actually stick out .5 more than the tire????????

Some guys run tires stretched when they're running lowered suspension and lots of camber (IRS) for extra clearance. (big in the import scene)
Sometimes the adverstised section width and tread width can vary alot.

I have some pics in my build thread somewhere showing how the 17x11 wheels fit on a 315/35 tire. Depends on the brand of tire but the SUMIs i have for rollers are about equal (hoop width and overall tire width)