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Best size tires for an old school look???

9K views 49 replies 25 participants last post by  Daron Craig 
#1 ·
I have some 15x4 cragars and some 15x8 cragars. The old tires I pulled off the fronts were a 5.60-15 Kelly Springfield and a 5.60-15 Dayton Thorobread. Not sure what translates to that size in today’s sizes but I’m looking for something similar. On the rears I’d like a cheater slick pie crust style. Any thoughts in that direction for the 15x8? Thanks in advance!


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#5 ·
I have wheels on my car already, see picture below. But, I’d like to have another set to play around with. Maybe they will be my track tires If I ever take the car to the local strip.





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#6 ·
I really like the look of those wheels. They look kinda like Torque thrust D wheels, but what about those knock-off centers? Are those real knock-off centers that you have to use a rubber mallet to tighten and loosen them? Or are they just fake knock-offs for show? BTW I believe those tires that you were asking about,(pie crust slicks) are still made and available from Coker Tire
 
#9 ·
Look on HAMB for photos.. Nobody has more old school picts then HAMB...

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/

You could get Coopers from Diamond Back and have then shave all the writing off the sidewalls. They will look like the old tires and you will have the performance of a modern radial..

I like to look of chrome reverse wheels. Summit sells them there from wheel Vintiques..
 
#14 ·
Hey guys, the knock off spinners are threaded on. Hand tightened and then a couple of whacks with a mallet. The fronts currently on my car in that pick are 15x7 and rears are 15x9. The cragars are 15x4 and 15x8. Here is a before pic off one of the 15x4 cragars.



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#18 ·
LOL...those look like motorcycle tires. Wow, they're pretty small.

Rear something like this.




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Now I really like the way those rear meats fill up the wheel wells. Are those Coker tires too? They look pretty tall. What size are they? They look great on your car. Really nice looking tires for a car that isn't lowered. I never did like the lowered ride height look. Even those expensive aftermarket frames for our cars drop the ride height just from the shape of the frame rails. I'd rather be able to adjust the ride height using various coil springs than to have it permanently lowered by the contuors of the frame. but they don't tell you about that in their advertisements for those big dollar frames. They also don't tell you that you can no longer run the tail pipes over the axle tubes because the lowered aftermarket frames don't allow enough room for that. But I digress...back to your tires.
 
#27 ·
This car is responsible for my T/C handle, 67since67. Today it looks EXACTLY like it did in 1969, when shiny wheels came to the top of my priority list.
Without going to the garage to look, the rears are Towel City retreads cheaters, 265x15 IIRC, on 15x8 old school chrome reverse. Fronts are 185 or 195x15 Coker with the lettering shaved off the sidewalls on 15x6 old school round spoke Cragars with non-trademark "R" center caps. Rear is stock springs with Air/Lift bags. Front is stock with rubber spacers. I am considering swapping the fronts for 6.70x15s.

There are different interpretations of "Old School" posted on this thread. My car is old school late 1960s, where to some old school is 80s-90s. If ride and handling have any importance, 60s is not for you, it comes with a price. Those cheaters are heavy and add unsprung weight and heavy mass to get spinning, but do hook up fairly well. You would need an overall low gear ratio of at least 10-1, 11-12 would be better.

Some will scoff at my "Only a 396!", but this warmed over H/R L78 will punish any non-slick street tire through first and second gear, rides rough and it's a handful to drive, but when I fire it up it's 1969 all over again.
 
#23 ·
You can go this route for a whole lot less money. While I like the look, cheater slicks are expensive, suck in the rain, and do not last very long. Rears are 275/60-15 on an 8" wide wheel, fronts are 215/70-15 Coopers on a 6" wide wheel .
 

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#24 ·
15 X 7 American Torque Thrust D wheels with P235/60 Goodrich T/A rubber all around. Stock F41 suspension and springs, stock front spindles.
 

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#34 ·
Our 70 has 15x8 Corvette Ralleys with the smaller 67 style center caps and 255 60/15.


Our youngest son's 68 4dr has painted steel 15x7 rear and 14x6 painted steel with black wall radials and its original dog dish caps.
 

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#38 ·
Those Wheels look rough/in poor shape and that Coker # 55597 Tire is too small for the Street IMHO



FRONT 25" from Ground to Under Fender Lip
Wheels = JEGs Sport Stars#66062 Alum 15”x7” BS= 4” 1 piece Alum & Billet Specialties ET Lug Nuts
Tires = Cooper Star Fire SF 340 P205/70R/15” Tread Width 5.59” /SideWallsWidth 8"/ Dia 26.28"
Springs = Moroso # 47195 250 lb Trick Springs with a 1" Spacer under
Shocks = Comp Eng Front 3WayShocks# 2610 set at 80/20
REAR 25.5" from Ground to Under Fender Lip
Wheels = JEGs Sport Stars # 555-66086 15" x 10" BS= 5.5" 1 piece Alum & Billet Specialties ET Lug Nuts
Tires = M/T Sportsman S/R Radial Tires# 6641 Tread Width 10.4"/SideWall Width 12.1" / Dia 28”
Springs = Moog # 5385 with Air Lift 1000 Air Bags # 60744 & no Air in them
Shocks = Comp Eng Rear 3 Way Shocks # 247-2720 set at 50/50



 
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#39 ·
Those Wheels look rough/in poor shape and that Coker # 55597 Tire is too small for the Street IMHO







FRONT 25" from Ground to Under Fender Lip

Wheels = JEGs Sport Stars#66062 Alum 15”x7” BS= 4” 1 piece Alum & Billet Specialties ET Lug Nuts

Tires = Cooper Star Fire SF 340 P205/70R/15” Tread Width 5.59” /SideWallsWidth 8"/ Dia 26.28"

Springs = Moroso # 47195 250 lb Trick Springs with a 1" Spacer under

Shocks = Comp Eng Front 3WayShocks# 2610 set at 80/20

REAR 25.5" from Ground to Under Fender Lip

Wheels = JEGs Sport Stars # 555-66086 15" x 10" BS= 5.5" 1 piece Alum & Billet Specialties ET Lug Nuts

Tires = M/T Sportsman S/R Radial Tires# 6641 Tread Width 10.4"/SideWall Width 12.1" / Dia 28”

Springs = Moog # 5385 with Air Lift 1000 Air Bags # 60744 & no Air in them

Shocks = Comp Eng Rear 3 Way Shocks # 247-2720 set at 50/50









Kirk, what would you recommend for a 15x4” ?


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#40 ·
By the way I love your Red 67 and the Wheels you have on it now
back in the 60s/70s my first two Muscle Cars were Red

Good job cleaning and painting those old wheels

I would not run a 4" Wide Wheel on the Street

Hitting a bad Pothole/Curve etc. could damage one very quickly
since the weigh of the Frontend is concentrated on such a small area

The Smallest Width Wheel I would use on the Frontend would be a 6" for the Street

If you only want to use those 4" Wide Wheels then this is one possibly
https://www.jegs.com/i/Mickey-Thompson/672/1575/10002/-1
 
#43 ·
I love your car Kirk. I don't know if you remember, but you were the one who helped me with sizing out the wheels and tires that are currently on my car about 5 years ago. These wouldn't be run very much on the street. If anything they would be track wheels/tires. Definitely not on the freeway. At most city cruising 45 mph or less.
 
#41 ·
These were Salt Flats. Always thought this style wheel would've looked killer on 66-67 cars. Wheels were 17 x 8's, 265/60-17 in rear, 225/60-17 front. I realize you're probably not looking for 17" wheels, just referring to wheel style, doesn't get much old school then Salt Flats. When I went to this setup, got a lot of compliments and comments, attended quite a few cruises and shows , no one had the same wheels. Kirk's 67SS might be one of the only cars I've seen on this board with similar wheel.
 

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