I went through some data found in the garage section of the Forum and found one of the most common rear tire sizes was 275 60 R15. I like the look of a fat rear tire. The tires seem to be used with 8,9, and 10 inch rims. The back spacing varies but generally as the rim gets wider the back spacing is larger. Is this tire a fairly safe bet to get it under the fender without any necessary mods? Thanks.
I found that the brand of tire makes a difference. I ran Futura GLS Super SportTireSize275/60R15 - Pep Boys on an 8" rim the side wall stood up straight...no rubbing. the Guy that recommended them said he had them on 10" rims and that made the side wall bulge.
I ran them on a 8.5" rim. If I had a car load of people or drove a rough road it would rub. Inside and out. But, not bad enough to damage anything.
It seems like the next step down is a 265 60 R15 on a 8 or 9 inch rim. There 3 such sizes listed in the garage. That might suffice.
I’d be happy with BF Goodrich Radial TA’s but I see they come in 255 and 275 60 R15. No 265’s in sight.
From my experience, 275s or 255s x15 on an 8" wheel with a 4 1/2 " back spacing is perfect. Right now, I'm running 255 BFG Radial TAs or M/T Drag radials both mounted on steelies with some vintage Keystones on the front because that is what they did back in the late 60s and early 70s. I've blacked out my Keystones to make them more contemporary. There are some pictures and videos in my Garage posting.
"parts' '76 Comet GT had era 14" Cragars with 275 14's on 10" rims for the look' . . ripped up the tires and the wheel arch even with the hijacker' shackles. my '74 has 245-14's and 225-14's R/F ( and the hood, grill bumper , disc spindles and rear from the '76 GT ) . . have fun
Thanks for all the ideas. Regarding 15 inch, 7 or 8 inch wide rims, is there anything about offset that we need to pay attention to, or is that taken care of by the 4-1/4 to 4-1/2 inch backspacing.
Offset and back-space are 2 different things (although offset certainly affects the back-spacing). As long as you have the proper back-space for the tire size being used, you really don't need to focus on the offset for these cars. It matters more on front-wheel drive cars...
here is what i encountered with fitting tires. Best to learn how to measure yourself. An old tires for baseline really helps. What i,m getting at is too many variation of what fit whos cars. 275 may fit but may or may not rub. if it rubs you,ll have to settle for the jacked up in rear stance. in my case 245/60/15 fits on 2 inch lowering block. I was rubbing so i rolled fender. My axle may not be correct for car so i,m not sure. My reason you check yourself before buying. What stance are you going for?
I’m trying to get a look of the traditional hot car of the 70’s with a fairly wide tire in the back and slightly slimmer ( but not too skinny) tire in the front, say 205 up front and 255 out back, both 60 series. I don’t want shackles but I understand new springs can help hold up the back a bit more than 40 year old springs resulting in a slight downward rake. From the input from others on the forum, 275 was touch and go, 265 was hard to find in the 60 series, and 255 should be conservative for stock axles and rear springs that haven’t sagged much. The 255’s are 27 “ high and the 205’s are 24.7” high. I already have the 205’s for the front, off another car, and would like to select the size for the back.
