Wheel size, again

[Ronnie Russell]

I have spent hours searching the old threads and finally gave up with many un-read. 62 Impala - Will be using Torq-thrust, one piece wheels. 15x6 front and 15x8 1/2 rear. No tailpipes. Would like to use tallest and widest rear tire without modification. 4 or 4 1/2 backspacing??? BFG drag radial size ?? front wheel backspace 3" ?? I have a front tire size from an old thread by MRHP. Would like to buy wheels that fit the first time. Thanks for your patience , I know this has been asked many times. Thanks for all input.

 

[rwagon57]

Try this link. Lots of useful info and calculators.

http://www.americanracing.com/techcenter/techcenterdetail.asp?filename=wheeltech4&section=tech#

 

[ROYALOAK62]

Wheel Size, Again

Ronnie,
Here's the sizes on my bill of sale for my wheel & tire combo that fits my 62 Impala. I asked for the biggest to fit under stock conditions in the back. The tire store called American Racing and this is what they came up with for 15 inch wheels. Mine are the chrome two piece wheel

Front
15x7 5-4.75 American Racing Torq-Thrust II wheels
using P215/65R15, BF-Goodrich T/A Radial.

Rear
15x8 5-4.75 American Racing Torq-Thrust II wheels
using P245/60R15, BF-Goodrich T/A Radial
I can get one finger between the tire wall and the inside of the fender. Never checked the back side but I don't hit my exhaust pipes.

Dave

 

[droptop62]

A 275 /60-15 is a beautiful tire size.
Fills up the wheel wells perfectly.
the other thing about that size is that it doesn't look too short in the sidewall.
I let somebody talk me into a different size for my 62 belair, and did not like the results.

 

[Ronnie Russell]

Thanks to all for the replies. With no tailpipes to be concerned with, the 275/60 sounds good. droptop, do you happen to remember the back-spacing??

 

[MRHP]

here is a shot

Here is a shot of mine this fall. Toque thrusts 6 in front and 8.5 in rear. 215/70/15 front and 255/60/15 rear. Under hard cornering sidewall will rub up in the wheelwell. If I had an adjustable panhard bar I could center the axle and this would not happen. Only happens when 5 people are in the car. Will have to get a panhard bar someday. No concerns in the front. My g-force drag radials are 235/60/15. Yes I know a little smaller than my street tires but I was concerned how much the tire would grow at speed.

 

[MRHP]

tailpipes

I am going to try to make 3 inch tailpipes work on this car. I believe it can be done with some careful measuring and lots of hangers. I now have 2 1/2 full exhaust with no tire concerns

 

[models916]

Use oval tubing elbows

use oval bends and transitions to the round pipe over the axle. Saves a lot of room.


http://www.spintechmufflers.com/spintech/productimages/elbows/elbows2.jpg

 

[droptop62]

Thanks to all for the replies. With no tailpipes to be concerned with, the 275/60 sounds good. droptop, do you happen to remember the back-spacing??

Ronnie, I don't remember the backspace. but I do know it is crucial to get it right. The 62 Impala that I put the 275 60-15 tires on were mounted to 15 x 8 Crager SS wheels. On my last 62 Belair I had 255-60-15 tires and thought the sidewall was too short for such a big car.

I used to run the 275 60s on my chevelle and a 56 chev i used to have. Perfect width to fit inside stock wheel wells, and tall enough to really fill out the wheel well.

I can scan some pictures of my chevelles with the 275-60-15 tires if you want to get an idea of the sidewall profile. I have attached my last belair with the 255-60-15s. The rear torque thrusts were really a tight fit on the belair to the outside wheel lip.

Wheel and tire combos can sure make or break the look of a car.
and everybody has different tastes. I really like tall black sidewalls,
skinny up front and wide as you can fit in a stock wheel well in back.

sorry as to not having much info on the back space of the wheels.

 

[61belairbubbletop]

Here is a shot of mine this fall. Toque thrusts 6 in front and 8.5 in rear. 215/70/15 front and 255/60/15 rear. Under hard cornering sidewall will rub up in the wheelwell. If I had an adjustable panhard bar I could center the axle and this would not happen. Only happens when 5 people are in the car. Will have to get a panhard bar someday. No concerns in the front. My g-force drag radials are 235/60/15. Yes I know a little smaller than my street tires but I was concerned how much the tire would grow at speed.

MRHP,
That's a sweet lookin' 62!

 

[MRHP]

Models916 Thanks for the info on the oval bends. 61belairbubbletop Thank you for the kind words. Yours looks pretty darn nice too!

 

[walkerheaders]

Ronnie, I don't remember the backspace. but I do know it is crucial to get it right. The 62 Impala that I put the 275 60-15 tires on were mounted to 15 x 8 Crager SS wheels. On my last 62 Belair I had 255-60-15 tires and thought the sidewall was too short for such a big car.

I used to run the 275 60s on my chevelle and a 56 chev i used to have. Perfect width to fit inside stock wheel wells, and tall enough to really fill out the wheel well.

I can scan some pictures of my chevelles with the 275-60-15 tires if you want to get an idea of the sidewall profile. I have attached my last belair with the 255-60-15s. The rear torque thrusts were really a tight fit on the belair to the outside wheel lip.

Wheel and tire combos can sure make or break the look of a car.
and everybody has different tastes. I really like tall black sidewalls,
skinny up front and wide as you can fit in a stock wheel well in back.

sorry as to not having much info on the back space of the wheels.

nice belair droptop, i still like the "after" photo of it as well. good job. wish i had that talent, would be able to "see" how to letter my new car.
I have jasc paint shop pro 7 but no book. need to spend about 10 years figuring it out.

 

[droptop62]

nice belair droptop, i still like the "after" photo of it as well. good job. wish i had that talent, would be able to "see" how to letter my new car.
I have jasc paint shop pro 7 but no book. need to spend about 10 years figuring it out.

Thanks Bob, when it comes time to letter your car and want to try something, just let me know if I can help. Just to warn you in advance, I don't get too much computer playtime these days, I have a 2 yr old boy and a month old baby girl that keep me jumping right now. But if you have some time and can wait a bit I would sure help out.

Todd

 

[Bam59]

hi, here is 255-60x15 with 3-3/4 back set.
the pipe is close but when car is on it's feet there is more room, a little more then 1 in. the tire man said he could get 275s in there with a 4 in. set back
a the pipes moved. mike

 

[Ronnie Russell]

Thanks Mike, 4 in. backspace.... I will go ahead and do the measurements from the instructions from American, that John provided. Got a feeling it will be 4 in. Thanks for taking the time to shoot the pics.

 

[tripower]

Thanks Mike, 4 in. backspace.... I will go ahead and do the measurements from the instructions from American, that John provided. Got a feeling it will be 4 in. Thanks for taking the time to shoot the pics.

Ronnie, this is what I went with on my 61'. 18X9.5 with a 5" backset wrapped in a 285/40 BFG in the rear. The cross section on the tire is 11.9". I have about 1/2" clearance on both the fender well and exhaust. I moved the exhaust hangers to the second hole aft of the axle. Then ran the exhaust all the way back with a turn down at the corners of the rear valance and it worked out great. No rubbing problems on anything springs, exhaust, tires. I know you are running 15" but tire cross section and backset should help.

 

[SSpev]

Maybe of use

the tire/wheel combos mention here are 27in tall, except the 275/60--28 inches(calculated). My 61 Biscayne has 225/70s on 15x7 rallys, 27 in tall. The 61 has a hook on the leading edge of the wheel well. I think the 62 is simular. This is where mine would rub first, then the upper lip. My nova 10 bolt is also .5 to .75 inches narrower. If memory is good, the rally has a 4 in back space. For me to go wider or taller, the wheel has to add back spacing. I also know of 2 62s that have vette rallys, 15x8, but I don't know what the tire size is. the 15x8s added width to the outside.

 

[Ronnie Russell]

Thanks Thomas, As of now I am considering 4 1/2 backspace and the 275x60 tires. ( 8 to 8 1/2 wheel )...... If need be , I can trim some off of the inner lip ( wont hurt this rust-bucket) Need tallest and widest tire because of much torque. Thanks again for your input.

 

[64CAYNE]

This is a great post