Recommendations for 1966 Rally 1 wheels and tires
 

I am getting close to completion of my frame off restoration of a 1966 GTO. The restoration is pretty much back to factory original. I will be driving the car probably 2000-3000 miles per year so I want good tires and wheels. Will be buying new Rally 1's and radial redlines. Don't want any issues with tire/wheel clearance. Chassis is completely rebuilt with all new springs and suspension components so I don' expect the body to be sitting low. After talking with others, I think I have decided to get Diamondback tires. Haven't decided whether to go with 6" or 7" wheels. Any thoughts or recommendations for wheel and tire size based on your experience would be welcome. Since I will be spending some pretty good $ for this, I want it to look right and drive right. Thanks!

DSMTiger,
since you're asking, here are some of my thoughts:

Are you thinking of a stock look, or a slightly custom look? Do you mean the DB red lines?
For stock 14" diameter look, keep in mind subtle differences in wheel offset can make a big difference in look. Stock 14 x 6 Rally I wheels had a narrow exposure of rim (offset) and indeed they need a narrow trim ring (which is hard to find for original Rally I wheels). But,last I knew, you can still get aftermarket 14 x 6 Rally I wheels, and the offset is close to original. And, the aftermarket wheels slots are slightly smaller to allow the use of normal, easily obtained trim rings. In my opinion, the narrow offset with accompanying narrow trim ring look is perfect for 64-67 cars.
If you go for a wider aftermarket Rally I wheel, with a wider trim ring, like a 14 x 7", or the 15 x 7" wheels, they have a deep dish look that (in my opinion) really changes the look of the wheel/trim ring/centercap combo. The six slots in a deep dish aftermarket Rally I wheel look lost to me.
It's personal preference!
Another thing too, you have a cool 66....1966 GTO's came from the factory with red-painted brake drums if ordered with Rally I wheels. You might want to paint your drums red....

Good luck on you decision.

DSMTiger--
I myself have been searching Rally 1 options. I'm not trying to do the perfect resto as mine is a driver. I think I've settled on the after market 15" Rally 1's simply because I can get a few more brake options behind it.

I really wish someone would do a 17" like they did with the Rally II's (more tire and brake options) but I'm guessing the market is quite a bit smaller. Post pics whatever you end up with!!

Do a search on wheel and tire combos lots of them in here.

DSM if you're not going totally concours, go with at least 15x7" wheels. Maybe even 15x8 or 8.5 in the rear.

I have 15x8.5s on the rear of my 66 GTO with 255/60 BFG TAs. For now 14x7s up front with 215/70s, but going to 15x7 or 15x8s. Car is a lot more stable with the wider tires. I might even run a full set 15x8.5 '79 WS6 Snowflakes once I convert to front disc brakes.

Also running airbags in the rear with airshocks, and a 1 1/4" swaybar up front. With the wide tires and the rest, she will corner flat on the tightest on and off ramps at 40mph. The car rides pretty good and is rock solid on the highways.

Since you asked, I would certainly go with 15 X 7 inch wheels over any 14 inch wheel. I think the 15's fill the wheel well better, and you have a greater selection of tires at 15 vs 14.

Also, I don't know if this will be noticeable, but your rpm's will be slightly decreased with a larger tire circumference, so there may be some savings there, and less tire wear. I know these are very marginal advantages, but they do favour the bigger wheel.

Please post pics once you have made your selection.

[QUOTE=GT182;5108266]DSM if you're not going totally concours, go with at least 15x7" wheels. Maybe even 15x8 or 8.5 in the rear.
I'm not going to be concourse correct since I will be running radials but I want the look to be very close to original.

My thoughts exactly.

What is the best 14 inch red line radial and rally 1 combo to get? I use to want to put 15 inch tires on the cars, but have now changed to keeping it close to original look like DSMTiger. Would still like to have a radial tire though. I would like to change out the 15 inch wheels/tires on the 66 which are 70's rally 2's.

DSM, I'm running Cragar SS wheels from the 70s and 80s with the oblong holes. Period correct for aftermarket wheels and they look good on the car.

Those do look good! What size are the wheels and tires?

The best 14" for me is 225/70/14. Great looks, fills the wheel well, great handling, and best of all, stock tire height so the speedo stays accurate. Been running them since the '80's.

Tires/Wheels
 

These are Diamond Back 215/70/15's Radials. Purchased in Jan. 21 2008. Paid $164.00 each then. Had them shipped.
They are on my 65. They have been great and I like the taller tires. I tried shorter wider tires w/ poverty caps but didn't like the shorter tires. I also had the redlines w/ poverty caps, that was a cool look.
Mike

I couldn't really tell in the third picture but I really like the looks in that 1st picture.

I've heard tire choices in the 14" size are limited, and probably getting worse in the future, hence i went with 15" wheels.

george

Wheels up front are 215/70-14 Firestone radials on 14x7 Cragars. Rear are BFG 255/60-15s on 15x8.5 Cragars. I'm going with 15x7 Cragars up front if I can find any good ones with no rust. That's why I'm going to Kowtown in the spring to look. I missed a set there 2 years ago.Ya gotta get there real early. Early Friday is best, but Saturday real early can be ok.

Like George says. 14s are disappearing from the suppliers and getting scarce.

"I want it to look right"
"I want the look to be very close to original''

If the above mentioned is what you're after then anything wider isn't it;
http://www.cokertire.com/775-14-fire...line-tire.html
http://i412.photobucket.com/albums/p...one-775-14.png

Thanks for your thoughts but as mentioned in my original post, I will be driving the car and want to do so on radial tires. I have also decided to use Diamondback tires based on comments and experiences of others. The Coker tire you show is very close in appearance to the original U S Royals but I believe that I would sacrifice ride quality and handling with that tire. For a "trailered" or lightly driven car, the Coker tire might be a good selection.

For the Diamondbacks, ask them to use Firestone Indy 500 cores. They're a better looking and higher quality tire than the Dayton Daytonas they usually use.

Just thought I would show you guys what an original U S Royal Redline looked like. This is an original from my car. The Coker Firestone is similar but there are differences in the sidewall.

So you're saying your riding on 15" Rally ones's? If so where did you get them?

That's a nice looking tire! Is there a 14 inch radial reproduction of this tire being produced?

I like the smooth side wall of the US Royal over the Firestone. This is the tire I was asking about above. Any idea if a 14 inch radial of this tire is being reproduced?
Thanks.

U S Royal
 

Description is vague, but would think it's the same make up as the Coke;

https://www.universaltire.com/us-roy...h-redline.html

The tire from Universal tire looks a lot closer to the OEM U S Royal than does the Firestone from Coker. The position of the redline on the Universal still appears to be different (closer to the bead) than that on my original U S Royal. Would be interesting to know who is building the tires for Universal. Still don't think I would want to be putting many road miles on that tire. For cruising, radials are for me. I think you guys are convincing me to go with the 15X7 Rally 1s for wheel size. Will probably use an appropriate size Diamondback redline. Guess I can always have a set of 14X6 steel wheels with bias tires, trim rings and poverty caps to put on if I want to show the car as originally equipped.

Is that US Royal 7.75 x 14 ?

just curious as I couldn't make out the size on the sidewall

lots of choices out there for certain
I remember seeing a 195/75/14 (was ww as no redline avail in that size I don't believe) on a 65 hardtop and thought it looked the most similar to the original profile of the 7.75 x 14
the 7.75 is pretty tall for a 14"

Yes......7.75 x 14. It even has "low profile" stamped in the sidewall. The more I look at that original tire, the more I realize that those of us that were driving muscle cars in the 1960's were probably somewhat lucky to have survived!

wow , at first glance it appears to have similar (lower) profile like an F70-14, it would be interesting to see the originals in person on a car, but that's pretty unlikely
I know what you mean about the tires, technology has come a long way
I struggled with choosing between 7.75's and F70's for my 66 . I was pretty much settled on red line bias ply tires already. I prefer the F70 for look, but went with the us royal from coker in 7.75 (looks exactly like the one in the link from universal tire (?) in this thread)
in any case, not to derail, but even though I had a chevelle with bias plys in the 80's and swore "never again" after finally switching to goodyear eagle st radials, I ended up with the bias repro US Royal 7.75x14's and after only a few hundred miles am very pleased.
Even though the bias ply design is (probably) inferior to radials, my car looked so original (even though it really isn't), I couldn't help going with them
maybe the bias plys have benefitted in some small way from the technology, but so far so good for me

either way , you're fortunate to have the bias plys to throw on , even if it's "just for the look"
it's a good looking car btw !