[goatless]

One of the most common questions around here is "what wheel and/or tire would look good and/or fit on my car?" Well the other day I had a little extra time so threw on a few different sizes and styles onto my Lemans and took pics for reference. I'd have done more some of my other sets were hard to get to.

When I started the car was sitting on it's original set of 14X6 steelies painted Limelight Green to match the car. Limelight was one of the wheel colors for 1969 so the paint is correct. The tires are G70-17 Goodyear Polyglas. The size is correct as an optional size for 1969 but the white letters weren't available until 1970.

Next up is another set of 14X6 steelies in black. Tires are again G70-14 but this time they're redline Firestone Wide Ovals. After mounting these it really struck me how much more I like body color steel wheels on a light colored car.

Time for radials! Next shot is with 225/70/14 BFG's on 14X7 Rally II's. Original Rallies would have been 14X6. The 225/70 is about the closest you're going to come to the original size tires in a commonly available radial.

Last up is some big tires! They're cheapo 275/60/15's on 15X7 Rallies on the back. They're huge, but there is still plenty of room in the wheel wells with no danger of rubbing.

[goatless]

A few more shots for reference.

Close up of rear wheel well with 225/70/14.

Close up of rear wheel well with 275/60/15.

Shot of the clearance at top lip of wheel well with 275/60/15 **Mounted on OEM 15X7 Rally II**

Comparison of height and width of tires all setting on flat asphalt lined up evenly.
From left to right 225/70/14, G70-14 and 275/60/15. You'll notice that a 225/70/14 is still a fair amount shorter than the original equipment G70's.

[srickss]

Poverty caps with redlines is the obvious choice.

[cuz68]

I have air shocks on mine, I have run L60s in the past. I know that a lot of people dont like air shocks i like the as up more than draging.

[The Boss]

The rain is killing you isn't it?

I like the limelight steelys.

[GTO JOHN]

I like the black steelies with redlines. The limelight steelies are a close second.

[robz]

Great pics, goatless..Nice to see the difference all in one thread...Saving this thread for reference...

Just a question: On the first post, the last pic with the 275s in the back, did u still have the 225/70/14s in the front?

[goatless]

One other thing I should mention- Those little G70-14's have substantially more traction than any of the street radials! Take a look at this pic, you can see the side walls wrinkling on the launch!




Those big 275/60's don't even come close! The Lemans will smoke them for as long as I stay on the gas! The Polyglas will spin too, but they eventually hook up and go.

I also found another pic, this time with 275/50/15 BFG DRAG Radials on the back. They're really pushing it on the 15X7 Rally rims. Too much sidewall bulge.




Robz, yes those are still the 225/70/14's on the front in that shot. I'd have prefered to put on 235/60/15's but they're mounted on the T-37 right now.

[David Jones]

You actually "spin" your cars rear tires? Run it in organized speed trials? My goodness, isn't that abusive to the drivetrain? Don't you risk possible damage to 40+ year old mechanicals? I shudder........

[goatless]

Originally Posted by David Jones

You actually "spin" your cars rear tires? Run it in organized speed trials? My goodness, isn't that abusive to the drivetrain? Don't you risk possible damage to 40+ year old mechanicals? I shudder........

Why David, I know that someone of your high moral turpitude would not abuse your own classic machinery in that way, let alone endorsing that kind of behavior from others.

Hey, I've got an idea... why don't you post up some good shots of your 1969 A-body with the specs from your wheel & tire combo.

Perhaps everyone with a '69 A-body, or even a '68 , could post up some good pics of their wheel and tire combo so we could all share in the knowledge of what fits and what looks good.

[69gtocv]

I'm game!

235/60/15's on front and 255/60/15's on the back on factory 15x7 Rallys

[69gtocv]

Goatless (jeremy, right?),

Your body colored poverty caps has inspired me to put them on my Ivory 68 Lemans. I'm going to paint them Ivory (yes I know, not a 68 factory wheel color) and put some dog dishes on it. I'd love to go to 15's on it, but the 225/70/14 T/As on it are practically new and I already have the 14x6 steelies.

Jeff

[David Jones]

That damn turpitude thing gets me every time.

My rear 255/60-15 Radial T/A's on 8" Cragar's actually do spin freely on the tarmac when the gas engine is fed enough petroleum distillates.

Fronts are 245/60-14's on 14" X 7" Cragar's
Rears are 255/60-15's on 15" X 8" Cragar's

Originally Posted by goatless

Why David, I know that someone of your high moral turpitude would not abuse your own classic machinery in that way, let alone endorsing that kind of behavior from others.

Hey, I've got an idea... why don't you post up some good shots of your 1969 A-body with the specs from your wheel & tire combo.

Perhaps everyone with a '69 A-body, or even a '68 , could post up some good pics of their wheel and tire combo so we could all share in the knowledge of what fits and what looks good.

[David Jones]

This is with 225/70-14's on 14 X 7 Cragar's. With those babies on the rear she'd spin'm hard most of the way through second gear. At least that's what I was told.
Also included a shot of my engine guy...........

[robz]

Mine are as follows:

Rear: BFG, 275x60x15
Front: BFG, 235x70x14

[Roadbuster]

I run R888s front and rear on my 68 GTO. 255/35R18s up front on 18x9s and 305/35R18s on 18x11s out back on Forgeline S03 wheels.





Jon

[goatless]

Wow! That looks badass! Did you need to modify the wheel wells to fit those wide rears on?

What's the backspace/offset on the wheels? Those specs on the non-OEM wheels would be good to know for the guys looking for aftermarket wheels that'll fit.

[Aus Goat]

Roadbuster now thats a set of wheels !!!!!

Guys why are you running 14inch on the front and 15's on the back.
i run
225x60x15 front - 15x7
255x60x 15 rear - 15x8
i wanted bigger but getting 15inch tires is getting harder in the larger sizes.
what size can i get under the front without modifications ( normal ride height mine still to be lowered ) . i am on the hunt now for some 275 now .....265 cannot get i have tried.

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...1&d=1247303977http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...1&d=1247304378

[goatless]

Aus, I have the 14's on the front because that's what I could get at easily. I'd normally run the same diameter rim all around. I've got 9 or 10 sets of wheels/tires that I swap around onto my cars.

I think that the combo that 69gtocv has on his black car is just about the best looking 15" setup. The 255's look just right on the back, the 275's that I showed look almost too big.

On your car you could fit a 235/60/15 on the front if your aftermarket wheels have the proper back space- around 4 1/2" os so. If you wheels have less you may already be as big as you can go without rubbing.

[68gtoMN]

Originally Posted by Roadbuster

I run R888s front and rear on my 68 GTO. 255/35R18s up front on 18x9s and 305/35R18s on 18x11s out back on Forgeline S03 wheels.





Jon

It's just wrong to have that look so good. Dang it!