Tires and Wheels

[Big John]

1BadBird's tire post brings up something I've been thinking about for a while now.

I want a different tire and wheel combo for my car. I just dont know what.

First.. Let me say this. I do not like the black steel wheel, red line tire and chrome lug nut A12 look. It looks OK on some cars, but with the color (Q5 turquoise) it would look awful... like someone stole the hubcaps. I've been fending off the "why don't you have the OE wheels on it?" for years now.. so it doesn't bother me. I also don't care for Cragar SS wheels.

The current combo is Keystone wheels with Goodrich Radial T/A 275/60-15 on the back and 235/70-15 on the front. 8" and 7" wide wheels. The rears don't have the right back spacing and the tire scrubs on the outer wheel house when there's someone in the back seat... they were ordered for a Corvette and never picked up. They sat in the local speed shop for at least a year before I bought them for next to nothing. The wheels have been on the car since 1981 and are showing their age and the tires are old enough to vote.

I was thinking of some American Torq Thrust wheels (which I understand are ironically made in China) but I don't know. I did see these: http://www.vintagewheelworks.com/products/wheels/v40 and these http://www.vintagewheelworks.com/products/wheels/v45 both similar, but different spoke shape.

I was also thinking of losing the "big and little" look and going with some big tires all the way around. I think a 255/60-15 would fit... or maybe even (ready for this) a 16" tire and wheel in approx the same diameter and width. It would show just a little more wheel, but still have the traditional big tire sidewall look... just toned down a little.

Any thoughts?

 

[coyoteduster]

I would go for the V45 torqthrust, in the 16". It would would still have the classic 60's style, but bring it more of a modern look. Same size all the way around, with the correct offset looks good, but on your car, I would say a bit bigger on the back with a deeper offset would make your car look more agressive & I think an A12 should look like its ready to peel the fibreglass off a ricer at any red light.

 

[Hoosier Bird]

I love the torque thrust. I have been thinking of putting them on mine when I redo it. I think JJ had those on his car before he put the cragers on.

 

[Plymouthfan]

If you don't like Cragar SS's and are tired of the Klassics, there's only one choice for you and that's TT's! They'd look killer on a blue car.

Let's not forget blue steelies and poverty caps! LOL, ok, I know that's not your style, but it would probably look pretty sharp too.

 

[Basketcase]

YOU DON"T LIKE CRAGAR SS????? :huh:
those are my first choice.As soon as I can. there will be Cragars on mine. I doubt if I fall into another sweet deal like I did with the other car. Keystones are second. The TTs are great too. I am a big fan of big & littles on muscle cars, and our Mopars just look awsome with big tires, and some rake.
The steelies on an A12 just do anything for me, and the dogie dishes have to be on the right color car.
Chris's is one. I was looking at his pics, and I didn't car for them with the black wheels, but the body colored wheels were like night and day. And there is a B5 '70 road runner on moparts, that has the blue steeies and doggies, and it's sweet.

 

[1BADBIRD]

I am going to run the TT 2's with 15x8 on the rear with 4.5 backspacing with 275/60/15. On the front I am going to run 15x7 with 3.5 backspacing with a 225/70/15. Anyone see any problems with this setup? Or anything they would change? I spoke with toms69rr for the specs as this is the setup he is running maybe he could post some pics?

 

[toms69rr]

Front

Rear

 

[Big John]

YOU DON"T LIKE CRAGAR SS????? :huh:
those are my first choice.As soon as I can. there will be Cragars on mine. I doubt if I fall into another sweet deal like I did with the other car. Keystones are second. The TTs are great too. I am a big fan of big & littles on muscle cars, and our Mopars just look awsome with big tires, and some rake.
The steelies on an A12 just do anything for me, and the dogie dishes have to be on the right color car.
Chris's is one. I was looking at his pics, and I didn't car for them with the black wheels, but the body colored wheels were like night and day. And there is a B5 '70 road runner on moparts, that has the blue steeies and doggies, and it's sweet.

Around here... the Mopar guys had Keystones and others, but the Chevy guys ALL had Cragars... I mean ALL of them.

I liked the Keystones... but I just want a different look.

 

[Big John]

Its all food for thought....

I do like the tires to be the same diameter and I like them to be large in diameter... I'm gonna stay with that... I looked at some 16" sizes and it looks like my choices are limited, so that might not work out and after thinking about it I do like the rear wheel well to be "full" of tire, so "big and littles" are a pretty sure bet.

 

[mcmopar]

I'm partial to this look, but then again my dad taught me the value of simplicity when I was younger and trying to get him to upgrade his runner. His was Q5 Turquoise as well. I really loved that car.
These pics were taken up at the Nats in '05 of a RR on the showfield. Brought back a lot of good memories of dad's car.




I have to say this was one of my favorite road runners there. Tires were 275-60R/15 rear and 245-60R/15 up front on Magnum 500's. Very similar to my setup except I run 235-70R/15's up front because they are the same height (28.5") as the 275-60's out back. My Magnums are 7" wide up front and 8" wide in back.

 

[John69RR]

I agree with Plymouthfan, TT's. I prefer the Keystones, but for all the years you've had them I can relate to something different. I'm still running the 225/70R14 on all 4 corners.

 

[Plymouthfan]

I know those rocker and wheel lip moldings are TOTALLY wrong on that turquoise Runner, but damn do they look GOOD!!!!

 

[Roadcuda]

If you don't like Cragar SS's and are tired of the Klassics, there's only one choice for you and that's TT's! They'd look killer on a blue car.

Let's not forget blue steelies and poverty caps! LOL, ok, I know that's not your style, but it would probably look pretty sharp too.

I agree with you Chris. There is something to be said for body colored steelies and poverty caps! But don't get me wrong, I think all the choices you guys have made for tires and wheels look great on your cars!

 

[mcmopar]

I know those rocker and wheel lip moldings are TOTALLY wrong on that turquoise Runner, but damn do they look GOOD!!!!

Yeah - even though they were never offered from the factory they sure do make that car look soooo sweet! They really add a "just right" looking touch of class IMO.

 

[Big John]

I know those rocker and wheel lip moldings are TOTALLY wrong on that turquoise Runner, but damn do they look GOOD!!!!

Yeah - even though they were never offered from the factory they sure do make that car look soooo sweet! They really add a "just right" looking touch of class IMO.

I think its the turquoise color.. It just lends itself to a little more chrome then a lot of the other colors. I know that's why I went with the Keystone wheels.

 

[Hoosier Bird]

I'm partial to this look, but then again my dad taught me the value of simplicity when I was younger and trying to get him to upgrade his runner. His was Q5 Turquoise as well. I really loved that car.
These pics were taken up at the Nats in '05 of a RR on the showfield. Brought back a lot of good memories of dad's car.




I have to say this was one of my favorite road runners there. Tires were 275-60R/15 rear and 245-60R/15 up front on Magnum 500's. Very similar to my setup except I run 235-70R/15's up front because they are the same height (28.5") as the 275-60's out back. My Magnums are 7" wide up front and 8" wide in back.

That's about the best looking RR I've ever seen.........holy cow.....daddy like..... :yesnod:

 

[droptop]

I know those rocker and wheel lip moldings are TOTALLY wrong on that turquoise Runner, but damn do they look GOOD!!!!

Yeah - even though they were never offered from the factory they sure do make that car look soooo sweet! They really add a "just right" looking touch of class IMO.

They were available as a dealer option. So with that in mind, does that make it TOTALLY wrong? I know that my convertible will have them. Black and chrome are my two favorite colors. :banana: :banana: :banana:

 

[mcmopar]

It really doesn't matter to me if they are "wrong" or not. Like we like to say around here; "it's your car - do it your way". I personally happen to like that combination. And Big John I think you are on to something there. That turquoise with a black interior is a sweet combo that is really accented by the chrome. Dad's rr was Q5 with a black bucket seat interior and a 4 speed. I never really appreciated that color when I was a kid but I'd sure like to find one in that combo now. Back when I was in Jr. High school up in Ft. Wayne, In there was a little satellite post office about 2 blocks from my school and there sat an employee's 69 Q5 Turquoise road runner with a black bucket seat interior and a 4 speed trans - almost just like my dad's car. The only differences were the 5 spoke Styled Steel Road Wheels and the lettering on the power bulge which read HEMI. I think it was the car that inspired my dad to put a set of the Styled Steel Road Wheels on his car in '71 (it had body color steelies and poverty caps on it from the factory). I wish I knew what happened to that HEMI road runner.

 

[Plymouthfan]

I know those rocker and wheel lip moldings are TOTALLY wrong on that turquoise Runner, but damn do they look GOOD!!!!

Yeah - even though they were never offered from the factory they sure do make that car look soooo sweet! They really add a "just right" looking touch of class IMO.

They were available as a dealer option. So with that in mind, does that make it TOTALLY wrong? I know that my convertible will have them. Black and chrome are my two favorite colors. :banana: :banana: :banana:

Absolutely not, those rockers would look sick on a black vert! I had no idea they were a dealer option. Good to know...

 

[ACME A12]

I think its the turquoise color.. It just lends itself to a little more chrome then a lot of the other colors. I know that's why I went with the Keystone wheels.

All the more reason to go with a set of polished TT II's. You'll get the "bling" that your looking for and have plenty of options as far as the backspacing goes.

Personally, I absolutely love the look of the original Torque Thrusts, but with the limitations on backspacing I'll probably never have a set on anything because I'm programmed to stuff as much tire in that rear wheelhouse as will possibly fit...and 3.75" of backspacing doesn't further my cause...

I am also a big Cragar S/S fan, but you've already ruled those out...

And since you hate the black H Wheel look...if you still have yours I'll take them off of your hands...seriously. I only have one that is correct for my car, and a '68 and a pair of '72's. Other than occasional show usage I doubt they'll be on the car much, but I would like to have a second set of correct wheels & tires (assuming they ever re-pop the G70 Goodyears)...

Ray