Finally made tire & wheel decision!

-
I

intergalactica

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2006
Messages
416
Reaction score
30
Well...this is the tire and wheel combo I've decided on for my '67 Barracuda with stock suspension. Tell me what you think!

FRONT
15x6 Cragar S/S wheels - part #61654
(sbp with a 3.375 rear spacing and a -3mm offset)

P215/60/15 BF Goodrich Radial T/A - part #67797
*Tire Diameter: 25.20 in.
*Section Width: 8.70 in.
*Tread Width: 7.00 in.


REAR
15x7 Cragar S/S wheels - part #61754
(sbp with a 4.125 rear spacing and a 3mm offset)

P245/60/15 BF Goodrich Radial T/A - part #60013
*Tire Diameter: 26.60 in.
*Section Width: 9.80 in.
*Tread Width: 8.00 in.
 
I have the same tires on mine (except they are 14's) and they work great on the street. Typical 60 foot times are only 2.0 to 2.2 so if you want to hook better just get a different set for the track. The tires work in the rain and last a long time. With those wheels you will not have any clearance issues and will look really good.
 
I have 215/60-15's on the front of my 68 Cuda and 255/60-15's on the back. You might want to consider the 255 for the back, it fills the wheel opening better.

IMG_0810.jpg


NewTires007-1.jpg
 
I've always admired the appearance, especially the stance and the wheel/tire combo on the Barracuda! Great job!

Who did the rallyes and what are the width - backspacing, and other specs?
 
The wheels are from Wheel Vintiques. 15x8 with 4.5" of back spacing on the rear and 15x7 with 4.25" of back spacing on the front.

The trim rings are the Wheel Vintiques Chrysler Polished trim rings (they have the brushed too).

The centers are plastic reproduction ones I got off ebay. The grey is almost black and it has a small metal flake in it so if you are looking for correctness they are not what you want. But at $60 for a set of (4) they are 1/4 of the cost of the cast ones and I like the look.
 
Dave,

I like the stance of your cuda. Man...that car is wicked!

I got the recommendation for my tire selection from Newstalgia wheels.

I really like the way your 255s fill-up the rear wheel openings. However, I'm somewhat apprehensive of going with 255s since you have 15x8 wheels (with a 4.5 backspacing) and the wheels that Newstalgia suggested were 15x7 with a 4.125 backspacing.

How about this for the rear...
15x8 Cragar S/S wheels - part #61854
(sbp with a 4.25 rear spacing and a -6mm offset)

Will I encounter any clearance problems?
 
good choice the 245s will be a little tight, I did 235s on my 64 dart on the same rims, but i think your Cuda has a little more rear room will look cery very nice:)
 
intergalactica said:
Dave,

I like the stance of your cuda. Man...that car is wicked!

I got the recommendation for my tire selection from Newstalgia wheels.

I really like the way your 255s fill-up the rear wheel openings. However, I'm somewhat apprehensive of going with 255s since you have 15x8 wheels (with a 4.5 backspacing) and the wheels that Newstalgia suggested were 15x7 with a 4.125 backspacing.

How about this for the rear...
15x8 Cragar S/S wheels - part #61854
(sbp with a 4.25 rear spacing and a -6mm offset)

Will I encounter any clearance problems?
Click to expand...

You can put a 255/60 on a 7" wide rim you can even put a 275/60 on a 7" wide rim. BFG gives a range of 6.5-10" for the 255/60 Radial T/A.

The 4.125 back spacing will actually be better, especially with a 7" wide rim, it will move the inside edge of the rim further from the spring. If you look at the back shot of my car there is still a lot of clearance to the edge of the wheel well so moving them out some by reducing the backspacing would work. With the rims I have the side wall of a 275/60 would almost be touching the spring and likely would during hard cornering.

I could have easily gotten a 275/60 under the car with a 15x8 wheel that had 4.125" of back spacing.
 
Dave, so should I go with the 15x7 (with the 4.125 rear spacing and 3mm offset) or with the 15x8 (with the 4.25 rear spacing and -6mm offset)?

Also...255s or should I go wider?
 
I ran the 15x7s, the 8s will put it back closer to the spring and give more fender room and for the size tire you have a 7 is a perfect look, and 8 will work, will flatten the side buldge out a little and allow for a larger tire in the future, but a 255 is great for a 7, larger will fit, but I would go 8s if larger than a 255. But then some cars it gets to close to the springs..

Call Kelly at specialty at 1.800.959.5800 or talk to the folks at Newstalgia. www.newstalgiawheel.com

Here is a PDF of a word doc wih sizes, details, links and tools I used on my Cuda and Dart.
 
So 255s with a 15x7 or 15x8?

Will the 15x8 wheel flatten the tire's sidewall...in other words, make the 255s appear less bulbous/bulgy?
 
djwhog said:
I ran the 15x7s, the 8s will put it back closer to the spring and give more fender room and for the size tire you have a 7 is a perfect look, and 8 will work, will flatten the side buldge out a little and allow for a larger tire in the future, but a 255 is great for a 7, larger will fit, but I would go 8s if larger than a 255. But then some cars it gets to close to the springs..

Call Kelly at specialty at 1.800.959.5800 or talk to the folks at Newstalgia. www.newstalgiawheel.com

Here is a PDF of a word doc wih sizes, details, links and tools I used on my Cuda and Dart.
Click to expand...

djwhog, where's the pdf file?
 
djwhog said:
I ran the 15x7s, the 8s will put it back closer to the spring and give more fender room and for the size tire you have a 7 is a perfect look, and 8 will work, will flatten the side buldge out a little and allow for a larger tire in the future, but a 255 is great for a 7, larger will fit, but I would go 8s if larger than a 255. But then some cars it gets to close to the springs..

Call Kelly at specialty at 1.800.959.5800 or talk to the folks at Newstalgia. www.newstalgiawheel.com

Here is a PDF of a word doc wih sizes, details, links and tools I used on my Cuda and Dart.
Click to expand...

It's the back spacing that determines how close the rim will be to the spring not the width. If you can get a 7" rim with 4.125" of backspacing and an 8" rim with 4.125" of backspacing the inside edge of the rim will be in exactly the same place. The outside of the rim will be 1" closer to the the outer wheel well lip with the 8" wide wheel. I am from the era of "deep dish" rims which are just a rim with a very small amount of back spacing. I like that look and the best way to do it is with as wide a rim you can fit with back spacing that keeps it under the car.

The rims he is looking at are 8" wide with 4.25" of back spacing. The rims I have are 8" wide with 4.5" of back spacing. I have 1/2" of clearance between the rim and the spring with the 255/60 the buldge reduces it a small amount. The 4.25" backspacing is going to put the rim about 3/4" way from the spring which centers the 8" rim better in the wheel well. Either a 255/60 or 275/60 will fit with that rim.

intergalactica,
A buddy of mine has a 67 Barracuda coupe with 275/60-15 tires on 15x7 cop wheels (don't know the back spacing). They fit fine but IMHO that size tire starts to look out of place. Now that cruise season is starting I think I would make the rounds and look at some A-body Barracuda's, Dusters and Demons/Dart Sports (Valients, Scamps, Swingers and Darts have smaller wheel wells and openings) and see what you like the look of for tire sizes. Also, If you pick up a couple of lengths of 1x2 strapping you can fab up a frame that you could bolt onto the axle and sping to convince yourself you have the room (they sell adjustable ones for this too). The other thing to consider is the diameter the bigger the tire the larger the diameter which effectively lowers the rear end ratio. If you have 3.55's or 3.91's it's not going to make much difference but if you have 2.x's it's going to make off the line acceleration that much worse.

FWIW, I don't regret going with the 255/60 and will replace them with the same tire when I need new tires.
 
DGC333

Are your springs moved in or are their other wheel well mods to help fitment. Your cuda has an mean look, I like it.
 
Okay...the 15x6 are on backorder until June and to make matters worse, they each cost $52 more than the 15x7.

For the front, can I simply use the 15x7 wheels (with the 4.125 rear spacing and 3mm offset) with the 215 tires?

Will I encounter any clearance problems? Any issues when I switch over to factory '67-69 (sbp) disc brakes and sway bar?
 
efriedrich said:
DGC333

Are your springs moved in or are their other wheel well mods to help fitment. Your cuda has an mean look, I like it.
Click to expand...

Nope the springs are in the stock location and no wheel well mods. The springs are the Mancini XHD units though.
 
intergalactica said:
Okay...the 15x6 are on backorder until June and to make matters worse, they each cost $52 more than the 15x7.

For the front, can I simply use the 15x7 wheels (with the 4.125 rear spacing and 3mm offset) with the 215 tires?

Will I encounter any clearance problems? Any issues when I switch over to factory '67-69 (sbp) disc brakes and sway bar?
Click to expand...

My car has 15x7 with 4.25" of back spacing and 215/60 tires. I had tried 225/60 up front because they were very close to the same diamter as the 235/60-14's I had on it but they would rub the front edge of the fender when the wheels are turned in. The 215/60's fit fine. The side shot above is with the 225/60's.

I would go with the 15x7 wheels.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top