Ok, so what a nightmare trying to get 15 inch tires and of course I'm under the gun trying to get the car road ready by Saturday.

This is what has dry rotted on the car over the decade I've been tinkering.

Front: 195/60/15 (24.2 inches dia)
Rear: 235/60/15 (26.1 inches dia)

Rims are 15 inch WELD. I think the back is 8 - 8.5??? and the fronts are skinnier, probably 7? The tireshop said they had to take the tires off the rims to measure them?.... so hopefully I'll have an answer by the end of the day?...

Ok, so... What's the biggest tire I can fit that can still be purchased with raised white lettering?

BFGoodrich Radial T/A's covers the full range of sizes with raised white lettering, but all of their 15 inch tires are on back order.

The tire shop wants me to get into a 245/60/15 (26.6 inches dia) , but Tire Rack tells me that's too big of a wheel. Another tire shop agrees and wants to get me into a set of Cooper Cobra's. Here is what they want to get me into.

Front: 235/60/15 (26.1 inches dia, which I'm currently running in back)
Back: 255/60/15 (27.1 inches dia)

I could actually order the tires today and have them tomorrow, but I'm a bit concerned about having that big of a tire on the front of the car (though I think the 195 is too small and kinda looks stupid [see signature]), and I don't know what it will look like with the WELD rims I have.

If I go with a smaller tire in front, I loose the raised white lettering, unless I go back to the BF Goodrich tire, in which case, good luck trying to get the rear tires...

It shouldn't be this complicated... Is there anyone who knows about tires anymore or is it a dying art? So, that's it for my venting.

If your running 15's, mind sharing what size rubber your running so maybe I can get an idea?

Thanks!

 

I'm running these 295/50R15 Firestone Firehawks's in the back. They stick to the pavement pretty well...considering. Firestone Firehawk Indy 500

 

Either options that the tire shops recommended is ok. The BFG however are a better tire overall than most of the options out there. Besides, they just look better and have been manufactured with almost the same tread design since the 70s.

 

Thanks guys :-)

Well, I found out that my front rim is shot. Something about the insides being loose and the holes being out of round. I did notice some deep gouges around the washers when I put them back on after spending 2 days sanding, buffing and polishing them...

I don't see purchasing a new 5" rim, nor do I have the cash right now. So, here is what I'm thinking.

I have a pair of 8x15 stock GM rims with center caps (Need the beauty rings), so I wonder how hard it would be to find two more for the front? I have a sand blaster and my painter has silver paint on hand and he won't charge me either.

I suppose it would be a bit retro... I can't remember the last time I saw stock rally wheels on a Camaro. What do you guys think? Would it look stupid?

69, Would those firestone's fit on a stock rim without any issues under my 68? Also, what size front tire? I'd like a little more rake than what you currently have, and of course if I could, I'd like to keep with a raised white letter (that's a tough request). Anyway, those tires just look cool on your car :-) That's the look I'm looking for!

thanks!

 

Here is a picture I found online of the two rims I have at home.

 

running 235/60/15 front 295/50/15 rear may rub in rear if your sprigs are old and worn
bfg`s suck they wear fast and tend to dry rot faster than others i have used tons of bfg`s,cooper cobras and others and i like the firehawks the best after yrs of using all types!! here is a pic before the firehawks were installed

 

firehawks on the chevelle

 

Are you running the same tire setup on the Malibu? Reason I'm asking is I don't know if the backspacing is the same on that stock rim I posted vs. the nice rims you've got on the Camaro.

As far as my springs, they are all brand spanking new. Custom built by Eaton Spring for drag racing. They say they're good to 1,000 ponies. One thing though, I had them put a 2" drop in the rear springs and about a 2.5 inch drop in the front springs. I'm running stock spindles. Not sure if this matters, but I'm also running Comp Engineering Slide a link's that I've yet to adjust lol.

Like I said, I like the look of your car. Do you think they would fit under mine without any issues since I've got modified springs?

 

One more thing. Should I be looking for a 7x16 rally rim for the front or would an 8 work with the 235's?

Thanks again. Man, it's nice to talk to somebody who knows something.

Sidenote: Wife just went to pick up the Camaro from the tireshop and found out they tried prying the battery cable off the battery and cracked the lead connector. Pry marks all over the battery! BTW, It's a brand new battery and a brand new cable!

This came about because I don't know if I found my short or not, so I disconnected the postive cable at the tire shop and asked them to put it back on when they needed to move the car, and then disconnect it. How in the world do you screw that up so badly!!! Gad! They are replacing it (and they should!) but now I'm worried they're gonna scratch my nice new (expensive) paint.

 

I"ve never been impressed with the "traction" of the TA's, but the Firestones hook very well. I really have to try, to break em free. I used to have the old school N50's on there (harder compound tire), with 12" of rubber on the street, and they would easily break free if I slightly burped the throttle too hard. Even though these Firestones are 2" narrower, they stick like glue off the line. As far as your spring clearances in back, it all depends on the wheel back-spacing, and you'd have to do some measuring. Or mount one of those wheels, which will help tell it all. Tread width on the Indy's is almost 10 inches, and section width (sidewall to sidewall) is 12" based on a 9.5" wheel. Mine are on 10" wide wheels btw, so being on 8" wheels will pinch the overall width in a little. By the way, are those truck wheels? They look like it.