Tire size question

The Coker website is recommending a 670-15 for my 55 Customline. Will a 500-15 fit it or will it be stretched too wide?

 

You can make it fit, but it will look goofy.

 

What about a 560-15? I am trying to get the width and overall diameter as small as possible so they will tuck better when I lower it down a bit.

 

What are the width of your rims? The 670x15 will fit on a 5"-7" rim and has a tread width of 4.5" The 500x15 only has 4 inches of tread and is made for a rim that is 3"-4". Would you really want that skinny of a tire on your car.

 

That's an early VW bug tire....1700 lb total weight car, on a big heavy Ford?

 

They are the stock 5" wide rims. Is 1/2" really that much different of tread width? The 500s are about 3" smaller in overall diameter. I am just trying not to rub when I lower the car 3 inches. I am just wondering if it is going to look funny...like balooned out to fit the rim. I really am not looking for that kind of style.

 

This is the kind of thing I am talking about. Thanks for the info. I just wish there was a lower profile, WWW, bias ply tire. They are so tall. I really don't want to cut fender wells to make them fit.

 

I know what you are saying. Also, tires all carry a "maximum weight" on the tire. Always look at that on smaller tires for a somewhat heavy car.

Strange thing about tire number sizes for bias; the 600-15 is actually a newer VW aircooled beetle size( '70-'79), but it's really not too much bigger than a 560. And a 6.70-15 seems so tall compared to such a small change in the number. Confusing.

but if you compare 16" wheel tires...a 600 is kind of big/taller that you'd expect if you looked at 15s first, so you need to only look at 15's in online pics of tires on cars.

 

Plenty of guys run the 5.60's on front with no ill effects.. I'd run 5.60's front and 6.70's rear and lower away.. I don't think the front tires on stock rims will hit even if you go pretty low in front.......

 

Lots of guys who use the usual lowering trick on these cars of the Aerostar springs and blocks run the 6.70s without issue. Unless you're planning on slamming this to the frame I see no issues with the stock size.

Any correct tire for this car is going to be a roughly 100% aspect ratio tire.

FWIW, I do like my Firestones.

 

I used 6.70-15's on my avatar '52 Chevy. It was pretty low, no tire rub, and still looked good by filling the wheel house. Don't go too small, it will look stupid. I bigger tire not only looks better but gives the appearance of a lower car. A win-win in my book.