I usually remember the past very well. Not so much lately. On my off topic Chevelle (off by four years to mention) I had put Cragar’s 14 6’s up front (I’m pretty sure they were 14’s) and 15 8’s in the rear (this I remember for sure). This would have been in 1980-81. Now that I’ve bored you with small talk. Was it popular to do 14’s and 15’s on the same vehicle in the 60’s?
My first car, I was 16 in 1965, was a 1951 Ford. Mostly stock, head bolt chrome covers, 3speed with OD. Rear seat speaker hooked to the stock radio. A buddy gave me a good deal on some 15" chrome reverse wheels that I put on the back. A couple of weeks later found some 14" chrome to put on the front. Flipped the reqr spring shackles and I thought I had a real hot rod. To bad it was a 4dr.
Since you know my other threads, I’ve been kicking the idea that 15 4.5’s isn’t the way to go. I won’t pay for tire’s that have a taller profile that’s marketed today. So I’ll step down on wheel diameter up frond but yet still have a taller tire than what I always like to run.
Please clarify. You start with 14 VS 15 wheels, then jump to different profile 15 tires. I know that 14 tires are getting slim, and I've been looking at 15s now. They are getting tough, especially if you want the same model in big and little and not 50 series. Also, 14" wheels don't clear a lot (any?) of discs.
It’s a thought. Definitely narrower. However not taller looking to be more on the period correct side of things. And, the 57 rides nice with the 205’s it has up front currently. Hell, I should just use them on Cragar’s rather than rotting away on the stock wheels. No disc’s to worry about. As for availability, doesn’t matter 14 or 15. Day’s are numbered.
One of my tire/wheel swaps on my 57 involved 15x4" Ansen sprints on the front(of course). I will say it sure steered much easier.
I went to my local junk yard to get a spare 14" tire for the Willys a couple weeks ago. The place has probably 500 used tires on racks stored inside. To my surprise, the total number of 14's they had was 0! Not even a single one.
I had 14’s on my 78 Fbody. When the tires wore out, I picked up a set of 14in slot mags. Put the new tires on them. The FBody was disc brake in front, but no idea on the rotor size. Never gave it a thought and ran them.
I reeled a bit there, but you brought me back in with this one. I can park the blue and white 56 one handed with a 13 1/2” steering wheel.
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