Hot Rods Falcon / Comet folks...wheel and tire help

Ok so I just sold my 61 Sunliner and took the $$ and plucked it down on this. I’ve always loved Mutleys Comet and have kept the attached pic around forever. He’s running 15” up front and 14’s our back. The current rims and tires on the car rub..it’s not really drivable and they were going bye bye anyway. Luckily the guy had the stock steel rear wheels. But I was hoping to run some D spokes in 14 x 4.5 up front, but they aren’t available from what I can see, so I gotta go 15 x 4.5. These things seem as hard to fit as 52-54 Fords are for tires and rims. Any of you guys have any thoughts on rim sizes back spacing and tire sizes. I was looking at the M & H muscle car dot for the back and pro tracs up front....any help would be appreciated..
Cars been nicely done, just a little 289 and a c4

 

Nice ride dude!!!!
But I got a question.....
Where the hell is Mutley????
We haven't heard a peep out of him in ages... Hope he's ok...

 

No idea, but man I love that comet...
I went away for a bit...just got busy with life. I found I missed the place and there are some good folks on here and it covers the style of cars I enjoy. I can see everything from period correct hot rods, killer Kustoms, g***er style cars, nice pre 64 factory muscle cars, and early to mid 60’s drag cars..everyone one of those pretty much does it for me.

 

Looks good! I'm running 15x6 with 3.625 backspacing on the back. Could probably go in another inch maybe with the right backspace. Can't go out at all. This is with a 225/70 tire.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Love your car..was seriously considering it...that motor looks great. I may reach out to you with some questions..

 

Thanks! Yep, hit me up. I'll try to be helpful.

 

On my 64 Falcon sprint I ran a 245X60X14 on a ford gt rim with stock rear and no rubbing. Not sure of the equivalent in the M & H. I mainly run 235 60 14 on my falcons and comets with ford gt wheels. A 63 V8 8 inch rear will give you a little more clearance to the outside as it is a little more narrow than 64/65.

 

Thanks are you talking about newt mustang get wheels with the reverse offset? Good to know. 235 / 60 / 14 is the same size as the m & h

 

No, the original mustang, torino gt wheels. Like 1968.

 

Like the ones on my dad's comet.

Sent from my SM-N950U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Ford was notorious for not leaving any room in their rear wheelwells '50s to early '60s on most models. I stuffed 225/60-15s under my '64 Comet on 15x7 wheels with a 4" backspace. These left about 3/8" clearance and would rub lightly on hard cornering sometimes. If you're will to accept a bit more rubbing, I think you could do 235/60-15s but you won't be able to go bigger. The key is the front spacing; as long as you don't have more than 3" from the mounting surface to the outside of the tire mounting lip, you should be good. I'll note two thing to watch for; in front a 4" backspace may foul the suspension, I had to use 1/8" spacers for clearance. Two, actual tire size varies a**** manufacturers for the 'same' size so you need accurate info on actual size.

It's also hard to find wheels with that backspace. The more-common 3.75" backspace erases most of your outer clearance, limiting you to 6" wide wheels.

 

Looks like I picked a good day to log on again. I'm fine, just kind of burnt out lately. The fact that it's so dead around the Fresno area certainly doesn't serve to motivate me either. Nice score on that Falcon, I know you've been searching for something similar for quite a while.

 

Good to hear from you any updates on the Comet?

 

Welcome back Mut!!!!
It's been a while.. Long time no chat....

 

Haven't done a thing to it since last Summer except put a new battery in it.

Thanks, I guess I should log on here a little more often.

 

Glad to see more Comets (& Falcons) being built. I bought my ‘64 in 1968 and its now undergoing its third reincarnation.
I was able to fit 2.75-60’s in the rear on 8”x15” wheels, but it took moving the springs 2 1/2” inboard. ( I wanted radial tires)
Keep the updates coming........

 

Some good advice so far anybody else?

 

I had a '64 Falcon Sprint with 15 x 7 Americans and Good Year Blue Streak road race tires back in '66. I had to grind the inside of the rear fender lip and use a bumper jack with a 2x4 to gently push the rear quarter out a little for clearance. I believe the front jusy required grinding the inside lip. The car wasn't lowered but looked great at the stock ride height and nothing ever rubbed. Back then you could go to Good Year's race tire distribution center in El Segundo, Ca. and buy the tires they tested at Riverside for $25.00 each. Those were the days...and no D.O.T. labels on the tires.

 

It's probably just me but I like to see the tires and wheels more inside the fender like they were originally... **clic pic**

 

I’m with you...
M&H has the racemaster DOT in a 215/65/15 that requires a 6” wheel..should be good with the proper offset.
Now I gotta figure out if the 560 - 15 pro tracs will work up front, but based of recommended wheel
Width of 4-5” And 25.88 diameter I’m thinking it should be ok

 

Those are the tires I've got on my Comet. They're on a 4" wide wheel but they should work/look fine on a 4½" wheel too. Be advised, they have a HIDEOUS looking sidewall on one side. It's hard to even explain it, looks like a big ridge or something. Just make sure you mount that inside and all is good. They wear like iron, I've had them for 7 or 8 years and they still look new.

 

Can’t find those wheels anywhere..D spokes seem to be the only 4.5” wheels that I can find it seems

 

I do not believe the 4 1/2” x15 Crager SS wheels are being made any more. The wheels on my Comet in my avitar picture are vintage SS wheels, 4 1/2x15 but they were stamped inside on the rim “not legal for highway use” I ran them for a number of years with a tall narrow tire and the car sat at a good height not to high, not too low. Fitting a tall tire on the front and having the car sit low means you would need to do some modifications. I have now modified the area behind the tire to gain the needed clearance. (Between the footwell and the wheel well area.)

 

My fronts are a 165/80 maybe??? Something like that.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

That's certainly not a bad option unless you're dead set on a pair of Cragars.

 

This looks good..not looking to re config the front end..

 

These are about the same size as the protracs, on a 15x4, stock front end, no problems fitting.

 

ok....man these things are hard to figure out..everyone’s got an opinion...the wheels I like come in 15x 5 with 2 3/4 back space or they have D spokes 15 x 4.5 with 2 1/8 bs....pro tracks are 25.88 diameter and 4” tread with require a 4-5” rim.
Backs I’m gonna go with steel wheels in 6 or 6.5 with a 215 65 16 m & h race master dot looks like 26” diameter and 8.5 wide on a 15 x 6 rim with 4” back space

What do you think....

 

Sounds like a good plan.. Look forward to pics...

 

Well I own it now.....got to order up the wheels and tires and do some tuning. The little 289 sounds good, but seems a little off on power.