Who's running skinnies on their streetcar? 15x4? 15x3.5?

I'm wanting some wheels for my car... '64 Fairlane
Here's how the car currently sits, 15x7 rear, 15x5 up front..


Here's another '64 I had about 15yrs ago running 15x 7 out back and 15 x 3.5 up front. Sorry for the old, small pic, but you get the idea.


I'm wanting to get another set of wheels to swap out from time-to-time. Now that I'm older I'm having second thoughts about such a skinny front wheel on a street car, although I do love the look.

Any thoughts?

 

other than going around curves to fast you shouldnt have any prob.i have always ran 15x4 on everything exept my vette. less rolling resistance = better mpg. and the LOOK !!! I LOVE

 

Me personally..... I wouldn't change a thing on your front wheel set up. I have ran skinnies on my (streetcar/driver) for years. I have had recent luck with running the 165/15 on 15x5 wheels,and you can barely tell they are not 15x3.5 wheels.

Oh yah cool car by the way. If I ever own a 60's ford that would be the one!!

 

Untill I got this set I alwas ran 15x3.5's up front. Got 15x5's now and I have a much better feel for the road. Before it always felt loose like the steering wheel was kind of foating in my hands.

 

Ive run modern 15x3.5's, 15x4.5's w/165/15 or 6.40/15 tires on a bunch of cars over the years with no worries. As said before, high speed hard cornering isnt an option, you just have to remember which car you are driving.
Ive also run 15x5.5's w/165/15's and you couldnt tell the difference between them and the narrower version...they probably have a higher load rating also.

I did have an issue with the set of 15x4.5 U.S Indy slots that came with my ex drag car '57 Chevy which sat since it was last run in the early '70's. After about a year of occasional street driving to shows (and a couple 4-500 mile round trips) one wheel began losing air due to a hairline crack along the bead area. After measuring I found that the rim was only about .060 thick in this area...Now Im a bit spooked about running earlier wheels.

 

I run the Mickey Thompson Sportman pro front tires on my 66 Lemans, with TT 15x 4 1/2, these are bias tires, handle much better on the street and on the track (drag strip) than 165 radials i was using. however they don't have a period correct look if thats important for you. i maybe changing to a painted steel wheel and 7.75x 14 redline repo tire this summer.

 

I'm running these 15X4 Team III wheels on the front of my coupe w/ 5.60X15 bias ply firestones. I think they call them the Classic 5's. They are an exact copy of the old American Racing torq thrust 15X4 magnesiums.

 

Thanks for the input fellas.
Anyone else?

 

I ran 15x4 rally's on the front of my 64 nova wagon with 165/15 tire for several years with no issues. I drove the car year around except for days when it snowed. No problems, I would do it again.

 

I'd run 15x4 or 15x3.5's no problem, I had done that with OT cars that were in the 3200-3500 raceweight range. I'd just make sure you run a decent tire, no VW cheapy tires I was running the MT Sportsmans reccomended for heavier cars. I blew out a VW skinny once on the street.

 

I run them with no problem ,my 55 Chevy has them and I have a couple of 67 Coronets both running them..... But as others have said Cornering isnt really fun........

 

15x3.5 up front 15x10.5 in the rear no problem just have to drive a little more careful in the rain

 

15x4 front and 14x6 rear

 

I have run skinnys on all my hot rods for the last 15yrs with no problems and one was a 2 ton full size wagon with no problems.

 

I've got 15 x 4's on the front of my Hillman. Backs are 15 x 6 3/4. It hasn't been driven yet. Need to put in the 392 first.

 

Nice HEMI....

 

Never a problem with mine....

 

Ask anyone with a t-bucket about running skinny tires up front. Probably not quite the same as a full-sized '60s car, but I've never had a problem.

 

Well, not exactley the same, but just to let you know, i run 155/80s on my 5" wide 13s cragars, cause i really dig the skinny thread look, just like on this Nova. I think they are awesome on old cars, more than fat wheels.
Anyway, what i wanted to say is that under the rain they are kinda scary. Sometimes it feels like drivin on wet leaves.
Of course knowin it is an advantage, but i still get my rear end sideways on roundabouts sometimes...

 

drove it alot

 

I've run them on a bunch of my cars including my latest build...



Just don't drive it like an idiot and you'll be fine.

Great looking car by the way!!!


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Only time I was ever white knuckled while running skinnys, was when I had some 4" cragars on the front of my 61biscayne....running a 215 pro trac tire.....real interesting ride. They came off and regular steel wheels went back on.....those et's would be my pick

 

It was in a car craft a few years ago but a guy with a fairlane wagon I think running 15x4 studebaker front wheels from a early to mid fifties stude. It was a drag car that was occasionaly street driven. I don't know what he was running for tires on them but he had mickey thompson slicks in back so I would assume they were front runners of the same brand. If I find the article ill give you more info.

 

I'm running 15x4's with Pro-Trac Front Runner 5.60-15's on my Comet.

 

I have a T Bucket with a Big Block Chevy. I am running 15 X 3.5 Fenton Gyros in the front, Hurst cheater slicks out back and she handles just fine. I just have to remember that she's not a road course car!!
Pluck