So, I've always liked the bigs/littles (drag car) look for wheels and tires. I have the fronts figured out (15X4 wheels with Mickey Thompson radial front runners). I have a stock height (not lowered) '69 442 with the stock rear end (not narrowed). What do you think I can fit for the largest wheel/tire combo in the rear? I'm pretty sure 15X8 wheels and a 275/60-15 combo will fit easily. Is anyone running bigger in a stock setup? Include wheel offset/backspacing if you can. Photos would be good too.

Thanks
Joel C

 

I’m running 15 x 8 Cragar S/S (4.5” backspace) in the front, I like smaller tires up front, but not quite as small as you want to run, with 215 60 15’s.

On the rear, thanks to advice from Brian Trick, I have 15 x 10 Cragar S/S with 5.5” backspacing and run 325 50 15’s.These fit with no modifications to the trunk or body.I did have to make some changes to the exhaust I was running, but the exhaust on the car when I got it was pretty crappy and needs to be replaced anyhow.

Hope this helps.

Ray

 

15x8 with a 275/60/15 in the rear and 15x5 with a 26 in. tall m/t sportman front runners. I lowered my car about 2 inches in the front.

 

Using 70 and up cars as examples is comparing apples to oranges. The 68-69 cars have different quarters and won't take as much tire. A 275/60 on a 15x8 with 4.5" backspace fits on a 68-69 without issues. I know a guy who is running the 295/55 on a 15x8 as well.

 

Just make sure to have the 4.5" BS. I had 275 60 15s on 15 x 8" rims with 4.25" BS on my gold 69 442 and cut a sidewall while turning and passing from a street into a parking lot. The extra BS proved to be imperative.

 

I am running 275 60 on 15x8 weld draglites. I also have a set of cragar 15x10 deep dish rims with drag radials which still fits with no issues.

 

Fit of wheels and tires on a 1970 is not applicable to the 68/69 models.

 

Thanks for the advice guys. I was just on Cragar's website and the issue I see is that they're only listing the 15X8's with 4 1/4 backspacing....no 4 1/2's

You're certain the 4 1/4's won't work???
V/R

 

I have a71 442 with 15 by 8 rims 4.5 back space and have 295-65-15 they fit

 

Please see above. The fit of rims & tires on 70-72 is NOT applicable to the 68-69 body style.

 

A lot of time the rear was not 100% centered from side to side so measure first.
Like others have said 68/69 differ from other years
What fits 64-65 66-67 68-69 70-72 [ 70-72 cutlass supreme or convert quarter panel differs this may also effect tire size for these years ] 73- As the body style changes so does tire fitment.

 

ms


Cragar will make custom back spacing on some of there billet wheels
Cragar ss direct fit billet original wheel for example.

 

^This.
I needed to at a .25" spacer on one side to fit the 15X10 with 5.5" of BS on mine.
Although I'm pretty sure my car was clocked on the passenger quarter at one point.

That said, I'm pretty sure '69's don't have as much room as the '70's do.
I doubt you'd fit the 325's without some modifications.

-Pete

 

15x6" in the front, 205/75-15's
15x8" in the rear with 4.25 BS, 275/60-15's

Photos won't load!

 

Just wait and see. Mine bolted on & looked fine too. Be very careful going over anything but smooth roads. Good Luck. Hope you don't come back & say You told me so when you cut the sidewall like I did with that same combo on my 69 442.

 

I had 205's but they are too big and wide . Had mickey thompson sportmans 26.00 x 7.00 great tire but sucked on the stree. Now I have 160 85 15's and they are skinny and ride great and even with the car lowered in the front almost 2 inches the slightly smaller diameter. Of the radials didn't cause any clearance issues and I have a steep driveway .

 

You can't compare your car to his.His car is different when it comes to tire fitment. The 68/69 are not like 70,71,72.JMO

 

I was talking about the fronts and ground clearance .

 

Well a shorter tire doesn't give ground clearance with front end lowered 2 inches.So i guess you lost me there.On a side note why would you lower your ride height? If your car was a custom hotrod/streetrod i could see it but most just look dumb when it is a 70/72 cutlass.Now if you're going for the rake look i might understand. Maybe dumb isn't the right way to say it.More like it doesn't look right for the type of car.JMO

 

This is what my 69 442 looked like with the 225 70 15s up front & 275 60 15s out back. Rear rims are 15 x 8" with 4.25" BS. 1st time out with the car on this set up is when the driver's rear cut the sidewall. I replaced the cut tire & moved the rims to my 1970 W-31 & never had a problem on that car because of the more generous wheel wells on the 70-72 model.


A stock height 68/69 A body with stock rear differential is a tight fit for anything bigger than 255 60 15s. I learned the hard way.


DSCN1298_zpsba61a43f.jpg

 

Oldsmobiledave nice pictures and cool cars. That exhaust pipe is close to your tire in the picture anyways it appears like it.Looks like it needed to move a little.Is that a factory type fitment or custom? Thanks for sharing the pictures.

 

Just the angle of the pic. There was lots of room. Exhaust was on the car when I purchased it.


Sold this car 15 months ago & miss it dearly.


Here is what it looked like with the repo 83-84 HO rims & 235 60 15s up front & 255 60 15s out back (how it was when I bought it & when I sold it).

 

well wr1970 im confused . i drag race the car so lowering the front and removing any unsprung weight is very basic race car stuff to get better traction through weight transfer . Any who here is a pic . Wr1970 this whole thread is called bigs and littles by hot rod definitions this is the look.

 

I am not going to argue the point of the lower the car front is basic race car stuff.I will say that weight transfer of unsprung weight helps.I also know springs the expand quicker with 90/10 shocks help more than most know.I also have been drag racing.Go check out my junk in my album.Oh and my street car/race car is fast enough.I am on the reference full throttle list twice with two different cars.I wasn't trying to doubt what you were doing just asking why.If i stepped on your toes that wasn't my intention.

 

Dang, I guess this is not the right look after all.

 

wr1970 i have the trick springs and the 90/10's all the tricks i guess . The whole the front of the car being lower in the front helping hook was explained to me years ago by an old olds racer. Everyone has their prefrence . I didnt take offense in anyway .

 

No offence but the stance that oldsmobile dave has on both those cars pictures is what i am talking about they look good. Not to say your car doesn't look good and i never said your car didn't look good. My preference is hotrod streetrod rake look.Regular street car none race is more what the pictures dave showed. My album shows streetrod look as well as rake on two of my toys.

 

Trying not to hijack this thread but i was told to take off sway bar on the front and to tell you the truth i think it is bs.I did do it but the car in my opinion is no faster and i see no difference in weight transfer. I am thinking about putting it back on.My 1967 has the sway bar on and it hooks real good.The 67 doesn't have trick springs like the 1970 442 does.It just has the 90/10 3 way adjustables like the 1970. the 70 has rear sway bar the 67 doesn't.I'm just saying different cars react differently and set up depends on hp of the combo. Soon i will run the seventy in drive down the track looking for mid elevens.It is tagged a street legal and drove on the street and well as drove to the track. Best time was 12.50 with a 461ci now has a 468.Cheers

 

I think they ALL look good!

 

After a few weeks of running my 4.25 BS 15x8's and 275/60-15's, I haven't had any fit issues. I do have the option of putting more air in the rear shocks but I'm running them at 25 psi. I'm not a big fan of air shocks but they were on the car when I bought it. I was also able to ID what rearend is in the car and it is an original Old 8.5" "12 bolt", non-W27.