Thoughts on Aluminum Wheels

[nama7]

I am looking for an inexpensive, cheap, set of nice wheels for my 65 Sport Fury. I can get a set of 15x7 wheels with tires, the tires will need to be replaced soon. I want to see the stance with the 215/65/15 front and 235/75/15 rear. I am looking for suggestions more than anything. I like this style wheel. They are old, my car is old, and I am old. Nice match. They were on a 2006 Mustang.

 

[CBODY67]

"Looks" might be one thing, but when you raise the rear end up relative to the front, you effectively send the front end alignment into negative caster-land. Even if the adjustment cams say "It's positive". That can mean decreased self-centering of the steering wheel after turns and less straight-line stability. A solid wheel can also decrease potential brake cooling, allegedly.

To me . . . P235/70R-15s on 15x7 wheels would look tougher with the car sitting level, plus offer and enhance all of the benefits of "wider rubber", too. Some 15x6.5 1976 Charger SE Rallye steel wheels somebody was disposing of would be nice to find, then add the 1970 centers to them, forget the trim rings!

Enjoy!
CBODY67

 

[nama7]

"Looks" might be one thing, but when you raise the rear end up relative to the front, you effectively send the front end alignment into negative caster-land. Even if the adjustment cams say "It's positive". That can mean decreased self-centering of the steering wheel after turns and less straight-line stability. A solid wheel can also decrease potential brake cooling, allegedly.

To me . . . P235/70R-15s on 15x7 wheels would look tougher with the car sitting level, plus offer and enhance all of the benefits of "wider rubber", too. Some 15x6.5 1976 Charger SE Rallye steel wheels somebody was disposing of would be nice to find, then add the 1970 centers to them, forget the trim rings!

Enjoy!
CBODY67

Thanks, I have always liked both front and back to be the same myself. I really didn't know anything other than what it "looked like". I don't have any real plans to drive anything other than local, so I would not be too worried about brake cooling. Besides, the cars came with solid steel wheels when they were born didn't they? It would be more like my church ride.

 

[bnz84]

Here is a comparison on my favorite tire calc site. Pretty big difference but one thing most of us have going for us when we have taller tires in the back (mine are only 1" taller) is that the rear fender lip will cover the tire a bit and lessen the visual impact. I say look for a set of used rears a little shorter. The 70 profile along with fender lip would be a good

with 70s

 

[1970FuryConv]

I am looking for an inexpensive, cheap, set of nice wheels for my 65 Sport Fury. I can get a set of 15x7 wheels with tires, the tires will need to be replaced soon. I want to see the stance with the 215/65/15 front and 235/75/15 rear. I am looking for suggestions more than anything. I like this style wheel. They are old, my car is old, and I am old. Nice match. They were on a 2006 Mustang.

View attachment 601931

Like the rims

Rear: I used 15x7 on the rear of a 1970 Fury. They fit well. You'll need to check backspacing versus room in your wheel well. 275-60R15 was the widest tire I could fit in the wheel well.

Front: I used 15x6 rims up front, because of rubbing issues, 235-70R15

 

[HOT FURY]

I am looking for an inexpensive, cheap, set of nice wheels for my 65 Sport Fury. I can get a set of 15x7 wheels with tires, the tires will need to be replaced soon. I want to see the stance with the 215/65/15 front and 235/75/15 rear. I am looking for suggestions more than anything. I like this style wheel. They are old, my car is old, and I am old. Nice match. They were on a 2006 Mustang.

View attachment 601931

I definitely wouldn't go 235/75-15 rear with that front size, it will look kinda goofy. I have 215/70-15 front on 15x7's and 255/60-15 rear on 15x8's. Would look about the same on 7's all the way around since the 255's can go on either. Sits basically level since they are same diameter tires but looks a bit higher in rear in this pic since the parking space is on a slight incline

 

[57fury440]

I don't think the solid wheels would be an issue. Most cars of the sixties had full wheel covers and most were solid with no provision for cooling. I agree about using the 255-60-15 tires on the back.

 

[CBODY67]

The OEM wheels had "hand holes" in them, but most of the wheel covers wee solid. Cooling might be a moot point. I recall a road test C & D did of a '75 small Fury, which had the optional Polycast wheels on it. The braking performance (including fade) was worse than expected. They claimed the culprit was the polycast wheels and their lack of cooling holes for the poor performance. BTAIM

What might have happened is that the cast foam acted like an insulator and kept the heat from the brakes from being transferred to the outer part of the wheel for dissipation, keeping more of it in the lining area than normally would have been? Other OEMs which used a polycast-type optional wheel discontinued the option after about two model years, by observation. But the Chrysler ones looked the best!

CBODY67

 

[HOT FURY]

"Looks" might be one thing, but when you raise the rear end up relative to the front, you effectively send the front end alignment into negative caster-land. Even if the adjustment cams say "It's positive". That can mean decreased self-centering of the steering wheel after turns and less straight-line stability. A solid wheel can also decrease potential brake cooling, allegedly.

To me . . . P235/70R-15s on 15x7 wheels would look tougher with the car sitting level, plus offer and enhance all of the benefits of "wider rubber", too. Some 15x6.5 1976 Charger SE Rallye steel wheels somebody was disposing of would be nice to find, then add the 1970 centers to them, forget the trim rings!

Enjoy!
CBODY67

I ran those same wheels on a nova back in the day and they work fine with no cooling issues, you really dont get much air flow through many factory steel wheels with hubcaps etc on them.

 

[fury fan]

FWIW, I'm more a fan of 235-width tires on front, to keep the tire from being swallowed by the wheelwell. It's visually worse on cars with a rolled lip on the fender, like 65-66 Fury, 65-66 Chrysler, etc.
If your car has fenderskirts, the latch is another thing to consider regardign tire width.

Many years ago I ran 255/60-15 on some 6" Road Wheels on the back of my 65 SF and the skirts fit fine IIRC.
I now have 235/70-15 on 7" police wheels and the skirt latch hits the tire on the passenger side.
@amazinblue82 has mentioned that the axle may not always give the same space on both sides, and I'm inclined to agree.

Here are 2 threads about tire sizes.
C-Body Wheel and Tire Survey
Exactly What Wheels & Tires Fit C Bodies?

 

[amazinblue82]

@amazinblue82 has mentioned that the axle may not always give the same space on both sides, and I'm inclined to agree.

my six slabbies all have skirts, and they all have (except for the heavily modified one) LESS space between the tire and the skirt on pass. side. usually right where the latch is.

my J bodies are the same -- all ten of those. no skirts of course on those cars, but the wheel/tire combo (stock or not) "sticks out" ~1/2 inch more on pass. side.

my observation only. maybe they all DO NOT show this imbalance. i am convinced many do however. i know ALL mine do ... some of my formals do too.

not trying to start a dustup over over it ... i am sure peoples' experience varies

good dads day to you and yours tomorrow.

 

[nama7]

my six slabbies all have skirts, and they all have (except for the heavily modified one) LESS space between the tire and the skirt on pass. side. usually right where the latch is.

my J bodies are the same -- all ten of those. no skirts of course on those cars, but the wheel/tire combo (stock or not) "sticks out" ~1/2 inch more on pass. side.

my observation only. maybe they all DO NOT show this imbalance. i am convinced many do however. i know ALL mine do ... some of my formals do too.

not trying to start a dustup over over it ... i am sure peoples' experience varies

good dads day to you and yours tomorrow.

Happy Pappy's Day to you too.

 

[CBODY67]

@amazinblue82 has mentioned that the axle may not always give the same space on both sides, and I'm inclined to agree.

Here are 2 threads about tire sizes.
C-Body Wheel and Tire Survey
Exactly What Wheels & Tires Fit C Bodies?

When I started washing our '66 Newport Town Sedan, circa 1967, in scrubbing the whitewalls with a hand-held brush (with the fender skirts removed), the brush cleared the outer side of the wheelhouse on the lh side with probably about 1/16" clearance, but on the rh side, it would lightly scrape against the undercoat on the outer side of the wheelhouse. With the stock 8.55x14 Goodyear Super Power Cushions it came with (on 14x5.5" stock wheels).

CBODY67

 

[nama7]

While I was at church today my boys were putting the wheels on my car so we could take a look. The right side went on with no problem. When I got home they said there was a problem. The impact wrench would not take the lug nuts off. When I told them they were left hand threads, they could not understand. I got a big kick out of that.
I like the fit of the rear tires, but the rear have got to be bigger. I meant to say "the fronts need to be bigger".
HAPPY PAPPY's DAY!

 

[Mbaird]

Better make sure the studs are ok . Dont want to find out they were fractured at 70mph .

 

[Mbaird]

Car looks good .

 

[nama7]

Better make sure the studs are ok . Dont want to find out they were fractured at 70mph .

I was thinking about changing all the studs. Maybe changing both sides to right hand thread so my boys won't be confused. New lug nuts as well.

 

[fury fan]

FYI in case not aware:
There's a special tool/process to properly remove the studs, you can't just knock them out wiht a hammer.
You can, but you run the risk of the new one not staying installed properly.
The original studs are swaged in place, and that material should be removed before knocking the stud out.
IIRC there's a special cutter that removes the swaging, it probably looks like a plug cutter used to make wooden plugs.

 

[LocuMob]

While I was at church today my boys were putting the wheels on my car so we could take a look. The right side went on with no problem. When I got home they said there was a problem. The impact wrench would not take the lug nuts off. When I told them they were left hand threads, they could not understand. I got a big kick out of that.
I like the fit of the rear tires, but the rear have got to be bigger.
HAPPY PAPPY's DAY!

View attachment 602379

View attachment 602380

I'd go 235's up front, and 255's out back minimum, but I love a 275 if it fits.

 

[nama7]

FYI in case not aware:
There's a special tool/process to properly remove the studs, you can't just knock them out wiht a hammer.
You can, but you run the risk of the new one not staying installed properly.
The original studs are swaged in place, and that material should be removed before knocking the stud out.
IIRC there's a special cutter that removes the swaging, it probably looks like a plug cutter used to make wooden plugs.

Do you know where I could get this "special tool" to remove the lug bolt material? Or maybe even a picture?