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Thread: Wheels/tires for my Bel Air

  1. #11
    Registered Member BamaNomad's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hevychevy View Post
    My 57 Bel Air is nearing completion and we are down to wheel and tire choices. I want to run the old school Torque Thrust, gray spoke type mags. The guy who owns the shop is suggesting 17"x8" with 50 series tires. I think there will be a clearance problem and do not want to deal with spacers, etc.
    My choice is 15x7 with 70 or 75 series tires and I know they will clear. He has also suggested going up as far as 20 inch wheels with 30 or 40 series tires. Go ahead and throw your opinions out on this one please. Of course my choice is bolt on and go with no modifications.
    I don't think you will have a problem wtih 17x8's if you get the offset right for your car. that's what I have on my '57 Nomad (2.45-45 series tires) and they seem to sit OK and clear both inside and out, but I haven't driven it yet, so turning is the only thing I haven't had opportunity to verify.

  2. #12
    Registered Member chevynut's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 55 Rescue Dog View Post
    No offence, but to me those tires look too short for the wheel opening size, no matter how wide they might be.
    No offense, but I don't care what you think.
    56 Nomad, Ramjet 502, Viper 6-speed T56, C4 Corvette front and rear suspension


    Other vehicles:

    56 Chevy 2-door BelAir sedan
    56 Chevy 210 4-door sedan
    57 Chevy 210 4-door sedan
    1962 327/340HP Corvette
    1961 Willys CJ3B Jeep
    2001 Porsche Boxster S
    2003 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD Duramax
    2019 GMC Sierra Denali Duramax

  3. #13
    Registered Member chevynut's Avatar
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    Here's another Nomad with 245/45-17 in front and 275/45-17 in the rear.

    IMG_0693-1_crop.jpg
    56 Nomad, Ramjet 502, Viper 6-speed T56, C4 Corvette front and rear suspension


    Other vehicles:

    56 Chevy 2-door BelAir sedan
    56 Chevy 210 4-door sedan
    57 Chevy 210 4-door sedan
    1962 327/340HP Corvette
    1961 Willys CJ3B Jeep
    2001 Porsche Boxster S
    2003 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD Duramax
    2019 GMC Sierra Denali Duramax

  4. #14
    Registered Member Custer55's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hevychevy View Post
    My 57 Bel Air is nearing completion and we are down to wheel and tire choices. I want to run the old school Torque Thrust, gray spoke type mags. The guy who owns the shop is suggesting 17"x8" with 50 series tires. I think there will be a clearance problem and do not want to deal with spacers, etc.
    My choice is 15x7 with 70 or 75 series tires and I know they will clear. He has also suggested going up as far as 20 inch wheels with 30 or 40 series tires. Go ahead and throw your opinions out on this one please. Of course my choice is bolt on and go with no modifications.
    Go with the style and size wheel that you like best. It's a personal decision. Getting wheels and tires to fit regardless of the size you choose is a matter of getting the backspace / offset correct to fit your car. Larger and wider wheels will not need any other modifications with the correct backspace. You can have clearance problems with a narrow wheel also if the backspace is not right. My son recently put custom wheels and tires on his 59 Mercury and they look great with no modifications to the car everything clears good and he has had no rubbing issues. We did a lot of measuring before he ordered them. In the rear the wheels are 18 x 10 with 285/40/18 tires and the front is 18 x 8 with 245/45/18 tires.
    Brian

    For some reason I am not able to add the photos.
    I will try in another post
    Last edited by Custer55; 09-12-2019 at 06:53 AM. Reason: add photos

  5. #15
    Registered Member Custer55's Avatar
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    Still not able to upload any photos. Will try again later.

  6. #16
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    I don’t care for it when the tires and wheels are not centered in the fender opening. It makes it look like the springs are broke or went south. Not a look that is appealing on the vintage rides, but it’s your car do what you want.

  7. #17
    Registered Member chevynut's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gmvette View Post
    I don’t care for it when the tires and wheels are not centered in the fender opening. It makes it look like the springs are broke or went south. Not a look that is appealing on the vintage rides, but it’s your car do what you want.
    Who are you talking to? Nobody said anything about wheels not being centered so where are you getting that?
    56 Nomad, Ramjet 502, Viper 6-speed T56, C4 Corvette front and rear suspension


    Other vehicles:

    56 Chevy 2-door BelAir sedan
    56 Chevy 210 4-door sedan
    57 Chevy 210 4-door sedan
    1962 327/340HP Corvette
    1961 Willys CJ3B Jeep
    2001 Porsche Boxster S
    2003 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD Duramax
    2019 GMC Sierra Denali Duramax

  8. #18
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    Thanks for all of the opinions and information. 17x8 torque thrusts with 245/45 narrow whites! Some old school, some new.

  9. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by chevynut View Post
    Who are you talking to? Nobody said anything about wheels not being centered so where are you getting that?

    Posts #5 and #9 talk about wheels/tires in wheel openings.

  10. #20
    Registered Member chevynut's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gmvette View Post
    Posts #5 and #9 talk about wheels/tires in wheel openings.
    In other words, you don't care for lowered cars that almost everyone today has and the resulting improvement in handling. I get it now. I thought you meant wheels not centered fore and aft. Most of us lower our cars on purpose because stock height looks stupid with larger than the old school stock wheels and handling sucks. But it's your car, so do what you like.
    56 Nomad, Ramjet 502, Viper 6-speed T56, C4 Corvette front and rear suspension


    Other vehicles:

    56 Chevy 2-door BelAir sedan
    56 Chevy 210 4-door sedan
    57 Chevy 210 4-door sedan
    1962 327/340HP Corvette
    1961 Willys CJ3B Jeep
    2001 Porsche Boxster S
    2003 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD Duramax
    2019 GMC Sierra Denali Duramax

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