55-59 Chevy Truck Owners-Tire and Wheel size?

Hi everyone. I am looking for some help selecting the look and the right size tire and wheel for the truck. So here is what I got.

It’s a second series 55 with a 75 Camaro clip in it with the stock front suspension and rear axle. I have C-notched the frame and flipped the rear axle to get the truck low and level. I am pretty happy with the way that it sits. The bed is stock and I don’t want to tub it. I have a set of wheels that I hate that came with the truck. They are 15x8 with some offset and now that the truck is lowered they are just barely rubbing on the rear fenders. I want to get another set of tires and wheels and the choices in sizes and types are overwhelming. I am looking for the widest possible tire and wheel that will fit. I am hoping your experience will save me lots of time and aggravation. Also anyone that is willing to post some pictures of your truck with the wheel sizes would be of great help. I would be curious to see what other people have chosen and the way that it looks. From old school steel to some of the new alloys…show me what you got!

The first two pictures are crummy shots from my cell phone. The third is Cal’s 58 GMC. He chose to put a 55 front end on it. It's an absolutely beautiful truck that I use for inspiration and I love the look of his wheels. (He is running air suspension and has the bed tubbed

 

so...it's a stock Camaro rear axle?

 

Sorry for the confusion Squirrel. Let me try again.

It has a Camaro front clip(no airbags) and the Camaro rear axle with the original rear spring setup. Frame was C-notched and and the axle was flipped to lower the rear.

 

Ok

Probably the best way to get wheels/tires that fit right, is to figure out what size/back spacing you have now, and how much clearance you have now. Figure out if the wheels need more backspacing, and see what's available.

My guess is that you can run wheels with about 3.5" back spacing, 8" in back, and 7" front.

 

I run 15x8 in the rear with 245 60 15 and 15x7 in the front with 235 60 15. I would prefer 255s in the rear, but I spent enough on wheels, caps, rings and paint that week and the tires were ones I had laying around.

Dave

 

Mine are 15x8 rears with 245/60/15, and 15x6 fronts with 205/60/15.

The wheels are standard backspace wheels from earlywheel.com.

My truck has cut springs in front along with the camaro clip, and the rear is the same as yours.

I could use a bit taller tire in the front, would make for better clearance, but, I like the look and stance with the current combo.

Here is a pic.

 

Nice looking truck

So you think I can get a 255/60 in the rear. That would be good. Are you running a similar rear suspension with a Camaro axle?

 

This is good news. I was worried I would be stuck with a wimpy rear tire.
Thanks

 

I have 255s on Corvette Rallys on my 58. It has the 2nd gen Firebird/C notch/flipped rear end. There is plenty of room from the fender to the outside of the tire, don't know about the inside, I have yet to drive it, have been work at the front end of the truck.

 

Mine's still under construction, I'm running 15x8 front rims with 245/60 tires, rears are 15x10 rims with 275/60 tires. The offset of the rims were ordered (Vintique) to prevent rubbing, but I have to tub the bed for sure, about 3 inches. Rear axle is an S10. Front suspension is MII ordered with 2" dropped spindles and standard track width.

Sorry for the lousy photo, I'm not good at this stuff:

 

Here's a shot of mine. 215-75-15 front on 15x6 with 4" BS, and 235-75-15 rear on 15x7 with 4" BS and some one inch spacers (I want to swap in a wider rear). Same front clip and rear as yours.



I don't like the low profile tires on trucks.

 

I used to have 15x8 Weld Draglites on the truck with 255s, and they fit really nice. My rear is a 12 bolt out of a '72 Chevelle, flipped and c-notched. I don't recall the width though. The wheels are standard backspace WV Smoothies. I eventually put 1/2" spacers behind them because I liked the tires a little closer to the outside lip.

Dave

 

is every one out there pretty happy with the camaro front clip? i Just picked up a 58 cheby and looking to sit it low. Found a couple of front clips off 70's camaros laying around and wondering if it is worth the extra dough for a mustang II. i know this topic has been up before just trying to get some good input.

nik

 

Hey Nik,

I haven't got mine on the road yet to give you my opinion but check out the link below.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=148978

Not only is it an excellent build page, but in the threads there is some discussion on the different methods of getting IFS and people's opinions on them.

Good luck with it.

 

Thanks everyone who posted the pictures. I have found a wheel that I like. It's the polished Coys C5.


Now I am trying to decide between a 18" or a 20" wheel. I would like all four to be the same size. I don't really like the staggered look. I am afraid that the 20" wheel on all four corners might look too ghetto on a classic truck. So I am wondering if anyone out there might have done it or have any pictures of one with 20s all around.

Thanx

 

15" would be about right....18 or 20 would pretty much put you in a different neighborhood...

 

Anybody with a 55-59 running bias ply tires? If so what size? I'm looking to pick up a set of Coker Classic wide whites and and was looking at G78-15's. I'm currently running an OLD set of Sears bias plys in size L78-15, which are a touch big in my opinion.

 

225/75 R15's here...



I can load the shit out of it without rubbung.

 

33/18,5-15 and 165/60-15
Yes it's tubed...

 

what wheels are you running? Gs would be a better fit on stock wheels.

or get some blackwall LT 7.50-15 like we all had back then

 

Yes, I am running stock rims. Thanks for the feedback, I figured the G78's would be more appropriate.

 

Shasta - I'm running Firestone bias plys sized 6.70-15 on stock 6-lug wheels. Although mine is not lowered yet. I still have plenty of clearance all around. I dont expect any real issues when I drop it in a few weeks.

 

i'm runnin l78's in back and g78's up front

 

I'm in the same boat as you smitty. I'm building a '59 and dont want to tub the bed. I was going to order 245/70-15's for the rear because they're a tad cheaper and im not sure if 255's will fit. also torn on the front tire size. I was thinking of a 225/60 or 70-15 for the front. Im grafting a 79 camaro ifs and using the camaro rear end flipped and notched too. I was tentatively planning on running 15x6" wheels on the front with 3.75" backspacing and 15x8" wheels on the back with 4.25" backspacing. I could also use a little guidance. I'd like to order the wheels this week.

 

Hi Nik,

Well, I wish I could give you more help but I still have not solved this puzzle yet. I meant to order these over the winter but I got sidetracked with some of the bodywork on the truck. I am also going back and forth between the large bling style 18" wheels like the Coys or something like 15" smoothies or ralley wheels. Go over to this site where I posted the same question. Some of the responses included the tires they were running.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?p=3656807#post3656807



You can also go to this site or others like it where you can calculate the dimensions on different tire sizes.
http://www.rimsntires.com/rt_specs.jsp

To be safe I may bring the truck over to a place that sells rims and try on a few. I want that fattest tire that will fit in the opening without any rubbing problems. I am a little afraid to order the wrong size and getting stuck with them.

Please let me know what you have come up with.

 

I have a similar question. My '59 GMC has a front disc brake swap and '77 T/A rear end on stock springs, so it has the 5 on 4 3/4 wheel bolt pattern. It currently has old Center Line Auto Drag wheels, but I'm thinking to switch to steel smoothies. I was considering 18" rears with 16" fronts because I thought it would look meaner & fill the wheel wells better. Does anyone have some advice on wheel / tire size for me? Here's my first attempt to post a pic of my ride. I've owned it since '84.

 

15" steel wheels....if you want it to be something that fits with the feel of this forum....18" is a tad modern, for this place.

As for getting wheels/tires that fit, you have the truck, you have a measuring tape, learn about wheel sizes and offsets and backspacing, etc.

Are those really Center Lines or are they cast copies? hard to see form here.

 

Thanks Jim. Yeah, I know that big & little using 18" on the rear is pushing it a bit, but I want it to look good & traditional with a cool stance without having to jack around with suspension mods. Those are probably copy rims. I picked them up at a junkyard over 20 years ago. I could use 15" steels and run big & little tires I suppose. 235s are a little too fat for the front, but they do fit the rear well.

 

I think these are 205 fron and 275 rear. 6 and 8" wide rims. 255s in back might be an easier fit, 235 in back is kind of skinny for the hot rod look, though.

this truck has the stock six in it, so it's a sheep in wolf's clothing (my son's truck)

 

Thanks for the pic. Nice truck your son has there. You wouldn't know what backspace he has on those rear rims, would you? Those palm trees remind me of my old neighborhood in Phoenix. I really miss that place in the winter!