Hot rod tires and wheels for 65 Vette

What with the recent thread that had a lot of Vettes on it I thought I'd throw this out. I'm planning on getting a set of Torque Thrusts for the 65. Probably 15 x 6 or 7. I kind of want tall and skinny blackwall tires. Bias ply. Stock size is 7.75 x 15. What did people run back in the 60's? By the way I think of this car as a Hot Rod that handles. Any thoughts and or pix would be appreciated. Right now I'm running some 25 or 30 year old GR78s and stock caps. The tires are just to old. It worries me bangin' 2nd and 3rd. By the way I don't belong to any clubs, wear a gold chain or even have a Vette pullover. Ha ha! I just like them.

 

What about torq thrusts in front and steelies with cheater slicks out back?

 

hotrod that handles, with bias plys? lol get some radials, new springs and shocks and anti roll bars?

 

I had a set of Redlines on mine at first,15x7- 70's,they were slick slick...I understand what your looking for,but man will it handle? The TTII's made a world of differance with Dunlop directionals...Good luck..

 

Well, ok, handles good for 65 car with period tires. I dig your car 68RATVT but I want to stick with something that might have been around 65-70. I like your idea 390Power but not this go around. I really like Groucho's Vette but that's not in the cards yet. By the way back in 76 I had a 68 L88 427 in a 67 Camaro. It was balanced, blueprinted, had a ZL1 cam and a 950 Holley 3 barrel carb. Damn it was quick but it REALLY didn't handle to good. Damn thing was always spinning out! Sure was fun though!

 

Wow,I bet it spun,like a top...Yea the Blue one looks cool, I just gave a way two factory steels 15x7's...post some pix when you decide...

 

I know it's not an early Ford but it is 42 years old. Anybody got any pix of C3 Corvettes from 65 to maybe early 70's they'd like to share? I know there were people out there racing, customizing and running them on the street. I'm looking for ideas.

 

Torque thrusts and blackwalls would be cool, but done to death. Chrome reverse wheels with skinny white walls would be period correct. My dad told me they were going to put those on a new '65 but they wouldn't clear the new disc brakes. Today that shouldn't be a problem.

 

I think I'd go with the Torque Thrust D's. They were originally designed to fit mid 60's Corvettes with disc brakes, so why not use them for their original entended purpose. The wheel wells are so small you can't put a very wide tire/wheel combination under them, so I'd go with the best handling tire I could find. That means radial. Unless you want to radius the wheel wells. (G)

 

Thank you guys! That's exactly the kind of info I'm looking for. I agee the Torque thrusts are done to death. But I sure do like the looks of them. I've never seen one of these cars with chrome reverse wheels but not out of the question at this point. Any more thoughts or opinions out there. I'm going to go work on the car now but I'll be on later.

 

Do it! You could do the red lines too, if you want. I'm with you on the aesthetic part. Must be a decent handling, vintage looking bias ply out there. I don't really care for Vettes all that much but when I see one with the vibe you're shooting for, my opinion changes 180 degrees. Do it....

 

Hi Jeem, the redlines are an option. Are you talking about on the Americans or chrome reverse? I agree that there's got to be a decent bias tire. I'm old enough that when I started messing with cars that's all we had. That never stopped anybody from floggin' their cars. It wasn't even a thought!

 

Yeah, the Americans (Chromies would be alright, but different look entirely), as cast finish with polished lips or even the just machined look.

 

Jeem, I think we're thinking along the same lines. The Torque thrusts now have a machined edge with gray painted spokes. I know they're popular but I like them. I was also thinking about the Saltflats? I was trying to get a picture of the car but haven't been able to yet. I thought a pic might help. Anyway it's white w/ black interior. Years ago I had some 15 x 8 ralley wheels on it w/ 225s but it was tight, tight, tight. I like the looks of the GR78s on it now so I'll probably try to get some bias the same size. Redlines still an option.

 

I think you should sell it to that Groucho dude, see what he does to it, if you like it, TRY to buy it back.

 

Hey, uncle - just a comment on brake clearence - it's a problem with new style Torque Thrusts on Corvettes. You'll have to run small spacers, which will require longer lug nuts - I run this combo on a vintage race car. Many older wheels, or other designs, have clearance built in - spoke needs to pull outward from mounting face, as Corvette caliper overhangs mounting face. Good luck !!

 

Groucho, I'm not planning on selling the old girl any time soon. There's not a doubt in my mind you could really make something out of it but hey, you've already got a kick ass Vette!
fms427...........what you said is very interesting. When I got the car it had some spacers on the back but not the front. I figured they wanted to move the tires closer to the body, but I really didn't think about it too much. I wonder if that's why? Hmm. Have you got any pictures of your combo?

 

I'd like to see these "straight" spoke 15X5s (check the nice shallow lip) from Team III Wheels on the front, and chrome reverse/cheaters (with 1 inch whitewalls) on the back with a couple monkey nuts twisted in the front coils for a very slight nose-up attitude

 

grey 5 spokes no doubt!

 

I think it's going to be 5 grey spokes. But truth is I've never seen those Team III wheels in picture above. I like em! It's kind of funny the wheel combo Groucho suggests. I say that because the Camaro I mentioned above had a similar setup. Skinny Cragar S/Ss up front with new at the time Cragar SSTs in the back. 15 x 8s with Goodrich L60s. I liked the look but couldn't get the backspacing I wanted and the tires stuck out in the back. Soooooo I got some S/Ss for the back and stuck the tires back under the car. I really liked that car. With the L88, muncie, 4:10 12 bolt posi and slapper bars it'd really go! At least in a straight line. Ha! Thanks guys, keep em coming.

 

No keep em coming. You're done! 6 inch OE chrome from Wheel Vintiques, small cheaters from Cody (hotrodrubber here on the HAMB) and the aforementioned front wheels

 

Listen to Groucho! Redlines didn't come out until '67 on Corvettes. '65s had yellow line tires or WWs. the cheaters would be tits.

 

think twice about bias ply on the 'vette. they look period correct but leave alot to be desired in handling and safety. BTDT. some of my customers have 2 sets of tires & wheels, one for cruise nights and shows, others for normal driving. Look for popular magazine covers for mid-late '60's for ideas, many pics on ebay.

 

I don't care for the modern American 1 piece cast aluminum 5 spokes. the grey paint looks phoney to my eye. The hump in the spoke is funky too. I did see a set that the guy masked the machined surfaces and bead blasted the paint off the spokes. They were much better looking. I could live with them. The hump was still obvious (the only way I knew they were modern) but they looked more like the ones we put on the Corvettes back when we could afford to own one.

For the Duntov racing look, shit can the platic center caps and buy or make flat polished aluminum plates for the center holes. Something as simple as that can change the whole look of the car.

In my neck of the woods, chrome wheels were entry level in the custom wheel market. I know I had them on my 63 Catalina. Even then if you had a Corvette you had to step up and get real aluminum wheels. Ansen Sprints made a big splash when they came out. I had American 5 spokes on my 63 2 topper. Nothing better...IMHO

 

Groucho, you're tuff as nails! LOL! How about this as an alternative. Stock wheels in the back, they're black,no covers, cheater slicks. Skinny 5 spokers in the front, skinny tires. Twisty raiser nuts in the front, jack it up a little, and 327 C.I. stickers on the hood? That would be a cost effective change. I could do that and get some grey 5 spokes, maybe the Team III and some big round profile radial tires. The biggest that would fit the rims and the wheelwells. Then I could change it at will! I like that idea. What does "BTDT" mean? That's a new one to me.

 

Maybe stock, but who gives a shit?

Red lines were around in '64, and anybody (especially anybody putting on some bitchin aftermarket wheels) could put them on whatever. Just sayin'. I think it'd look cool anyway.

 

I'm so confused....................

 

BTDT= Been There, Done That.

 

torq thrust with redlines would be sharp depending on car color.
could always go with slots, that would piss the vette guys off.

 

As far as cost effective? I don't know. The Team III deals are about $500 a pair. But, if you're messin with a 30 to 40 thousand dollar car, what's wrong with spending good money on the wheel/tire combo which has a HUGE impact on how a car looks. Also, the OE chromes for the rear are fairly cheap (under $100 each), and would look great i think. Also, in the end, it is your car. But DON'T scrimp on wheel/tire combo.