Wheel Change Help

[Sparky]

Good Morning
i have my 73 home today and it has factory aluminum rims in 14 inch. They are in really great shape although the bfg’s are 15 years old. I would like to put on some magnum 500’s as I think they look better. I will just store the factory mags. My question is I can get the magnums in 15 x 7 and 15 x 8 and even 17 inch - I would like to stay with 15 inch but should I get the 7 or 8 width? Will there be clearance issues on the front end with 8 inch or will it depend on the tires? Thanks for any help or suggestions!

 

[Sheriff41]

It really just depends on the look you like. The 15x8s will allow a slightly wider tire than the 15x7s. I think most people run 235/60-15 or 245/60-15 on the 7-inch rims.
I run 17x8 with 255/40-17 on the front and 17x9 with 275/40-17 rears on my car with no clearance issues. I chose my tires to be close to the same diameter as the original F60x15s (~235/60-15) that came on my car but with tread widths I like. You will hear people that haven't run 17s say the ride is harsh. I didn't notice any degradation in ride quality on mine with the 17s.

 

[Sheriff41]

Good Morning
i have my 73 home today and it has factory aluminum rims in 14 inch. They are in really great shape although the bfg’s are 15 years old. I would like to put on some magnum 500’s as I think they look better. I will just store the factory mags. My question is I can get the magnums in 15 x 7 and 15 x 8 and even 17 inch - I would like to stay with 15 inch but should I get the 7 or 8 width? Will there be clearance issues on the front end with 8 inch or will it depend on the tires? Thanks for any help or suggestions!

BTW, congratulations on your car! Looks good in your avatar!

 

[Hemikiller]

I preferred the deeper dish of the 15X8. Running them all around with 245/60R15 Cooper Cobras on our 71 XR7. These are American Racing VN501 Magnum 500 in aluminum.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/ARE-50158012500

 

[Randyi00]

Good Morning
i have my 73 home today and it has factory aluminum rims in 14 inch. They are in really great shape although the bfg’s are 15 years old. I would like to put on some magnum 500’s as I think they look better. I will just store the factory mags. My question is I can get the magnums in 15 x 7 and 15 x 8 and even 17 inch - I would like to stay with 15 inch but should I get the 7 or 8 width? Will there be clearance issues on the front end with 8 inch or will it depend on the tires? Thanks for any help or suggestions!

I recently ordered Magnum’s for my car, 15x7 for the front’s and 15x8 for the rear.

 

[Sparky]

Thank you for all the replies and information. I ordered 15 x 8 Magnums yesterday with caps and nuts. They are a couple weeks out so I will now start looking at tires. The first picture below is not my car but what it will look like with the 500's on it. The second 2 shots are my car with the stock mags. Now to start looking at 4 post lifts for the shop. Found a good deal in Vancouver but shipping is brutal. I do not have a 20 foot trailer so looking at rentals to get it home. Stay tuned!

 

[Randyi00]

Curious, where did you order your wheels from and how much? Did you go with 15x7 front and 15x8 back?

 

[mrgmhale]

You have gotten some really solid responses from some highly respected, even admired, fellow enthusiasts. But, I thought I would kick out my thoughts, FWIW. Back during the Golden Age of muscle and pony cars (mid 60s - early 70s) I was always lusting for something wider than my run of the mill E78 14 plain Jane tires and related wheels. But, being only 16, despite having a good paying job and having the money for new wheels and tires, my parents were adamantly opposed to me getting mags or even wider profile tires. Life was so very unfair back then. All I wanted was a set of G60 15 tires on my 69 Mustang Coupe, like The Big Boys had. Never mind the fact my Mustang only had a 259 sux cylinder engine it is. The reality is those larger wheels and tires added to the unsprung weight of the suspension, and took more energy to get rotating than smaller and lighter tires and wheels. No matter, the bigger wheels and tires just look nicer. And I really wanted a nasty looking Mustang, even if it had a 6 banger in it.

Many years later, and after age added some wisdom to my brain and thoughts, I got back into pony cars ("life happened" with a wife, kids, etc., which tore me from my pony cars). Now I have the time and money to do whatever I please. As it turns out on our 1969 Shelby I decided to stay with the G50 x 15 reproduction bias ply Raised White Letter tries with the Magnum 500 wheels. So, although I could have gone beefier and more radical looking I decided to stay with the factory look. And, it is plenty good looking enough.

A year after getting the 569 Shelby we picked up a really nice 1973 Mach 1. It had P235R60 x 15 radial tires on it, with Magnum 500 15 x 7 wheels also. And, they look plenty awesome. Yes, you can install larger tires and wheels if you want to. But, from where I stand, now being my non-crazed self from my teen years, the Magnum 15 x 7 wheels with P235R60 15 tires (Raised White Letters, of course) will always look great, and will provide solid handling with no worries about the inner tire well slicing the tires up as you are driving.

https://youtu.be/_Fl0B-qmlLI