Thread: Butt fugly wheels

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Originally Posted by daveS53

1932 Ford Roadster - The Mirage - Street Rodder Magazine

I put almost identical size tires on my car. The front's one size wider 225/45/17. The rear's the same 295/45/20. Looks good to me and that's all that matters.

I'm guessing your a younger'ish fella?

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Originally Posted by lakeroadster

I'm guessing your a younger'ish fella?

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I'm "only" 61. I'm getting my first social security check in July. I am a mechanical engineer, so I tend to like more modern stuff, particularly when it comes to the drive train. It's hard to beat an LS3 that has an honest 430 net horsepower and still gets 20 mpg in city driving. It will also handle the Colorado altitude changes a lot better than any carbureted engine.

I like the 17" front and 20" rear combination too. 45 series tires don't look like rubber bands to me.

Originally Posted by daveS53

1932 Ford Roadster - The Mirage - Street Rodder Magazine

I put almost identical size tires on my car. The front's one size wider 225/45/17. The rear's the same 295/45/20. Looks good to me and that's all that matters.

That look doesn't do it for me. My truck has 14s on the front and 15s on the back. Now my 2013 Mustang has 20s all around and looks just right.

Big wheels on street rod or muscle car look cartoonish. Way too far out of proportion for the style. Anything over a 16" is starting to look wrong. 17's MIGHT work depending on the car and wheel design. Just my opinion, BUT when you start looking for a true high performance tire, you're going to be forced to consider the larger sizes. Almost no one makes a truly modern performance tire in 15" and 16 inchers are getting slim. Most manufacturers are just not putting any R and D into anything under a 17" except for race tires. Most of the smaller "performance" street tires I've seen are copies of designs that have been around for years.

I don't think I will ever "get" the monster wheels that require the car to be raised to get them on. They look like some kind of goofy monster truck (car?). The tiny brake rotors look silly compared to the huge rims.

Mike

Mike

My 40 had steelies and I opted to ditch them. They're everywhere for one, and the car did not have them on it when my uncle had it. It just isn't how I remember the car being. I want to build it to what he may have if he were still here, and ever had the extra money. Anyhow, I agree about the big ugly dubs and rubber band tires. I'm out on 90% of them. I was really shocked shopping for tires and wheels for the 40 how hard it is to find what used to be a common 15-16" tire size 10-15 years ago.

Here's a little bit of fun info for you guys who are resistant to go with wheels larger than 15" in diameter.....the '32 Ford originally came with 18's!

Early Ford Wire Wheel Tech - Hot Rod Forum : Hotrodders Bulletin Board

Originally Posted by randyr

Here's a little bit of fun info for you guys who are resistant to go with wheels larger than 15" in diameter.....the '32 Ford originally came with 18's!

Early Ford Wire Wheel Tech - Hot Rod Forum : Hotrodders Bulletin Board

And Model As came with 19" and 21" wheels.

Originally Posted by randyr

Here's a little bit of fun info for you guys who are resistant to go with wheels larger than 15" in diameter.....the '32 Ford originally came with 18's!

Originally Posted by dmw56

And Model As came with 19" and 21" wheels.

And the first thing the Hot Rodders of the era did was toss those fugly, spindly wheels aside and replace them.

I think it's natural to go with things that appeal to your own personal nostalgia. Being a High Schooler in the late 70's, slot mags big rear raised white letter TA Radials were all the rage, with the rear end jacked up a bit. Front tires and wheels were all a bit smaller version of what was on the rear. My 48 truck with have this theme going for it if it ever gets completed!
I have to agree with Bob that the tire/wheel has to match the era of the vehicle too, and in most cases the average vintage enthusiast will say, "yep that just doesn't flow" yet the younger shops are pushing some new trends, that younger generations are growing up to, and to them it's, "wagon wheels and rubberbands...awesome"

White letters were still in style in the early 1980's - and so were these wheels.

Originally Posted by stovens

. . . slot mags big rear raised white letter TA Radials were all the rage, with the rear end jacked up a bit.

Saw a very nice '66 'vette the other day, nicely restored, clean as a whistle, and running 20's with thin sidewalls. Just looked all wrong for the period for my old eyes. Others might look and be wow'd by the "new" look. Beauty's in the eye of the beholder....

Ya know ya want them


22 on ATV.jpg

Originally Posted by rspears

Saw a very nice '66 'vette the other day, nicely restored, clean as a whistle, and running 20's with thin sidewalls. Just looked all wrong for the period for my old eyes. Others might look and be wow'd by the "new" look. Beauty's in the eye of the beholder....

Yeah, Roger, I'd have to see it before I passed judgment one way or the other. It would greatly depend on the wheel choice, but agree 20's might be a tad to big for that car. I think about any 60's car can handle 17's quite nicely, though, like the Corvette below.....sure there are always a few exceptions!

This is my idea of 18's....... Wide that is.

I had a 66 vet, that vet looks awful sitting up on those wheels ... gross

Somethings are just cool without excuses, tires need sidewall.

Cars rolling on wagon wheels or windmills are goofy, just the way it is

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