Todd, the important parameter here is overall tire diameter, not wheel size.
A low profile tire on a 15" rim can result in an overall diameter that is very
close to the original 14" wheels with their tall and boxy bias belted tires.
Coker tire lists the diameter for each and every tire in their catalog.
Here are some examples:
7.50 x 14 26.89 These are OEM sizes and diameters
7.75 x 14 27.02
P215/75R14 27.11 These are wide whitewall Coker radials.
P205/75R15 27.11 <--This one could be a good fit.
P195/75R15 26.15
As you can see, the 15" version of their Classic radial can be had in the same
diameter as the 14" just be playing with the profile (percent x width). And the
P205/75R15 is really very close to the original diameters (less than 1 percent
off),
so the effect on your speedometer reading is minimal to none. Your speedo
calibration is likely off by much more than this just as it sits right now.
Switching to 15 inch radials should be a no-brainer, if you have the rims
available.
You can get tire diameters from your Firestone dealer.
Dan Davids
Seattle
P.S. Coker has a nice website at www.coker.com
----------
| From: Todd St.Clair <tstclr@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
| To: L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
| Subject: [FWDLK] 15" tires on a 58 Plymouth
| Date: Monday, September 21, 1998 10:18 AM
|
| I saw a mid 80's Cadillac today running Firestone FR721 tires. They have quite
a
| wide whitewall (almost 2") and are fairly reasonable (compared to the latest
| wide whitewall radials). Only problem is they are just available in 15"
sizes.
| Other than a speedo calibration problem, can I run 15" on my 58 Belvedere.
Has
| anyone switched to 15". Any clearance problems?
| Thanks
| Todd
| 58 Plymouth Belvedere Sport Sedan
|
|
| Free web-based email, Forever, From anywhere!
| http://www.mailexcite.com
|
|
Back to the Home of the Forward Look Network