I've been trying for a while to make a final decision on the wheel/tire combination for my son's '74 Dart Sport. Thought we might go with American Racing Torq Thrust II 15x8 rear and 15x6 front (large bolt pattern). Their website application guide only recommends 15x7 as widest wheel for his car. Then I run across a local dealer with some decent pricing and I can get Cragars cheaper (actually, my first choice). OK, so let's look at Cragar. Now, I'm told Cragar doesn't make 15x6, so 15x7 sounds a little wide for the front.

While the guy is confirming this size issue, I start looking at tire options. Want something to have the ol' muscle car appearance (no roller skates, thank you very much). How about Goodrich T/A Radials... 245-60-15 in rear and maybe 205-70-15 in front to be close to the same tire height. Nope, tallest would be 205--60-15 (1.88" shorter). Well, how about a shorter one in rear, like 245-50-15? Nope, don't make it.

I'm about to pull my hair out. Why does this have to be so complicated? Someone have a solution for us? We don't have to stick with Goodrich, maybe another brand, I just liked the white letters. We could go black walls out.

Help,
Jerry

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There's a difference between ignorance and stupidity.
Ignorance is not knowing any better.
Stupidity is knowing, yet doing it anyway.

You can't beat a set of slotted mags. They are being manufactured again and run about $4-500 for a set of four including all ceter caps and lugs and washers. They have no offset options though so you will probably want to search for a used set. These turn up all the time on E-bay and will run you about the same price as a new set.

Aaron has his heart set on Cragar SS or American Racing Torq Thrust II (I'm kind of partial to them, also). I can get a set of Cragar for about $529, including lugs and stems. The AR set will cost about $589. Just have to make up my mind on sizes.

Jerry

_________________
There's a difference between ignorance and stupidity.
Ignorance is not knowing any better.
Stupidity is knowing, yet doing it anyway.

Okay, This is really purely a matter of personal taste. Dusters and Dart Sports have HUGE rear wheel wells and you can fit some really fat tires in there. I like to have a uniform set of rims all around to make carrying a spare easier. I would go with a 15x7 (or 15x8 MAX) rim, but remember that if you get a chromed Cragar SS wheel that it is going to be well over 30 lbs per rims and you will pay the penalty in performance and gas mileage.

Check this out:

http://akhwheels.com/pages/showWheel.php?pk=171

http://akhwheels.com/pages/showWheel.php?pk=54

goto

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/SearchTires.jsp


to search for tire size options for various manufacturers.

then look at specs. you can see widths, diameters and recommended rims........

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

I got 15x10 Predators on my 1974 Duster and they look reall good. But i had to buy Air Ajustable shocks for them to tuck under the wheel well.

I hope you aren't running those air shocks still. The upper shock mount is not deigned to carry the full weight of the car and will eventually rip out of the sheetmetal. The way to solve this problem is to either adda leaf to your springs or get them re-curved.

Well my firend nick bought them fo rthe car like right befor i bought it .... Yeah they are still on there... How much would it cos to do either of thse?

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1974 Plymouth Gold Duster

i had mine re-arched and a leaf added for $94. plus $10 for all new u-bolts.

sb

Actually, fitting a set of 7" wide rims in the front of a Dart is no problem, if you get the correct offset (3/4", I think). I'm running 16"x7" American Racing Spinnakers on the front of my Dart, with 225/50R16 tires. I prefer to run the same tire size all around, but that's because I hope to make the Dart into a handling car.

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"Mad Scientist" Matt Cramer
'66 Dart - turbocharged 225
My blog - Mad Scientist Matt's Lair

"A-bodies" tend to look a lot better with wider meats in back than same width wall-to-wall due to the narrower rear track. That is why they alwez look a little odd going down the road, stock. Me, I'd put 7" or 8" wide out back and 5.5" or 6" up front. Cragars or slots look better on a Duster, Demon or Dart Sport than do Torq Thrusts. Those look better on a 60's body style. The auto fashion cop has spoken.

D/W

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If it ain't broke, fix it!

Dennis, which style "Cragar" are you suggesting? We are looking at the " Five-spoke SS" style, very much like the American Racing "Torq Thrust II", but a little less expensive. Simply a matter of taste.

Jerry

_________________
There's a difference between ignorance and stupidity.
Ignorance is not knowing any better.
Stupidity is knowing, yet doing it anyway.

Yep, dems the ones.

D/W

P. S. - I never cared for the Torq Thrust II's (the retro ones you can get new). The curved outward arch of the spoke ruins the look. I like the original straight spoke Torq Thrusts, but again, not on a Duster variant.

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If it ain't broke, fix it!

Gotta agree with Dennis on this one- '67-up A-bodies are tailor-made for staggered size wheels and tires- 'specially the Dusters/Demons/Sports with their wide open wheel wells and bulging quarter panels. Perfect for the street machine look.

How bout going with Cragar SSs in 14x6 up front, 15x8 out back? Use some fairly tall tires all 'round to fill out the wheel wells and get that killer '70s look.

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Brian (Valianator)

'65 Valiant V100 170/T-flite
'82 D150 225/4-speed
'65 Dart 225 4 door
'68 Dart 225 4-door with Valiant front clip (future project)

Is there an advantage to going with 14" on front, rather than keeping with the 15"? Does it solve a potential fender rubbing problem, or is it just to get a little more rake in the stance?

Jerry

_________________
There's a difference between ignorance and stupidity.
Ignorance is not knowing any better.
Stupidity is knowing, yet doing it anyway.