Tire clearance on '69 Mach1

[musman 10]

My car is almost completed and i'm still missing the 2 front tires....i have a decision to make, i have the Magnum 500's right now, they're 15x8, i taught i could wait for the 15x7 to fit with 215/65/15 to come but looks like i'm running out of time, the car needs to leave in 1 week, i know i can get 225/60/15 tires on my 15x8 wheels (BF Goodrich T/A ) here in stock at my local tire shop, but like bnickel said, his already rub on the inner fender, but my queston his doest it rub only when hard cornering, parking or else? Gotta by them tomorrow or they'll be gone....i have a 1 inch drop out front....Man this tire size thing is driving me crazy.....what should i do? I may be able to get the 215/65/15 but it would look ugly with 15x8 wheels....and i've never seen the 215's, would it look skinny compare to my 255/60/15 out back...:001_unsure:

[*JackBurton* 0]

225/60/15 with 255/60/15 out back. That's the combo i would go with if I wasn't switching to either 16" or 17" wheels.

[bnickel 10,004]

my tires rub if i make a corner where i have to turn the wheels to about 3/4 of full lock and any time i have to turn the car backing up. doesn't matter how fast or slow i'm going.

[musman 10]

Ok thanks guys, i'm going with 225/60 ..... bnickeli guess the rubbing isn't that bad since you still have them on....

[Pakrat 1,043]

How the heck does a 225 rub when you can stuff 245 under there?

[*JackBurton* 0]

How the heck does a 225 rub when you can stuff 245 under there?

 

my 235/60/15 rub on the front as well. Would having them on an 8" rim have something to do with it?

[Pakrat 1,043]

I would think the back space would have more to do with it, if not then I hope it's due to the rim sixe as my new 17"x8" rim will have 245 rubber on it and none of the info I gathered indicated it would rub at all.

 

I used to have 225/70-R14's on the front and they never rubbed.

[*JackBurton* 0]

Must only effect GT coupes, cause mine doesn't have that problem either.

[cphsonic 11]

I'm running 245/40R17 on 4,5" BS (= 0 offset) front without rubbing at all. 69 coupe.

Just bought a set of 18" with 245/40R18 so it'll be interesting to see how that goes. The 295/35R18 rears on 10" rims will be even more interesting! :hammer: I'm copying the width/dia/BS setup on Streetkings black 69.

[bnickel 10,004]

15" wheels don't have enough backspace on the front to be able to run an 8" wheel with a 235/60 without either hitting the UCA or rubbing the front valance. i have a 7" wheel with a 235/60 and the backspacing on the wheel put it about 1/4" from the UCA and it STILL rubs on the front valance a bit.

 

i HAVE NOT driven the car with these wheels and the new paint job, it's getting a 17x8 wheel with a 245/45-17 tire and they'll clear the UCA so the rubbing problem will be eliminated.

[Pakrat 1,043]

So it seems there are many technical and functional reasons to upgrade to a more modern 17" type rim other than just appearances.

[bnickel 10,004]

So it seems there are many technical and functional reasons to upgrade to a more modern 17" type rim other than just appearances.

 

 

well, you can fit a 235/60-15 on a 15x8 rim up front if you're willing to roll the fender lips and possibly modify the valance a little. mainly where mine would rub with the 7" wheel was on the inside of the valance. a drop spindle would also allow you to run more backspacing with a 15x8 wheel, Degins is still working on a 1.5" drop spindle based on the 70 drum spindle, i plan on using those spindles on the 69 cougar so that should allow enough room for an 8" wheel with a 235/60-15 tire up front. he's also working on a reproduction of the 67 style 4 piston K-H disc brake kit that i'm probably going to use as well.

[musman 10]

My other concern is how will the car sit when it's on it's tires and wheels....i've gotten new original leafs out back and got springs with a 1 inch drop up front....i'm worried the car will sit too high out back......how could i lower the car (back) if it sits too high compare to the front...I'm talking here to achieve a great balance between front and back...I really like the way the Boss302 and 429 sat from the factory....i know they were done differently than Mach1's, but i'm hoping with the 1 inch drop that it will do the job...

[Pakrat 1,043]

I am probably just going to use a lowering block out back to match the Shelby drop out front.

[musman 10]

I am probably just going to use a lowering block out back to match the Shelby drop out front.

Interesting Pak, and could you elaborate more on that matter.....cuz i don't have a clue what you're talking about...but i would probably go that same route if i had to do it....and where do you get those blocks you're talking about? and how does it work?

[Pakrat 1,043]

Interesting Pak, and could you elaborate more on that matter.....cuz i don't have a clue what you're talking about...but i would probably go that same route if i had to do it....and where do you get those blocks you're talking about? and how does it work?

 

 

It's super simple, cheap and effective basically a lowering block is just a small rectangular slab of aluminum that is used to adjust the suspension height of any vehicle that uses leaf springs. You place it between the springs and the rear axle. This brings the axle closer to the frame of the vehicle, effectively lowering the rear end. They go from 1" to 4" in 1" or 1/2" incriments and you can get them at any parts store and all the catalogs from like $10 to $30.

 

[musman 10]

Wow, super cool, i will get those for sure if i'm not a happy camper with the ride height....does it affect the ride quality at all? and i guess it's a simple thing to install...right (well i guess not since everything on my '69 wasn't easy....)

thanks for the scoop, i gues you learn new things everyday...

[Pakrat 1,043]

Oh yeah real easy, but you may need longer U bolts too, some kits come with them. Basically just unbolting four bolts is all it takes. Anything under 4" is totally as safe as stock, no worries.

[musman 10]

Goooooodddd, i'm inquiring on those blocks tomorrow......gotta get those tires mounted on those Magnum's tomorrow......so we can get the car at the alignment shop by friday.....and hopefully do our first attemp at cranking her up by Saturday, second time that is after dynoying her 4 months ago to the tune of 420HP-450Torque.....should be able to hear me a few blocks away with those Flowmaster Deltaflow 40 series....

[railblazer82 10]

[musman 10]

Thanks for the pic, i've never seen one from under, so that is what a rolled fender looks like....hum, it looks like part of that 19'' section is just cut, but i still see a tiny lip, so it doesn't show from the exterior...

[railblazer82 10]

No, you have to really look if you dont know it is done, but once you do its obvious. This is the correct way to do it on a boss. Adam

[bnickel 10,004]

mine are rolled even more than that, more like 3/4 of the circumference of the wheel lip.

[Pakrat 1,043]

Don't know what it looks like but I have even heard of folks doing it on a painted car with a baseball bat.

 

B, why were yours rolled?

[musman 10]

I think his tires were rubbing....oh by the way i had my 225/60/15 tires installed today on my Magnum's.....will let you know how it looks on the '69 when i go over to the shop on Saturday...