14" Steelies VS. 15" Steelies

I am planning on putting some sleeper steel wheels with dog dish caps on my 4 door 64 Chevy II. I plan on getting them from Wheel Vintiques so I can get pretty much any size I want. For a long time I was determined to get some 15" wheels because from what I've seen a 15" wheel with a 60 series tire is widely available and fills up the wheel well nicely. But now that I've decided on steel stock style wheels would it be a mistake to go with 15"? Weren't all the stock wheels 14" or even 13"? I don't care about originality but I do want the sleeper or at least some type of 60's hot rod look. Would a 15" look strangely large or would it hardly even be noticeable? Does anyone have pictures of 14" or 15" steel wheels?

-Aaron

It's getting pretty tough to find anything decent in 14" tires these days.

I wanted to use 14's on my 63, but 14's won't fit on my TCI frt. clip. I had to use 15's. I don't have the fenders on yet, hopefully next week, but they look pretty good on the rear. The rears are 235/60X15 and I have plenty of room. I too want the sleeper look on my more door. I'm using factory rally's with a dog dish cap.

I wanted to use 14's on my 63, but 14's won't fit on my TCI frt. clip. I had to use 15's. I don't have the fenders on yet, hopefully next week, but they look pretty good on the rear. The rears are 235/60X15 and I have plenty of room. I too want the sleeper look on my more door. I'm using factory rally's with a dog dish cap.

I have 14 steelies with dog dishes, but trust me, good tires in 14 inch size are getting hard to find unless you go through some outfit such as Coker.

Kevin, looks like your car is a stock big block Nova. What brand tires are you running on the 14" stock steelies?

I have 14 steelies with dog dishes, but trust me, good tires in 14 inch size are getting hard to find unless you go through some outfit such as Coker.

If I could have used 14's, I wanted to use the Coker redline tires. Since I went to 15's, Coker doesn't make the size that I want for the 15's. I'm using a 15/7 on the rear and 15/6 on the front.

Tony

You can still find used fifteens out there as well as fourteens. I do not hit the junkyards/dismantlers on a regular basis, but every time I've gone, I've spotted good pairs/sets. Look for early seventies wagons and also Chevy Astro vans. I always take a paper lug nut copy to make sure I'm getting the proper lug nut spacing. Five on five is very close to five on three quarters. Fourteen by six are plentiful, but you either are lucky or not on fitment with front dics. But in the back, you can put a 245 60R/15 with great clearance, and it looks real tough.

http://public.fotki.com/teddisnoke/cars/dsc00882.html

Incase you want to go this direction, I have these fronts for sale.http://stevesnovasite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50177

If you are buying from Wheel Vintique, you might check prices if you haven't done so already. The steel costs were very high, thus increasing the price of the steel wheels. You will have as much money tied up in your steelies, caps, and rings as you would with a set of aftermarket shineys. I understand the sleeper look (and like it) but just want to forwarn you. I also would get 15s, right out of the gate. Tire selection is simple, and they fill up the wells nicely. You won't have to buy 15s again in the future if you start playing with brakes/slicks/etc.

Kevin, looks like your car is a stock big block Nova. What brand tires are you running on the 14" stock steelies?

I run 225 60 14's on all four corners. I looked at wider tires for the rear and new ones for the front. No places had them in stock, and most said to go through Coker. :(

So where does one get dog dish caps? Will I just have to watch eBay or is there some place that sells them? Wheel Vintiques has some but none of them look like the kind that I see on most novas.

http://static.summitracing.com/global/images/prod/large/wvi-1041-1_w.jpg

Think that will look ok or should I stick with an actual Chevy II cap?

-Aaron

Scooter I say go for the 15's. I was thinkin 14's for mine but I got to lookin for good tires and I know your 383 is gonna be puttin out some good numbers so you might want a fairly sticky tire like a MT ET Street or something and
15in wheel is the standard for drag racing or so I was told so you know you will find some good tires :D Im actually goin to the junk yard in the morning to find a set of 15in steelies

I laso forgot to mention that if you indeed start doing the "junkyard tango", watch out for your center hole in the rim that fits or registers over the hub, as is the case on a rear axle. Some get slightly bigger, which may or may not cause problems. Still, it will be cheaper than ordering new ones. I've never seen these caps offerd in the picture above. They are nice looking. Stockers are hard to come by- driver set are out there, but pristine sets always cost alot it seems.

Dale

When I first put my car on the road I went with 14X6 Smoothy in the front and 15x7 IN THE REAR. I thought it looked good.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/10/web/322000-322999/322850_36.jpg

I split the difference between old school and modern. The tire choices are getting tougher with 14" and 15" so I went with 245/50/16 in the rear on an eight inch rim and 205/50/16 in the front with a seven inch. The pictures only show the rears but now I have the fronts and all have chrome center caps. My kinda look.

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o30/argrandawg/IMG_0417.jpg
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o30/argrandawg/IMG_0415.jpg
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o30/argrandawg/IMG_0412.jpg:) :) :)

I run 225 60 14's on all four corners. I looked at wider tires for the rear and new ones for the front. No places had them in stock, and most said to go through Coker. :(

Les Schwab carries a Grand Am Radial GT that you can get in 225-235-245's in 60series for 14" wheels. Speed rated to 112, seem to do okay in the rain, and on sale are under $70 each.

Also, BFG Radial TA's can be had in 235/60/14's.

If it were me, I'd opt for 15's if possible. Like everyone says, the 14's are REALLY tough to find good tires for.