Does my car have the right wheels?

[Bulldog69RT]

I have a '69 Charger R/T 440 magnum. It has 15" steel wheels on it currently. Im trying to figure out what this car might have came with originally. Magnum 500s? Dish hubcaps with paint matched wheels? 14"s, 15"s? Id like to run steel 15s with the dog dish if these might be the stock wheels.
Thanks

[cdr]

do you have a build sheet or fender tag , they will have the info.

[Bulldog69RT]

I think I still have the fender tag. Let me look for it.....

[RECHRGD]

Only Hemi cars came with 15" wheels.  All 440 cars were 14" with magnums being an extra cost option........

[lukedukem]

does the fender tag state what wheels it comes with. i thought just the build sheet?

Luke

[charge69]

As far as I know, the wheel and tire info is only on the build sheet.  Mine has the codes for:  15" black HD wheels with full deluxe wheel covers and F70-15 red stripe "fiber" tires.
I still have all 5 original wheels with 4 mounted with F70-15 red stripe fiberglass wide-oval Firestone tires. The tires may or may not be correct but, that is what I put on the original rims!  My Cragars have radial tires mounted on them. The wheel covers I have are NOS and correct but, I just did not want to scratch up my newly painted wheels!  Ha !

[6bblgt]

with the exception of the few 440 '69 R/Ts that were built with the "W23 15x6.0" RECALL wheels", ALL 440 '69 R/Ts are equipped with 14x5.5" wheels & F70-14 tires

STANDARD wheels were painted body color with "dog dish" hub caps
OPTIONAL a couple of different full wheel covers & black painted wheels
OR
are your brakes drums "RED" or do they show any evidence of "RED" paint?  if so = "chrome style ROAD wheels w/trim rings" (aka "MAGNUM 500")

STANDARD tires were F70-14 red-stripe nylon cord Goodyear SPEEDWAY or Firestone WIDE OVAL (dependant on build date & plant)
OPTIONAL at NO CHARGE tires were F70-14 white-stripe nylon cord Goodyear SPEEDWAY or Firestone WIDE OVAL (dependant on build date & plant)
OPTIONAL at $26.45 tires were F70-14 red-stripe fiberglass-belted Goodyear POLYGLAS

FYI - 1969 HEMI cars were STANDARD with F70-15 fiberglass-belted Goodyear POLYGLAS (Firestone didn't have a fiberglass-belted OEM 70-series tire until the '70 model year)

[charge69]

I've heard that about the Firestone tires before but I did not know where I could buy Goodyear repros.  I'm happy with the Firestones and the classic wide oval look but, they are bias-ply tires and kinda skinny. So, I ride mostly with the Cragar and radial tires with a little more meat on them.

When I had the Firestones on the Charger, I really did not mind the bias-ply experience as I rode with them for many years wayyyyy back when. If they were even G-60-15's I would have stayed with them but .................... c'est la vie !

[cavemanno1]

I always wonderd why hemis came with 15" wheels and the rest with 14".Anyone knows the reason for that?

[ws23rt]

I always wonderd why hemis came with 15" wheels and the rest with 14".Anyone knows the reason for that?

The only explanation I ever heard (and it was hear) was because of the oil pan being lower.??  It can be argued but information from the manufacturer would be nice.

[Mike DC]

 
I've always suspected the oil pan/skid plate issue was the reason.

Think about a front tire blowout situation at full speed (more common 50 years ago) - now the diameter of the rim really affects how much clearance is left under there.

[cavemanno1]

Thanks guys!
Wondering why they didn't just use 15" wheels on everything,cost issues maybe?