Availability of stock 15x7" wheels?

[69chargerrt]

I'm looking into getting a set of tires for my '69 Charger R/T (stock suspension), and in going through the previous posts it looks like most everyone goes with 245-60s on the front and 275-60s on the back (for 15" wheels).

Originally I was going to use 15x8" stock wheels (for the dogdish hubcaps) that I have for a stock look, but I'm beginning to think that I should go with 15x7" wheels for the front (seems to be everyone's choice, plus the specs I've been seeing for 245s call for 7" rims).   But did Dodge ever have 15x7" wheels available that used dogdish hubcaps, and if so what cars could I find them on?   

Also,  I believe that the 15x8" wheels I have are 4.25" offset (I may be wrong, but it's in that ballpark at least) - what offset should I look for on the 15x7" wheels?

Thanks!
David

[chargerbr549]

I went with 15x7 on the front of my 69 R/T with a 3.750 backspace and a 245/60/15, it clears everything just fine and I didn't want the look of wide bulging fenders and having the tire tucked way in and have a big gap between the outer wheelwell  and tire. Thats just my opinion and everybody has a "look" that they like, my front end also sits a about and inch or so lower than stock and I have the newer 73-76 A body spindle  with 11 3/4 rotors up front so that might make a difference on backspacing compared the the stock drums or factory disc set-up. I think if I was to do it over again I would have ordered 15x8 wheels up front with 4 or 4.25" backspacing for my tires it would match my rear set-up alot better 295/50/15 with a 10" wheel, the bulge of the tire and dish of the wheels would have matched a little better for me, IMO.

Kevin

[69chargerrt]

I went with 15x7 on the front of my 69 R/T with a 3.750 backspace and a 245/60/15, it clears everything just fine and I didn't want the look of wide bulging fenders and having the tire tucked way in and have a big gap between the outer wheelwell  and tire. Thats just my opinion and everybody has a "look" that they like, my front end also sits a about and inch or so lower than stock and I have the newer 73-76 A body spindle  with 11 3/4 rotors up front so that might make a difference on backspacing compared the the stock drums or factory disc set-up. I think if I was to do it over again I would have ordered 15x8 wheels up front with 4 or 4.25" backspacing for my tires it would match my rear set-up alot better 295/50/15 with a 10" wheel, the bulge of the tire and dish of the wheels would have matched a little better for me, IMO.

Kevin

That raises a good point -  I've currently got 10.5" drums on the front, and apparently the car originally had the Kelsey-Hayes disc brakes at one time (the proportioning valve and disc-specific master cylinder are still on the car) but would like to switch it back to disc using the mid-70s disc brake swap.    So I have to keep that in mind too when choosing a combination.

But like you, I don't want the tires to be 'tucked up' into the wheelwells, either.   But I don't want them hitting the lip of the wheelwell, either.  

[tricky lugnuts]

I got 15x7 bare steel wheels for my '71 Charger at the local junkyard, paid $10 each. Blasted and repainted satin black they look great. Dog dish hubcaps are now installed just fine.

I pulled mine off - I think it was - early to mid-70s full size Chrysler/Dodge cars like a Coronet. I just walked around looking at tire sizes. Pick the ones with the smallest wheel weights on them and fully inspect them if you can... I think I got one out of the trunk of a car, a full size spare. They might be in better shape. I pulled mine of B bodies figuring they'd have the same lug patterns between years.

Dog dish hubcaps should fit any 15x7 bare steel wheel, as far as I know. If you're worried, measure your hubcap and measure the "snapping points" on the wheel to make sure they're the same. In retrospect, I would like some 15x8 bare steel wheels, but I don't know that those were ever a factory option, were they?

[69chargerrt]

I got 15x7 bare steel wheels for my '71 Charger at the local junkyard, paid $10 each. Blasted and repainted satin black they look great. Dog dish hubcaps are now installed just fine.

I pulled mine off - I think it was - early to mid-70s full size Chrysler/Dodge cars like a Coronet. I just walked around looking at tire sizes. Pick the ones with the smallest wheel weights on them and fully inspect them if you can... I think I got one out of the trunk of a car, a full size spare. They might be in better shape. I pulled mine of B bodies figuring they'd have the same lug patterns between years.

Dog dish hubcaps should fit any 15x7 bare steel wheel, as far as I know. If you're worried, measure your hubcap and measure the "snapping points" on the wheel to make sure they're the same. In retrospect, I would like some 15x8 bare steel wheels, but I don't know that those were ever a factory option, were they?

Thanks for the tip!   I just wasn't sure if 15x7s were 'standard issue' or not.   As for 15x8s being factory option, that's a good question too.   I had assumed that they were, at least from the donor cars the 15x8s came off of (I bought them from a wheel/tire store so I don't know what they were on originally).  But for late 60's-early 70's that may or may not be the case.   Maybe someone out there can chime in on this?

[chargerbr549]

There might be more factory 15x8 wheels but the ones that I know of are as far as cars go are, the Kit Car got 15x8 wheels that looked like the cop car wheels but with a heavy textured surface and in the pick-up line you had the chrome 5 hole "Little Red Wheels" that came on pickups, traildusters and ramchargers (77's had 15x7 front and 15x8 rear and in 78 they went to 15x8 front and rear), these also had an optional regular steel wheel 15x8 I believe as well. The warlock also had a different type of wheel as well as the different Macho and Power Wagon trucks but i'm not sure as what sizes they were as i'm still learning about these trucks and cars they came out with in the mid to late 70's.

Kevin

[69chargerrt]

Thanks, Kevin- that should give me enuf info so I can go into the local salvage yard and ask where the mid-70s Mopar trucks are at.    That and a ruler should get me there

David