295 50 15 in the FRONT?

[RCCDrew]

So, I was wondering if this has ever been done. I have a sweet set of vintage western wheels, 15x10 and was thinking I mayyyyy be able to squeeze them in. I'm very open to fender trimming and lip rolling since my car is a beater. Maybe even radiusing the openings nascar style. Anyone have pics of such a beast?

[Kern Dog]

Maybe check if there are any dirt track race forums with any vintage sub forums?

[c00nhunterjoe]

I tried 275/60/15's on the front of mine and they rubbed the front and rear outer lips of the fenders. As far as on the locls, i had room to spare before they would have hit anything. The 295 50 is a tad shorter but unless you had your front end sitting high, or clearanced your fenders, they will probably hit too.

[Lennard]

It will fit but the tire will hit the fender if you turn the steering wheel.

[Kern Dog]

That is either a photoshop OR the wheel arches have been cut.

[Lennard]

That is either a photoshop OR the wheel arches have been cut.

That's why I used it as an example picture...to show that to make it work, you have to cut the fenders.

[Kern Dog]

Ok.

[c00nhunterjoe]

I have detailed pics of 275/60/15s on 8.5 wheels and what they will rub and clearance pics inside at the frame rails. I will have to find them on my storage drive. It wouldnt take much to make them fit at 28" tall. A 26" would be much easier..

[HPP]

Widen the fenders. It will further accentuate the coke bottle shape if done well.

[JR]

Man, those poor wheel bearings.

Post pics if you do it. Could pull off the vintage NASCAR look well if you do it right.

[rt green]

interesting. I know those Daytona nascar pics look badass. is that the look youre going for?

[Jonas_N]

interesting. I know those Daytona nascar pics look badass. is that the look youre going for?

+1 on this, Nascar look is badass...
I would never cut into the fenders on my car...but I can dream.

[Morten Andre]

My car has 295/50-15 in the front and it is terrible to drive, it tracks and follows the curves in the road like a locomotive on rails!
The fenders are cut out a lot, the rims are offset alot outwards so I can almost get full lock on the steering without rubbing the inner frame rails.
There is no other good reason to have such wide wheels in front other than looks. 

Sometime I want to fit smaller wheels in front, but not before I can find two front fenders in good condition for a 71, hard to come by espescially in Norway.

[Kern Dog]

Your issue could be more due to the wheel offset rather than the width of the tire.

[Morten Andre]

I believe you could be right on that, but the wheels would not allow much steering with less offset rims.
Having wheels offset so much probably exaggerates the geometry of front suspension when it travels.
It also puts a lot of extra load an ball joints and steering gear. 

[Kern Dog]

I absolutely agree with that.
Running larger diameter wheels allows one to have a wider tire though. The added diameter can clear the tie rod end better, allowing a 275 or 295 to fit on a rim with less offset. I run a 275-40 on an 18x9 in mine. The tread rubs the frame rail but nowhere else.

[RCCDrew]

Well, I did it.  Got the 10" rims on the front of the beater.  I went with 275-60-15s instead because I think the size fit the NASCAR theme better.  Took a bit of trimming to get it to fit at that ride height.  I will do more because I want to get it LOWER.  Much like the NASCAR Chargers back in the day. 
Does anyone know how they got the Stock Chassis so low back then?  I am thinking that they had to cut and reweld the front of the frame.  Let me know if you have some info on this. 

[Highbanked Hauler]

 It would involve some extensive structural surgery to (drop the body over the suspension)  and lower the car as I have considered doing it to mine.  You could try the 2 in. drop spindles and you would probably have to lengthen the upper control arms too to get a camber adjustment (ask me how I know) Another thing would be to get an Altercation I think the name is replacement front end.

[Kern Dog]

It looks too "balloon-like" to me but if you are happy with the look, that is what is really important. I'd like to see a 275-50 instead to get the sidewall profile down some but is your car after all.

[RCCDrew]

I know what you mean. I'm thinking I might not want these on the front.

[Mike DC]

          
The true NASCAR stance won't work without major surgery.

On a stock production car, the front subframe rails are literally too close to the pavement by the time you get the body that low.  No amount of fender & suspension work will get around that.  

You can get partway to NASCAR stance but it's a compromise.

[RCCDrew]

Probably the ultimate in terms of stance.   

[Kern Dog]

Yeah, those cars looked great, especially when on the track mixing it up with others at speed. Check out the high wheel opening in the front!

[Mike DC]

        
The teams did a lot trying to downplay how modified & low they really were.  Trimming metal on the rockers, fenders, etc.  And the tires were nowhere near stock in the first place.          



Look at the bottom edge of the door.  Extend that imaginary horizontal line out both directions, to the wheels.  

Now compare the location of the center points of the wheels to that line.    


Then go look at a stock production Charger.  WOW.  

[odcics2]

Compare the #88 Daytona front to the Chrysler wagon!
Oil pan was 5" off the track, Nascar minimum.
Wheels are 9" in this 1969 photo. 1970 was first year for 9.5"
Tires are sized 8.00-8.20 -15.   About 29" tall with about 11" on the track.
Both Goodyear and Firestone used that size on the stock car tires, BUT they varied in height and width,
depending on the track.  From the tires I have seen, about 1/2" either way.