67 firebird tire selection help.

[ricer]

I have a 67 firebird that has been mini-tubed but I have yet to roll the fender lips. For my motor trans combo and goals/etc with the car I need to run as close as I can to a 28” tall tire. I want to limit the rims to a 17” maybe an 18 at most so I have more sidewall for the tire, but don’t want to run 15/16” rims. I am going to go with an 11 or 12” wide rim and have 2 tires sizes to choose from. The standard 315/35x17 (but this tire is 26” tall) and will probably have issues planting the power due to the overall tire height, and a 325/45x17 (this tire is exactly 28” tall).

Now, the 325/45 is my ideal tire but curious as to if anyone has run this size tire without issues (I know it’s an oddball size so I am assuming no, but just curious). I know 335’s fit but that is at a 30 or 35 sidewall so being slightly thinner surface area and a 45 sidewall I am not sure how much interference I will have in the upper well at either ride height or under compression.

Specs if needed: 3” drop possibly going to 3.5” at most. Mini-tub, will have rolled fender lips when I get to it, stock axle width, 12” wildwood rotors/4p calipers

[454SSguy]

Can't really give advice on what will and won't fit on the F-body, but go ahead and find your tires first. You will be surprised how hard it is to find the tires your looking for. Don't just look for the rears, but the fronts too. My setup is really oddball b/c it's going on a truck so I oculdn't run a 26" tire (would look dumb IMO). I had trouble finding fronts or rears, ended up going with a 345/40R17 from Toyo, it's a DR but it's the only thing close that I could find.

Have you actually found a 325/45r17?

[ricer]

Originally Posted by 454SSguy

Have you actually found a 325/45r17?

yes, M&H makes it and its a drag radial which is what i was looking for. MT/BFG/Nitto all have the 315's but its a small tire and i will have issues with it. I really don't want to get to a 345/18 but that is the only other tire that is a 28" tall. Fronts i am not worried about as it won't be auto-x's at all so a 8-9" wide rim on 275's or so is fine by me.

So i have found the tire i want but don't really want to cut the car up to make it fit, since just finished rebuilding the shell

[454SSguy]

I didn't even look into MH tires. I bet I could have found what I was wanting, I know they make some oddball tires.

Yea, cutting up the car, that's the question. For me it was easy, tubbing a truck is easy, and has no real negative effects. I for one don't really believe in stock/#'s matching, ect type cars. I just don't care for them, I can respect them, but they are not my cup of tea. For me it would get chopped up, but you have to weigh the pros and cons yourself. Decide what you really want, but remember it's kinda hard to "Un tub" it. I'm sure it can be done if you really wanted to, but who would ever want to

[ricer]

yeah i hear ya, a truck would be alot easier. The car just had all the sheetmetal replaced so its 99% new, and really don't want to cut it up again and do it all over. Plus i don't want "real" tubs in the car.

My issue is i am doing more of a drag car with a pro-touring look to it (wheels/brakes/etc). The motor will make north of 1500 on the low setting so with my trans and rear gear a 28 tall tire will be just right. I could just get another set of rear wheels but that defeats the purpose for me. I saw some pics of the 325 on 4th gens and its a beefy tire in there and not sure about running it but going to 18's is some serious $$$ in tires just to burn through them once a year or faster

[454SSguy]

That is the exact reason I went with 17's rather than 20's or 22's (very few options that I think look ok). Tires doubled for 18+ and tripled for 20+