15's, 17's, 18's what's your take?

fsstnotch · #1 (**permalink**) 10-08-2007, 11:09 PM

Ok, I am looking at wheels. I love the vintage look with the billboard goodyears, but that's just not practical with the amount I plan to drive the car. There's not many 15" tire options anymore either. I also like the modern look with 17's, tire options are much greater, better handling. Well, the other day, The thought crossed my mind to do a 17/18 combo. With the 17's and 18's you have tire options forever!! I'm going to use cobra replica wheels, and the car will not be painted anything close to an original color. More hot rod esk, so I was thinking maybe the bigger wheels in the back would flow nicely.!

Anybody have any pics of a cobra with 17's and 18's?

I've seen this SV with 17/18's but they're not replica wheels.

427 S/O · #2 (**permalink**) 10-09-2007, 02:45 AM

IMHO...anything larger than 15" on a cobra uglies up the best looking sports car ever conceived...

Aussie Mike · #3 (**permalink**) 10-09-2007, 03:10 AM

There's a good range of performance tyres available for 17" and 18" wheels compared to 15" (down here in Australia at least).

The larger rims also open up more options for brakes too. I've got 17" rims and I'm in the process of fitting some 13.5" front rotors and 6 piston calipers on the front and 12.9" rotors on the rear with 4 piston calipers.

It depends on whether you are after performance or original looks. The 15" tyres and rims look great and really fill up the guards but the right choice of 17"or 18" rim and tyre can look great too.

Cheers

elgecko · #4 (**permalink**) 10-09-2007, 03:59 AM

Anyone going to SEMA this year??? and put a few words about 15" radial tires sizes for the COBRA to the people at COKER tires.
Dave

fsstnotch · #5 (**permalink**) 10-09-2007, 04:41 AM

Ya,

**ATTENTION** Goodyear, please make us a GOOD radial in a 295 size! And just for us... lits get those nice big goodyear letters like on the billboards!!!

Bill Bess · #6 (**permalink**) 10-09-2007, 06:07 AM

Tire Size and Look!

I used Mickey Thompson S/R Radials on my cobra. 15", 295's and 255's on Vintage pin drive wheels. Looks fantastic with wide & low big meat tires and the flame tread is really cool.

I've had many great comments on the wheels and tires.
Best Regards, Bill

Jerry Clayton · #7 (**permalink**) 10-09-2007, 07:27 AM

Josh

I'm going with 17/18 and am considering 18/19--I'm using C4 vette alum suspension and the wheels need lots of back spacing for the geometry--and bigger diameters for brake caliper clearance--- so I'm looking at maybe moving the 18 to the front and getting 19 for rear.

On another front---Went to the welcome home parade down at Bloomington/Normal for the 33mp bn and it was huge---seems the farmers appreciate the GI's or maybe they were just glad the guys were home for harvest after 461 days over there----kidding about the harvest, the farmers were at the parade also---

Jerry

fsstnotch · #8 (**permalink**) 10-09-2007, 07:34 AM

Ya, i seen one car in the gallery with 18/19 combo. looked pretty good!

Good to hear they finally made it back!!! I board the black hawk 21 days from today to go home for vacation! I just know it's goig to be the fastest 3 weeks I've ever spent at home!!!

Bx1 · #9 (**permalink**) 10-09-2007, 10:06 AM

The days of the 15" wheel/tire combo is coming to an end. There are very few decent 15" tires and many excellent 16", 17" and 18" choices. It is dissapointing. Eventually, I will have to replace my 15" wheels to get a better tire.

Stentor · #10 (**permalink**) 10-09-2007, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bx1

The days of the 15" wheel/tire combo is coming to an end. There are very few decent 15" tires and many excellent 16", 17" and 18" choices. It is dissapointing. Eventually, I will have to replace my 15" wheels to get a better tire.

Save the money you were going to spend on new larger rims and purchase a set of 15" Avon radial tires. If you like the "correct" look of the 15" rim, you will not be disappointed with the performance of the Avons.

Do a quick search on Avon and you will see some of the feedback on the tires.

fsstnotch · #11 (**permalink**) 10-09-2007, 11:16 AM

My intuition tells me that the options for 15" tires are coming to the end. It wouldn't surprise me to see BFG being the only maker for a street application. Most people who are running a tire as wide as 295 nowdays just springs for the larger wheels with WAAAAY more options and wider tires.

Right now I think I'm leaning more towards the 17's all around than 17/18's but the 17/18 combo is only like $90 more. So...

In fact, I just looked up 295/50's at discount tire direct and tire rack..

1 match at DTD= BFG
4 matches at tire rack, 1 was BFG

So of 2 of the largest tire dealers on the web, there are a total of 4 options for a 295/50

For the 315/35-17
12 matches at tire rack
3 matches on DTD

I'm not saying that there aren't more... but they're disappearing!

RedBarchetta · #12 (**permalink**) 10-09-2007, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bx1

The days of the 15" wheel/tire combo is coming to an end.

I heartedly disagree. Way too many muscle cars on the road to eliminate performance 15" rubber. The 295 rear size that we have been accustomed to really is sort of an oddball flavor...that's the decision the OEMs have made anyways. The typical rear tire is more so an "L60" size (275s) and not the shorter and wider 295s that look (and perform) better on our cars.

Like someone else said, go with AVONs or even drag radials (that is what I run on all four corners). Great performance all around. Or run the GY bias ply track tires (non DOT).

That being said, the performance gains with the 17's should never be questioned. However, for many here they just don't look right on a Cobra. To each his own.

-Dean

fsstnotch · #13 (**permalink**) 10-09-2007, 11:27 AM

Dean, I agree with you that each person will have their preference.

I'm interested to kow, how many miles do you guys with the Bias GY's and the drag radials drive? I drive ALOT! And I will expect to put 7k/yr on my car and I highly doubt those super soft tires will hold up for more than a year. And i'm definitely not paying AVON prices every spring! lol

rdorman · #14 (**permalink**) 10-09-2007, 01:22 PM

From what you said, go with the 17/18 combo. Getting a tire tall and wide enough for the rear should be a little easier in 18 versus 17. Besides, the look works on the car.

Jamo · #15 (**permalink**) 10-09-2007, 05:32 PM

...add some spinners.

Stentor · #16 (**permalink**) 10-09-2007, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamo

...add some spinners.

I was thinking the same thing myself, Jamo.

Get some 20" rims with spinners and give DUB magazine a call....I am sure they'd be interested having pictures of a "pimped out Cobra" in their rag.

T E Lewis · #17 (**permalink**) 10-09-2007, 07:06 PM

Will be out at SEMA in a couple weeks or so, I'll take a look around and ask a few questions. Maybe even express some dissatisfaction to a couple of manufactures.

Madmiles442 · #18 (**permalink**) 10-09-2007, 08:57 PM

After I bought my car I ran the 15's for 6 months before I took a spirited ride in a car with 17's. I bought my wheels 2 weeks later. I drive about 6k/yr and love my Michelin Pilots - 275 front, 335 rear.
I like the way both 15's and 17's look on the car, just looking for better handling.