new wheels for 62

[adam moran]

I am looking for new tires and rims for my 62 i have the orig. rims and caps but would really not want to use them as everyday drivers. Can someone please tell me what is the sizes that i am able to use on the car without scraping the inside of the fender openings would like to put a nice set of rims and a good set on modern rubber on car for everyday use.

Thank you
ADAM

[David G.]

Re: new wheels for 62

Adam: Check back through the past year of your NCRS Restorer mag, you will find an article about using wheels from some year in the 80's(?)S-10 truck on solid axle Corvettes. The writer of the article has a '62, so you will see from the pictures exactly what these look like on your car. I have not made a junk yard run to locate a set of these, but I believe the article said this wheel is the correct backspacing and 15 X 6 1/2 (?). What is very interesting about these wheels is their close appearance to the 15 X 5 1/2" wide-wheels that were an option in '62. Just like the '62 optional wheel, they do not have the nubs for larger hubcaps, but do take the dog dishes used for the wider wheel in '62. Another wheel you might consider if you want to be period correct for your car, and have THE hot setup for drag racing in the 60's, is a set of AR Torque Thrust D's, recent re-introduced by AR. One of our chapter members here in St. Louis has a set on a '61 and they look great. Check it out! David

[Terry D.]

Re: new wheels for 62

Adam

I run Chevy Rally rims on my 62, 7 inches wide, with 225/70/15 Radials in the rear and 215/70/15 radials up front. No clearance problem at all. You can run a 235 in the back also, up front if you go bigger than 215 it might be a lot tougher steering because of the bigger footprint of the tire.
Terry

[Tracy C.]

Re: new wheels for 62

In Response To: Re: new wheels for 62 (david grayson)

Dave,

I think that article suggested 15X6" steel wheels off any old full size cheby impala or caprice thru 1989. If not, it should have.

What ever you do, go to the junk yard and get them yourself for about $10 apiece. Don't buy these things off eBay unless you like paying crazy money for wheels just because the ad has the words "62,63,64,65 & 66 Corvette Replacement Wheels" in the title or description.

Spend your money on the shiney stuff,
good luck,
tc