Cragar SS Wheels

[Vette66AirCoupe]

I hope some of you won't barf but I've decided to change my stock wheels and caps on my '60 out for a set of Cragar SS mags. Never had 'em, always wanted 'em etc., etc. I'll keep all of the original stuff of course. Three questions:

1. It has been suggested to me that I buy new tires so that I can switch back and forth between stock and the Cragars at my whim. I'm thinking that might be nice but I wonder if any of you who have gone that route actually do change back after buying something else that you like better :confused. The last thing I need is thick treaded tires that are suspect because of age. I have 2 Corvettes so mileage is limited as I'm the only driver.

2. I'll be staying with 15". What width wheels do you guys use, 6", 7" or both???

3. Currently the car has 225R75X15 tires on it. For a low horsepower 283 engine this seems fine but for appearance sake how much wider can I go in the rear?

Thanks for your help!

 

[warren s]

Terry -

I cant answer any of your questions about wheel or tire size, but I have seen many C1s and C2s with SS mags and they look great.

The look takes me back to a better and simpler time, good luck

 

[Rowdy1]

Wise Choice

Well, in my eyes anyway as you can see in my signiture. I think the new tires with the new wheels is the way to go, if you decide to go back to stock you're not on & off the tire machine chancing wheel damage and a balance every time. I use the 8' Cragar front & rear and I "was" going to see how much bigger I could go on the rear last time I bought tires but I was in a hurry and needed them right away. There isn't much room back there with the leaf spring and fender on either side. I'm sure somebody with more research will be along to let you know what the max is for it. I happen to think the SS's are one of the classiest wheels ever built, not to mention the nostalgia thing.

 

[Vette66AirCoupe]

Hey Rowdy,

Nice rides, 2 wheel and 4 wheel! :cool What size tires are you sporting on your Cragars currently?

 

[Rowdy1]

Thanks

Same as you are, 225R75X15. A good tire shop should be able to tell you just how big you can go on the back. Next set, I'm going to size up as big as I can and Lord only knows after missing all this time with the back, it won't take long for me to need new tires once I can drive it again

Let me know what you decide, I'm interested in finding out what you do with them.

 

[Vette66AirCoupe]

The first step of my off season fun is going to be somebody else's chore. On October 29 I'm taking the '60 in for a new top. I'm going with black, away from the current white. Then I need to replace the sending unit in the fuel tank and replace the lower instrument cluster. Somewhere in the middle of all that the Cragars will be purchased, shod and balanced. Man I can't wait for spring already! It'll be like a different car!

 

[newbe60]

Here's my 60 with cragars

The tires are BF goodrich radial T/A's 215/70/15 with the white letters showing which I like but others like the black walls.. the tires are reversable and can be shipped from tirerack.com to your home... If i did not have the white coves i might have gone with the black walls... what do people think of the white letters showing of the BF goodrich radial t/a???

 

[Rowdy1]

Kinda Partial to...........

The solid black showing, less work too. Looks good just the same , very nice ride. The sender isn't too bad a job if I remember right but that dash can be loads of fun, especially if you built like me Don't forget to let me know what tires you go with.

 

[Vette66AirCoupe]

I like the white letters with your color combination. That's my second favorite color como. What width are your Cragars?

 

[newbe60]

cragars

I like the white letters with your color combination. That's my second favorite color como. What width are your Cragars?

cragars are 15x6..think more people should consider the white letters showing if they have white coves ( just my humble opnion) and I think i'm in the minority but I tried it both ways and like the white showing to match the cove

 

[1KULC7]

I can remember when Crager SS Mags sold for 42.50 per wheel, you had the standard wheel in front and the offset or deepdish in the rear. Of course you needed the lugs to match that was an additional 20.00 for set. So you got a complete set of wheels for little over 200.00. The Crager was THE WHEEL of the 60's. ET Mags with there black spoke wheels were second to the Crager, but the CRAGER was the wheel that everybody wanted.

You made an EXCELLENT choice and once the expenses from my 63 calm down, I hope to purchase a set of radials with the CRAGER Wheels. I emailed the CRAGER factory and they sent me back a nice email explaining I could use these mags on drum braked cars...

GO FOR IT.....

 

[Vette66AirCoupe]

Thanks to all for your comments. I love this place!

 

[Chas]

look at www.summitracing.com for good pricing and only pay $11 for shipping. there is 2 kinds...the chrome plated 2 pc like the good ole days , and a 1 pc alloy that is polished like chrome but wont peel in time....im putting them on my veet someday soon. please post photos when you get it done.

Chas

I hope some of you won't barf but I've decided to change my stock wheels and caps on my '60 out for a set of Cragar SS mags. Never had 'em, always wanted 'em etc., etc. I'll keep all of the original stuff of course. Three questions:

1. It has been suggested to me that I buy new tires so that I can switch back and forth between stock and the Cragars at my whim. I'm thinking that might be nice but I wonder if any of you who have gone that route actually do change back after buying something else that you like better :confused. The last thing I need is thick treaded tires that are suspect because of age. I have 2 Corvettes so mileage is limited as I'm the only driver.

2. I'll be staying with 15". What width wheels do you guys use, 6", 7" or both???

3. Currently the car has 225R75X15 tires on it. For a low horsepower 283 engine this seems fine but for appearance sake how much wider can I go in the rear?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Chas]

This looks sweet!

I hope mine looks this good when i put them on her.
Chas

cragars are 15x6..think more people should consider the white letters showing if they have white coves ( just my humble opnion) and I think i'm in the minority but I tried it both ways and like the white showing to match the cove

 

[MidShark]

I just put Cragars on my '64 GTO this summer. $550 at Belle Tire with lugs and caps and that also included mounting and balancing the set of TA's that I supplied. I thought the white letters picked up on the white top. I also just bought a used set of Cragars that I found in "Bargain Corner" in our local paper for $200. I am going to put them on my '65 or '66.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Great looking pictures of Cragars on '60 cars. They always look like they belong there. You won't have any problems with 15x6s and 7's may be ok on the rear. I like the white letters on the blue too Newbe60. Love the '64 GTO too. 215s are what most guys run on C1s. I tried a 15x8 rally with a 225x70 on my '59 one time and it hit on the outside at the top of the wheel opening. It was probably more a problem of the wide wheel than the tire although a 225x75 would be narrower and probably fit with a 6 or 7 inch wheel. '61 and '62s have a little more tire room on the rears. Stay with a stock backspacing.

Glad you decided to go with the black top.

Have you looked at the new Cragar 610.

http://cragar.dkhinc.com/WheelsDetail.asp?id=610

 

[Ken]

I've always had a fond spot in my heart for the Cragar wheels too, especially on a C1. :cool

One thing that I'm having a hard time with lately though is, even though I'm a firm adherent to the "it's your car, you can do with it whatever you want" school of design, I can't stand the thought of eighteens and nineteens on a C2. I talked with someone the other day who's gonna do that to his '67 convertible.

 

[Vette66AirCoupe]

Tom,

Thanks for the reply. I have not considered the 610's. They are just not quite the nostalgic treat for my tastes as the originals. Hopefully I'll never have to deal with rust as a result of this decision as both of my cars are allergic to water. I need to ask a dumb question. If I put 6 inchers on the front and 7 inchers on the back, where will the extra inch be, inside, outside or split? :confused I'm hoping it's outside even though an inch probably won't be too obvious, not exactly deep dish.:L

 

[Vette66AirCoupe]

Ken,


I'm with ya. I don't like those tall wheels on a C-2 either. I'm also not real fond of the low profile tires that generally go with them. In fact, that tire height may be the thing that bothers me the most.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Tom,

I need to ask a dumb question. If I put 6 inchers on the front and 7 inchers on the back, where will the extra inch be, inside, outside or split? :confused I'm hoping it's outside even though an inch probably won't be too obvious, not exactly deep dish.:L

I looked on the Cragar site and I can't find any listing on backspacing. A dealer should have this info.