[mwatson1647]

We have a 68 GTO Convertible. It's been garaged for quite a while and we want to get new wheels and tires for it. It has G70-14's on there now. Could anyone let us know what options we have when purchasing new wheels (i.e. what size, type, etc. is best) We've been looking at Cragars, but don't know what other brands we might want to consider. Also, in researching the wheel size, there seems to be a lot of conflicting information of what can be used (e.g. 14 or 15 inch). If we use 14", we concerned about tire availability, and if we use 15 (if that's an option) we're concerned about possible rubbing inside the wheel wells. Could anyone shed any light? Thanks in advance!

 

[kilkm68]

I have Cragar 15x8 wheels with Goodyear Eagle 275/60/15 drag radials on the back of my 68 Convertible. They fit perfectley. Thats about as wide as you can go on this car.

 

[BearGFR]

"Best" is a matter of opinion and taste and that's all up to you to decide.

As far as fit, what matters is the total diameter and width of the tire and the wheel backspacing needed to center the tire(s) in the wheel well(s).

My '69 came from the factory with 14" wheels, as they all did. I still have them all, including the spare. When I built the car I chose to use reproduction 15" Rallye II wheels. I got mine from Specialty Wheel, because I wanted to use wider wheels/tires on the rear and at the time, they were the only company who offered 'wide' 15" Rallye II's with the backspacing I needed to center the wider tire.
I used a tool (Percy's WheelRite - google for it) to measure how much tire I could fit under my car and what backspacing I'd need.
Then I looked up what the original tire diameter was (G70-14) and found some 15" radial tires that were as close to the same diameter as I could (several of the larger tire discount retail sites also publish dimensions on their various tires). I'm running Nitto Drag Radials on the rear full time, so for those I went slightly taller than stock because a taller tire does more to improve traction than a wider tire does, but not so much as to make the car look funny.

There are lots of wheel options out there. Year One makes some gorgeous cast aluminum Rally II's in 17 inch diameters and up to 9" width. To use those one would just need to buy tires with 'shorter' sidewall height to keep the same overall diameter.

Bear

 

[Jared]

I'm running 235-60-15 all around on mine with no clearance issues. I also have the 15" Rallye II's. I agree with waht Bear said, tire size and wheel choice is up to you as long as it will fit. Summit also sells the tool to gauge how big of a tire will fit.

 

[Hootchi]

I have a 68 covertible. So, if I understand the largest wheel looks to be a 17 inch? I had heard you can go with an 18 but I wasnt sure. Id like to get the biggest possible and put my 14s in storage

 

[gtojoe68]

I got some Rally 2's off an old Full Size Pontiac. 15X7. I run 245/60/15 on them and have no fitment issues at all. Plus it allows for conversion to 1969 and up single piston GM disc brakes. which will NOT fit under your 14" factory wheels.