Will 14X7 aluminum wheels fit onto my 1959 Silver Hawk? If so, what size tires are best? Thanks.
-
-
A wheel that wide may fit the rear but on the front you might have some issues. Backspacing is important. Too much & the wheel will hit the steering arm, too little & it could rub against the wheel opening edge of the fender. I believe Coker Tire has on its website the sizes of various tires. You will want one that has the diameter of the original 6.70x15 which is closest to a 195/75r15 I believe.59 Lark wagon, now V-8, H.D. auto!
60 Lark convertible V-8 auto
61 Champ 1/2 ton 4 speed
62 Champ 3/4 ton 5 speed o/drive
62 Champ 3/4 ton auto
62 Daytona convertible V-8 4 speed & 62 Cruiser, auto.
63 G.T. Hawk R-2,4 speed
63 Avanti (2) R-1 auto
64 Zip Van
66 Daytona Sport Sedan(327)V-8 4 speed
66 Cruiser V-8 auto -
Yes, with the correct offset, they will fit.
No, I wouldn't recommend them. The Stude Hawk has relatively large wheelwell openings, especially on the front. To my eye, the 14" wheels and tires are too small.
Maybe, do a search here. The wheel discussion has been covered a thousand times. Look at several C/K builds before you decide. Personally, I'd go with 16" Ford steel cop car wheels or the Crown Vic/Lincoln aluminum wheels before I'd go down to 14"s.
jack vinesPackardV8Comment
-
It depends.Originally posted by GinettaG12P View Post
They need to have a 4 1/2" bolt circle.
They need to have enough back spacing to clear the rear fenders, but too much and they will rub on the front tie rods.
IMHO, you will need a fairly tall tire in order to not have the wheel/tire combo look too small on the car since your car came stock with 15" wheels (4 1/2" wide). A 215/75/14 will get close to the stock wheel/tire diameter.
Really, the only way to find out for sure if they will fit, is find a tire store that will work with you. Have them mount up a tire you think may work and try it on both the front and the rear.Dick Steinkamp
Bellingham, WAComment
-
Sizeable 14 inch tires are getting hard to find. Last time I bought, 225 70R14's were the biggest I could find. They looked OK on by '63 GT, and on my '66 Fury. The Hawk ran 7 inch late 1960's (mustang I think) steel wheels with 1958 Studebaker full covers. Those '58 wheel covers are the single best reason to use 14 inch wheels.Comment
-
I just replaced my wheels and tires on my 57 Hawk. I went with 15x6 wheels and 215x55 coker radials. The size looks perfect for the car. I don't think I have an inch to give on the back, so I would not attempt 7 inch wheels unless the backspacing was a little deeper.Comment
Comment