Need to choose wheels and tires for my 79 cutlass, but.....

[King_V]

I've finally gotten a flat among my 195/75R14 tires, and figured I might as well go at least 15-inch, and with better looking rims and tires.

But... what to choose?

My car is Carmine Red Metallic. Right now it has steelies with color matched Oldsmobile hubcaps.

I'd like to go with SS1 or SS2 type rims, and am leaning toward the former, as I'm sure nobody sells the latter pre-painted in my car's color, and I'm certainly not going to paint them, as my experience painting is exactly ZERO.

However, getting rims starts getting into the question of tire size/availability.

First, am I correct in assuming that, bone stock, I really can't go wider than 235 without things rubbing?

Second, is RWL going the way of the dinosaur? Ideally, I REALLY would like Raised White Letter tires. However, it seems like few companies make them, and size availability is getting questionable, too.

The ones I know of as RWL:

1. Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 (are these no longer available?)
2. Cooper Cobra
3. Eagle ST/GT/GT+4
4. B.F Goodrich Radial T/A
5. Mickey Thompson Sportsman S/T

Are there any others? Are any of these a modern design (I thought the Firestones might be) or use higher tire pressures (35 max PSI is ancient, isn't it?) - or are they all older designs with a premium price for the nostalgic suckers like myself who want that RWL look?

What few places I've looked for getting Olds SSI and SS2 rims only seems to have them in 14 and 15 inch sizes. I'd like 15s, but will tires that fit get harder and harder to find?

Am I better off just skipping trying to get Olds style rims, and go with something aftermarket?

What rim sizes offer (currently) better tire size availability?

Also, I know the trend is for bigger rims, and lower profile tires, but I'd really like to go no lower (numerically) than 60 series....

 

[DRIVEN]

I think it will depend on the offset of the wheels you use. My combo uses different sizes front and rear. The wheels are Appliance Wiremags and they seem to have most of the additional width to the outside. Ride height is stock. I know you were asking about 15s but the widths still apply.
Fronts are 14X7 with 205/70-14s
Rears are 14X8 with 245/60-14s
No rubbing at all in the rear. The fronts rub occasionally at full lock only when backing out of a curbed driveway -- it's rare.
Photo for reference...

I actually didn't want RWLs but they really grew on me and seem appropriate for these cars. BFGs were the only options in 14" when I was shopping. Your choices may be broader in 15".

 

[truracer20]

255/60-15 will fit the rear just fine on an 8" wheel. Keep your backspacing to 3.75" to 4.25"

 

[truracer20]

I used Mickey Thompson Sportsman S/R 26 x 10.0-15 in the rear on 15x8 wheels with 4.5" BS(I used a 1/4" spacer on the rears for shock clearance), and 26 x 8 -15 in the front on 15x7 wheels with 4" BS.
This pic is with the shocks aired up.

 

[truracer20]

And with the air pressure low.

 

[truracer20]

255's are an inch taller than my tires.

 

[King_V]

Well, I was looking at the Coker Tire website for Olds SSI rims.
15x7 has 4-3/8 backspacing
15x8 has 4-1/2 backspacing

I was originally thinking 15x8 rims, with 235/60R15 all around (because they don't freaking make 235/65R15 anymore!)

I'm given to understand that this should not cause any rubbing, front or rear, even full-lock in the front... but I wasn't sure.

Also, future tire availability is a concern.... hence why I was thinking I might go with a non-original-style set of wheels.. there are some out there that I'd like. I've been told that maybe 16 or 17 is a better way to go, and have even been told that 16 inch tires are more difficult to get than 15s (??)

Argh... this should NOT be this much of a PITA. Or, I'm fussy and indecisive. Probably both.

Though, I really, REALLY wish that a modern-design tire, with better treadwear, traction, etc., than what was available 20 years ago existed with at least the option of RWL.

EDIT: here and there I'm coming across references to SSI and SSII/III rims being made somewhere in 17 inch sizes, but can't seem to confirm their existence...