Dig The New Tires

I decided that I needed to change my tires because the ones that were on it when I bought it are way too small in my opinion. I wanted fill up the wheel wells and try and lower the rpm's a little more at road speed. Unfortunately when the previous owner hung the side pipes he didn't hang them the same distance from the front tires on both sides. They are also too close to the front tires (actually into the wheel well) and the "new" tires hit the curve of the pipe. I cant put my new front tires on until I take the pipes down and try shorten them by moving the input and output closer to the actual muffler that's under the heat shield, then I'll have to go to the shop and have them re-piped to the manifolds.

Anyway, I took some picts this morning "before" and "after". The original tires are 185/60/14's, I'm replacing them with 225/70/14's, I decided to keep my 14" slots so I wouldnt have to drop another $500 on rims (I'm about hundred dollared out here).

Tire comparison, 185/60 is on the left:


185/60's all the way around:


Another comparison shot:


225's on the back:


another shot:


It looks pretty good like it sits but it's really squirrely to drive with this setup so I'm going to go ahead and put 225's all the way around, it'll still have some rake to it which is cool.

the bigger tires do look better, all the way around is the way to go

Looks Great!!

Your van has a great stance.

slowflap those coopers look good with the mags, i'm surprised they are 14 inch rims mine are 15 inch and i thought that was standard on the A's. i put new tires on last year wanted the coopers but they had a deal on firestone indy 500's, wanted some mags but had to go with 54 dodge hubcaps, a lot cheaper $. would like to find a old set of ET unilug mags but they $$$.

oh and those side pipes look cool on your van, i had a pair back in the 80's and pretty much gave them away, yes how stupid.

The new rubber looks great!! Glad you mentioned the clearance issue with the side pipes, I have been thinking about a set for my vanup, better wait until I get my tire and wheel combo figured out. Mine came with 14" slots and firestone 225's all the wat around. I hate to get rid of my slots, but there aren't very many tire options for 14" any more and the mickey thompson radials I like are not offered in a 14" at all, so it looks like I have to find some 15" wheels.

bugeye bob wrote:oh and those side pipes look cool on your van, i had a pair back in the 80's and pretty much gave them away, yes how stupid.

I was told the rims came off a wrecked early mustang (with the tires).

Thanks Bob, these side pipes are chapping my butt since Ive got to have them installed/piped a second time, they do look and sound good though.

This particular pair is actually a little big, the other owner should have gone a size down so there was room to work, oh well, live and learn I guess. I'll be underneath it again this coming weekend trying to get it on the road. Hopefully this is my last big money item for the year as well (my slush fund is hurting!), the car show season is upon us so I'm trying to get it ready for that. I'm going to put the 185/60 tires on craigslist as soon as they are all off, maybe I can make a little $ back on this deal.

67a 100 pickup wrote:The new rubber looks great!! Glad you mentioned the clearance issue with the side pipes, I have been thinking about a set for my vanup, better wait until I get my tire and wheel combo figured out. Mine came with 14" slots and firestone 225's all the wat around. I hate to get rid of my slots, but there aren't very many tire options for 14" any more and the mickey thompson radials I like are not offered in a 14" at all, so it looks like I have to find some 15" wheels.

The tire guys are telling me the larger 14" tires are slowly getting phased out, I figured 4 new tires and a spare would be the last set Id have to buy for this thing.

Keep in mind on the side pipes that the front "intake elbow" should be behind the inside wheel well, the prev owner sorta lined them up with the visible edge on mine and that makes them a good 2-3" into the wheel opening if you look in there.

Ditto on the biggins! Much better...