Wheels/Rims question

[elektrik]

The restore of my 1969 Stepside is nearing completion (Had a mechanic restore it the rest of the way from my original work, which I can't post here because I only recently found/joined this site) and I wanted everyone's advice for Rims/Tires. I'm not interested in lowering the truck. Wanted different ideas for rims (Ex. perhaps stock rims from a newer Chevy Truck, etc., custom rims, etc.).

Sorry, I don't have pix of my current rims, but they're not exactly nice to look at.

Thoughts anyone?

[tcb-1]

how about bone stock? if your leaving your height stock, I love the original 15", 6" wide steelies with a set of original caps.
then for tires, a set of ribbed bias plies.

call me a sucker for original looks.

oh yeah, newer stock Chevy truck rims do look very nice. you will have to use spacers though. you may even have to grind a bit on the rear axle protrusion....... has been done.

by the way, I have 15 x 10 rallyes on my 69 step and I really like them.

be sure to drop a pic when you get subscribed!!! nice to have you aboard!

[elektrik]

Originally Posted by tcb-1

how about bone stock? if your leaving your height stock, I love the original 15", 6" wide steelies with a set of original caps.
then for tires, a set of ribbed bias plies.

call me a sucker for original looks.

oh yeah, newer stock Chevy truck rims do look very nice. you will have to use spacers though. you may even have to grind a bit on the rear axle protrusion....... has been done.

by the way, I have 15 x 10 rallyes on my 69 step and I really like them.

be sure to drop a pic when you get subscribed!!! nice to have you aboard!

Thanks for your $.02-gives me another option I hadn't considered...

So many options....About the only thing I *know* for sure is that I better get some good tires/rims on it cause it looks pretty sweet everywhere else LOL!!

[Tx Firefighter]

For a stock height truck, I much prefer a set of 15x8 rally wheels and 275/60/15 tires.

If your 69 is bone stock, you'll need 6 lug rally wheels. They came on 4x4 trucks. Don't worry though, they fit earlier 6 lug trucks with no mods.



Six lug rally wheels (disregard the tires sizes, they are too small for the truck in the picture...



After I swapped it to 5 lug......

[ChevLoRay]

So, what theme did you use for your truck?? If it is bone-stock, fine. If you did anything to the outside to give it your own special flavor, what did you do? These are things that will, or should, impact your choice of wheels.

There are so many styles out there, that choosing is not easy....or it's the easiest thing you can do. It's all about your tastes and your wallet....and how well they coordinate. My wallet doesn't understand my tastes and has left me wanting, many, many times. Life isn't fair, is it?

I prefer the look of the vette-style rallye wheels, which is what I have. They're available in five and six-lug bolt patterns, and in varying widths. That would allow for a stock look, but with a little added flair. Yeah, I know our trucks never had rallye wheels as an option. That is where the flair comes in. You know you've seen the rallye wheels on the passenger cars of the era and that is why they have an appeal, at least to me. Apparently, there are many of us who feel the same way.

There are truck rallye wheels, too. These are the wheels you've seen on the mid-seventies and up (square-body trucks). I don't dislike them, but they are not my choice for my truck.

Check out www.wheelvintiques.com and see what they have that you may want to see on your truck. Also, check out www.summitracing.com. They have the Wheel Vintique wheels and they have FREE shipping. I know they will ship the wheels free, because that's where I got mine. Shipping from Wheel Vintiques would have been almost a hundred bucks.....and like buying five wheels and only getting four. Summit Racing....check 'em out, too.

[pop4ever]

just curious to how you went from 6 to 5 lug

[elektrik]

Originally Posted by ChevLoRay

So, what theme did you use for your truck?? If it is bone-stock, fine. If you did anything to the outside to give it your own special flavor, what did you do? These are things that will, or should, impact your choice of wheels.

There are so many styles out there, that choosing is not easy....or it's the easiest thing you can do. It's all about your tastes and your wallet....and how well they coordinate. My wallet doesn't understand my tastes and has left me wanting, many, many times. Life isn't fair, is it?

I prefer the look of the vette-style rallye wheels, which is what I have. They're available in five and six-lug bolt patterns, and in varying widths. That would allow for a stock look, but with a little added flair. Yeah, I know our trucks never had rallye wheels as an option. That is where the flair comes in. You know you've seen the rallye wheels on the passenger cars of the era and that is why they have an appeal, at least to me. Apparently, there are many of us who feel the same way.

There are truck rallye wheels, too. These are the wheels you've seen on the mid-seventies and up (square-body trucks). I don't dislike them, but they are not my choice for my truck.

Check out www.wheelvintiques.com and see what they have that you may want to see on your truck. Also, check out www.summitracing.com. They have the Wheel Vintique wheels and they have FREE shipping. I know they will ship the wheels free, because that's where I got mine. Shipping from Wheel Vintiques would have been almost a hundred bucks.....and like buying five wheels and only getting four. Summit Racing....check 'em out, too.

I haven't done anything *too* radical on the outside (well, in my opinion anyhow. I'd say the most radical thing I did was change the grille/bumper from the 69 look to the 72 look (Always liked the 72 look best) and then put on smaller chrome side mirrors)...

As for the lugs, they're stock I believe-don't remember if they're 5 or 6 lug though...

I suppose that leads me to the next question: How large of a tire/rim combo can I go without things starting to rub?

The shop where I'm having it restored said to not go any larger than 16 because 17 would start to rub without modifying (something, don't remember what)....

[chvtrkman]

I'm running the stock 8 lug 16.5 steelies on my C-20, with dog dish hub caps.
It just happens to be the "look" I was after. I think it fits well with the stock height, and the basic "old man's truck" theme that I tried to retain.

There a lots of nice custom wheels that make these trucks look great also.
Everything depends on your own personal taste.

[chvtrkman]

Hey Tx firefighter,
Be careful about posting pics of doing work in your garage wearing beach sandals.
If OSHA's "safety police" ever catch wind of this the bureaucrats in Wash. DC will form a new agency to restrict us hobbyists from enjoying our wrenching on classic trucks.....Ha-ha-ha!

[elektrik]

Originally Posted by chvtrkman

There a lots of nice custom wheels that make these trucks look great also.
Everything depends on your own personal taste.

Ya-I just need to decide long term what to do. I think short term, I'll just spruce up the current ones with paint (as long as they're functionally ok) and shop around for a while...

I'll post pics when I get the truck back (which will hopefully be very soon).