58-63 American Wheel and Tire fit issues

by Tom Jennings, edited by Frank Swygert 01-26-2026

This is an old car. The original wheels were 15 inch diameter and four inches wide; it came from the factory with 6.00×15 or “heavy duty” 6.50×15’s. The closest metric tire size is 185/70-R15, which are available but expensive, and will most likely have to be ordered.

Though I originally wanted to stick with the skinny tire look, I fell into the modern habit of putting on the fattest rubber I could fit. I’m glad I did, actually; performance, safety, cost, looks, are all easier. The engine and gearing on this car have margins thin enough that I wanted to keep the original diameter of 26″, and I relented on styling, going with a 1960’s performance look, a bit humurous given the gutless motor,
but leavened with a 60’s euro-rallye look.

I asked for, and got, “the smallest 26 inch diameter tire with white letters” — BF Goodrich Radial T/As, 215/65-R15’s.

The old wheels clearly were not going to work, and old wheels tend to be out of round, dents and dings from decades of bumping
curbs and potholes. Old steel wheels tend to get rusty around the bead and therefore leak. Pretty much every car now gets brand
new wheels (steel or otherwise) right from the start. (I had my Hornet’s OEM 14×5 steelies trued, media blasted and powder
coated white; while it worked out great that cost more than brand new, custom, steel wheels.

The original steel wheels backspacing is about 3.25″. 15″ diameter is required to clear the ends of the steering arms. The
shape of the center section is very odd, an old Nash design, and it did not fit the 9×2.5″ Gremlin brakes I’d added.

I very carefully measured everything — clearances are very tight in this car! — and worked out that Wheel Vintique 15×6
smoothies would work. As you can see from the photos, it’s about as tight as it can get!

Here’s what fit:

Wheel	Wheel Vintiques	Bare Steel Smoothies 15×6″, 5×4.5 pattern, 3.625″ backspacing	part #12-5612358
Tire	BF Goodrich	White letter Radial T/A	size 215/65-R15

 

Frank: I drove a 1963 American for 14 years. I ran 205/70R16 on the original wheels at first. This worked, but a wider wheel was really needed, and the speedometer was off a bit. I ended up buying a set of aluminum slot wheels, 15×7. I ran 195/65R15 tires on them, which are the correct diameter so the speedometer was correct. I did have an issue with the control arms scrubbing inside the thick cast wheels, especially in reverse. I was just careful when backing up. They eventually rubbed a shallow groove on the inside of the wheel, but otherwise worked. I wouldn’t recommend a thick cast wheel. Any steel 15″ wheel will fit. Chrysler wheels usually bolt right on, most Ford wheels have a slightly smaller diameter center hole, about 1/16″ smaller. Careful work with a rotary file will usually make them fit. Today I’d run a 16″ steel or cast wheel only because 16″ sizes are a little easier to find than 15″. That’s okay for a driver, but of course you want the correct size for a restored car.