Wheel size for 1964 Dodge Polara

[mrbodie52]

I have recently purchase a 1964 Dodge Polara 500. While I love the original hubcaps, I am wanting to install a set of 15" Magnum 500 wheels and tires. I am concerned about the backspacing. Does anyone know the original wheel size backspacing. I think it came out with 14 X 6" wheels. I would like go with 15" as the tires are easier to find 15 X 7"

 

[Darter6]

Every car is a bit different as far as manufacturing tolerances when to comes to Mopars.
My 65, I run 15x7 with a 4 1/4'' backspace 275/60/15 tire.No clearance problems.
That same wheel and tire installed on my 63 Belvedere the tire on the passenger side is almost touching the leaf spring.
Factory 15x7 Mopar wheels will have a backspace of 4 1/4''
Early B bodies can be tight in the rear wheel well area. This photo is 15x7 with a 255/70/15 tire, 4'' backspace on the rear with no rubbing anywhere.

 

[Darter6]

Photo of the factory steel wheel 15x7 with the 275/60/15 tire 4 1/4'' back space.
I don't have the exact measurement of the 14'' wheel from 1964 but my best guess is 14x5'' with a 3'' backspace.

 

[1 MEAN66]

 

[1 MEAN66]

View attachment 957556

These are 15 x10 with 6 3/4 back space. Have 325/50R15 on them and fit right in! I just had to move the springs inside the frame rails, relocated spring perches, add 3" mini tubs, and had a fuel cell made. And we tell everyone that is as it left the factory. and it's one of one!
67 and older take some work. as said though 15's should not be a problem, sevens pretty easy. Go on line and look how manufactures ( O.E. & Aftermarket) measure wheels. then mount your fourteens, Remember wheel grows a total of 1" so that is actually only a 1/2" in any one direction. You will have the backspace and front side measurements for your 14", use that to determine how much room you can add. You now can even find 16" & 17" wheels that look like O.E. Style. Forgot the manufacture but popular in all kinds of magazines. You can also type in WheelRite measuring tool. There inexpensive, and make life very easy, so you can get an idea of how a tire and wheel will fit when is actually attached to the hubs, front or rear, and even at full lock in each direction.
PS don't worry about the paint on the tire, once back together it came off very easy. As you can tell the whole car is "Stock", funny though, not everyone believes me.

 

[33 IMP]

I don't know what the original steel wheel backspace was, but i do know the mopar magnum 500s were 14" only. Any 15" magnums are either ford or aftermarket. Do tou have front drums or discs? The ford magnums sometimes dont fit over the hubs on mopar discs. If you are buying new aftermarket, it shouldn't be a problem.
The magnums i saw in the summit catalog , from wheel vintiques, should fit fine, with any kind of reasonable tire size. The sweet spot for the early mopars seems to be 15x8 with 4.5 backspace. Thats exactly the wv size. The 15x7 with 4.25 b.s. should fit easily.

 

[mrbodie52]

The magnum 500's worked just fine.

 

[Jeff Gore]

I ordered 15x8 vintiques steel with 4 1/2 back spacing rear and 15x7 4 inch back spacing front for a 64 330 what tire size is someone running with similar set ups looking for as wide as possible on rears. Thank you in advance

 

[Ron H]

On my '63 Fury, I found a good more space than I thought going with Coker 15" Magnums. I could have gone 8" in the back having ample clearance. Shop friend put my car on an alignment rack so I could see what clearances I had before locking in on tire sizing. I have P235 60R's. In hindsight, wish I'd have gone to 16" wheels.

 

[Ron H]

Wish ya were closer - I'd try to slice you a deal on my 15x7 magnums with the tires having 2500 miles on them so I'd go get a set of 16"s. lol

 

[Ron H]

Oops too late I just caught! They look fantastic! I'm in a time warp...beam me up Scotty.

 

[33 IMP]

I ordered 15x8 vintiques steel with 4 1/2 back spacing rear and 15x7 4 inch back spacing front for a 64 330 what tire size is someone running with similar set ups looking for as wide as possible on rears. Thank you in advance

I dont know how close my 62 savoy wheelwell is to your 64, but i think they are very similar.
I have a 255/70x15 on a 15x8 ramcharger steelie (at least i think its a ram, might be a custom) but with only 4" bs, it is too close to the fender to go bigger.
I also run a 10 1/2 x 28 slick on a 4 7/8 bs centerline, BUT, it needs a .350 spacer to fit, so esentially a 4 1/2 bs. That tire is VERY tight, probably too tight for street use.
I also have a 10x28 slick on a 8x16 tt2 with 4 1/2 bs that fits very well.
I would think that a 275/60x15 should fit fine, its a little smaller than my 10"slick. Nice tall tire to visually fill the wheelwell.

 

[Jeff Gore]

I dont know how close my 62 savoy wheelwell is to your 64, but i think they are very similar.
I have a 255/70x15 on a 15x8 ramcharger steelie (at least i think its a ram, might be a custom) but with only 4" bs, it is too close to the fender to go bigger.
I also run a 10 1/2 x 28 slick on a 4 7/8 bs centerline, BUT, it needs a .350 spacer to fit, so esentially a 4 1/2 bs. That tire is VERY tight, probably too tight for street use.
I also have a 10x28 slick on a 8x16 tt2 with 4 1/2 bs that fits very well.
I would think that a 275/60x15 should fit fine, its a little smaller than my 10"slick. Nice tall tire to visually fill the wheelwell.

Thank you for taking the time to respond

 

[Jeff Gore]

Sorry but I have a quick question what size tires is everyone running on the front to look right ?

 

[Darter6]

For me it's a 215/75/15 on a 15x5 rim. I like a narrow front

 

[Ron H]

Yeah - this gives it a vintage drag car look. I opted to go P235/60R on 15"x7"s all around on mine as most of my time is country rides and shows. Should gone wider on the rears but someday if I don't find all sorts of cash to dump in mine might do this.

 

[1 MEAN66]

I ordered 15x8 vintiques steel with 4 1/2 back spacing rear and 15x7 4 inch back spacing front for a 64 330 what tire size is someone running with similar set ups looking for as wide as possible on rears. Thank you in advance

NO SUCH THING

Sorry but I have a quick question what size tires is everyone running on the front to look right ?

NO SUCH THING AS "LOOK RIGHT"!!! Your car needs to look like YOU want it! If ya see a vehicle here you like the way it looks ask that person what they did. For instance mine has been "slightly" modified. But it looks the way Rebecca and I want it. I had a 69 runner we ran in E/S in the 70's - early 80's ( before bracket racing was popular). I ran 15 x8s Smoothie's on rear ( custom made by Cragar) all of my cars have run 15x 5.5 or 6. Cause it is what we like. Both Summit and Jegs offers a tool you can get ( about $80) so you can see EXACTLY what will fit and give you the dimensions you need. Lots of how to videos on line to shop you how to use it. Called Wheelrite, real simple to use. Because what we have done to our 66 it does NOT like to turn ( by that I mean - in a brisk fashion). So pick a few you like the looks of and ask. : even go to the garage area. Everyone here is willing to give info. The look you get is up to you.
PS if ya paint it Moulin Rouge you will get a lot of: What the hell did ya do that for, same response it got in 1970. Our front are just a basic radial 205?75R15. Rears right now 325/50R15 moving to 295/65r15 exact same dimensions (Width, tread, section width) just 2" taller. Going from 28" to 30" Did my homework think they will fit? But of course will not know till mounted. My 15X10's have a 6.75' Back space.
Darter6's - 65 is my favorite year B-Body. Don't ask why we have a 66 I will be typing forever. Just show up at the house.