I have a 70 pontiac formula same as a 70 camaro.I am running the stock wheels ralleys with 295/50/15 in back and 225/60/15 in front. Want to go and run some mickey thompson et street radials.Having problems deciding on size for back tires to run with my 3.73 gears,auto,400,3200 stall, putting out some good horse power.I was running 3.42 gears and street tires and smoke them no problem but now as of this week added 3.73's and want some that will stick and go on the track with my current rims 15 x 8 with 4 1/2 backset.I was also wondering if running the weld racing wheels will make that much differance. Also some tires require 8.5 in the 295 why is that.The closest tire found that I can run is 275/60/15 or 275/50/15 but requires 8.5 rim and going taller 295/60/15 also requires 8.5 rim and most list 8.0 on lites. I am trying to stay with in close of tire size now but should I go taller or what.Should I go smaller on front width wise. Long post but want to make this car launch good and make some good 1/4 times.Car not driven everyday and I live at 4500 feet up, smoking tires never a problem except when I want to go to track. Any help would be appreciated.

 

Where are you getting the recommended wheel widths? The numbers you are quoting look more like the BFG Drag Radial rim width requirement, not the MT ET Street Radials.

The M/T site shows the 275/60-15 measurements based on mounting on an 8.0" wheel. All the other sizes show them mounted on a 10" wheel. Its the tread width that helps determine the wheel width requirement. In general, I think M/T likes the wheel width to be within +/-1" of the tread width. So that would mean any tire with more than a 9" tread width is going to require a wheel wider than 8.0".

You are limiting your selection by limiting yourself to a 15x8" wheel. You can get some reasonably priced 15x10" drag wheels. Putting the tire on the wheel width it was designed for means you are more likely to get the correct footprint.

http://www.mickeythompsontires.com/s...et_radial.html

http://www.bfgoodrichtires.com/asset...rag_radial.pdf

 

Thanks I may have to go to a 10 but I was trying to keep 8'' rims for spacing and 10 would make it real close to shocks. I have my 295's on eight's now.Its one of those I want to buy the right rims and tires and not return them and getting over technical.