# New rims and tires

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-rims-and-tires/51515>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** thunderbird, fit, ford, tires, wheels\
**Created:** [July 9, 2010, 12:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-rims-and-tires/51515 "2010-07-09T00:27:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![chrisb1295](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed8c4c/32.png) [@chrisb1295](https://community.cartalk.com/u/chrisb1295)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 12:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-rims-and-tires/51515/1 "2010-07-09T00:27:09Z")

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Will 18x7.0 wheels and 225/45R18 95Y All-Season tires fit on my 1961 Ford Thunderbird?

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**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 4:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-rims-and-tires/51515/2 "2010-07-09T16:35:01Z")

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The salesperson will tell you, “Yes,” but I suggest you do some serious measuring before you spend your money.

My guess is they will rub somewhere, if not everywhere.

Why would you want to put . . ?

Oh, never mind.

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**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 5:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-rims-and-tires/51515/3 "2010-07-09T17:12:21Z")

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Without knowing the original tire/wheel size on that car, I’m going to assume you plus-sized the tires so that the overall diameter remains constant. If not, you’re gonna need a speedo recalibration. If so, assuming the bolt pattern matches up, they should fit fine unless the new wheels are wider than the old, in which case you may have fender clearance issues requiring fender rolling.

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**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 5:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-rims-and-tires/51515/4 "2010-07-09T17:15:10Z")

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I’d be amazed if they fit, in '61 they had no hint that wide tires were coming.

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**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-rims-and-tires/51515/5 "2010-07-09T18:10:15Z")

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Some customized car forums might help find that out. Some of those ol’ '61 wheel wells were huge. And it’s highly likely that someone somewhere has done a mild customization on one of these and added fat tires.

Sites like [111.carbibles.com](http://111.carbibles.com), [www.1010tires.com](http://www.1010tires.com), and [wwwtirerack.com](http://wwwtirerack.com) will have crossreference charts in case you need to corrolate the new sizing designations against the old.

Best of luck.

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**Author:** ![bscar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bscar/32/34_2.png) [@bscar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bscar)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 11:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-rims-and-tires/51515/6 "2010-07-09T23:22:18Z")

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[Cokertire.com](http://Cokertire.com) lists 800-14 or a 215/75-14 as a recommended tire size. So you’re good on width as it’s only 10mm wider.  
[http://www.tiresizecalculator.info/](http://www.tiresizecalculator.info/) lists 225/50-18 or 235/45-18 as possible alternatives compared against the 215/75-14.  
Biggest hurdles will be the wheel well, offset, and lugnut pattern