[Larry Moss (Larry)]

I'm trying to figure out what is the correct tire for a 1971 Challenger 440six pack car, Are the old Polyglas still available, or what does everyone else use?
Larry

[Dave-R (Roppa440)]

There were two tires available on the 1971 440+6.

You can tell what your car came with by looking at the build sheet (if you have it) or from the original tire decal on the drivers side quarter panel door jam (if it is still there).

The code T87 will tell you your car came with the F70x14 tire.
The code U82 is for the E60x15 tire.

Both were Goodyear Polyglas raised white letter tires.

You can get reproductions of these (if you really, really want the car to look as original as possible) from the usual sources like Year One.

However if you want road holding use something else. I personally find BF Goodrich Radial T/As a good all-round tire for the price. A 235/70/14 or a 235/60/15 would fit the bill.

[Richard Ward (Richard)]

Dave if you have a source for BFGs in the UK let me know last time I tried to get some I was told they wouldn't be making any more E marked.

[Dave-R (Roppa440)]

Really?

Maybe that is because they have a new European spec line of tyres for us over here?

Go to.
http://www.bfgoodrichtires.co.uk/

They have a dealer locator on that web site. You might be able to find out more?

[Christer (Christer)]

I have found one intresting thing,written by Mr Herd: Many different brands of tires were used, and the brand used may differ from factory to factory!!!! Many exceptions to the rule in other words.

[Hans (72challenger)]

Dave, I read an article on the MMA that you tried sometime to fit 275/60/50 tires on 8x15 wheels under the challenger and it fitted right. But if my brains aren't messed up you also said somewhere here that you don't know if it would fit... Did it or didn't it fit? I'm asking this cause I'm want to order new wheels for mine but I want to order it with right backspacing in one time.

[Dave_R (Roppa440)]

They do fit. But very tight. That is as big as you can safely go. I personally think that wheel is too narrow for decent handling though. But a wider wheel might cause problems. Freddie fitted huge wheels and tyres to his car without modifications but I don't see how he did it.

When I fist got my 295/50/15s I tried them on the car with what ended up being my front wheels which are 8x15 with 4.5 inch backspace. Just to see how they would look. They fitted but would have rubbed as they were very close to the wheel arch and only a quarter inch from the rear spring. Plus the tyre was so much wider than the wheel it looked silly to me.

When I fitted the same tyres on 10 inch wide wheels with 5.5 inch backspace they were HARD up gainst the wheel arch and spring.

The best way to judge is to jack the car up on the axle and get under with a tape measure.

[Dave_R (Roppa440)]

Actually when I think hard about it (you know my memory is not good) the 275s I tried were 50 series not 60.

Still. If the 295/50 went on there (although not a pratical fit) I am sure a 20mm narrower 275/60 tyre will fit ok even if it is an inch taller than the 295s and two inches taller than the 275/50 I did try.

Sorry for the confusion.

[Hans (72challenger)]

How much clearance should be minimum kept between the tire and the leaf springs do you think Dave? I already have some simple 8x15 wheels with 275/60/15 tires but with the wrong backspacing which I want to swap for a set of Convo Pro's.

Thinking about it makes it easy to measure; just turn around the existing wheel so you have enough backspacing to try and fit it between the wheel arch and leaf spring.

[Dave_R (Roppa440)]

Well I have only got 0.75 inch and I seem to be getting away with it. Most books I have read over the years suggest 1 inch as a minimum.

[Luke (Luke)]

I got 275/60/15 bfg's on 8*15 wheels with a 4 and three quarter back space. There on my aussie valiant,they also fit the challenger.

[Dave_R (Roppa440)]

Yeah. I used to run 265/50/15s on 8x15 wheels on my Oz Valiant Charger. They fitted with plenty of room and that is a much smaller car.