A Fresh Look

So you just bought a car or a truck at an auction. You take it home, get it in your garage, and after owning it for a while, you decide it’s time to personalize it. The best way to change its look? Well for starters, how about new tires?

There are thousands of wheel and tire combinations out there for buyers who want something different than OEM. But you really need to be careful, because the right rolling stock can take your car’s look to the next level, but the wrong stuff can hurt curb appeal. That can cost you accolades on the street — and big money at sale time.

Many truck owners would agree that ordering a set of tires is usually a one-shot deal. You pick the bolt pattern, rim diameter, backspace and tire size — and wait. A week later, that set of wheels is yours, with no ifs, ands, buts, or oops allowed — especially if you’ve tried to mount tires on them or if you’ve bolted them to the car. So if you’re thinking of anything other than a stock size, you’ve got to get those measurements right the first time.

That’s a lot to consider. With all that in mind, we took a look at how to measure for wheels and tires the right way — and called on the experts at Coker Tire in Chattanooga, TN, to give this 1968 Camaro a new look. Here’s how we did it.

Coker Tire Parts List:
Rims and Accessories

• Rocket Fuel Wheel, 15×8, 5 on 4¾ bolt pattern, Coker P/N R23-586137 (4½-inch backspace) and R23-576142 (3¾-inch backspace), $200 and $190
• Coker Chevrolet Rally Wheel, 15×7, 5 on 4¾, Coker P/N CRP157, $87 each
• Chevrolet Disc Brake cap, Coker P/N 1015, $32.50 each
• Trim ring, 15-inch x 3-inch, Coker P/N 3002, $29 each

Tires

• BF Goodrich Radial T/A, 235/60R15, $142 each
• BF Goodrich Radial T/A, 275/60R15, $162 each
• BF Goodrich Silvertown Redline Radial, 215/70R15, $229 each

Summit Racing Parts List

• Percy’s WheelRite, Summit P/N PHP-01201, $79.99

Time spent: Two hours
Difficulty: 1/5