Before the 1990s, 15-inch wheels were about as big as you were going to get on your car or truck. With the development of 17-inch and larger wheels and tires, many old-school hot rodders saw a performance benefit. What was once considered a fad by those of us who were die-hard muscle car fans has proven itself and is here to stay. But is this a question of style, function, or maybe just a little bit of both? We break down the choices between classic and modern wheels and tires to see which is best in both looks and performance.

The practice of upsizing wheels on classics has been around for roughly three decades, and the concept is fairly straightforward. By increasing wheel diameter while reducing tire sidewall height, the overall outside diameter remains unchanged. This keeps the overall gearing consistent, but swaps out some of the tire’s flexible rubber sidewall for rigid metal, improving lateral stability and steering response. The result can have a noticeable impact on braking, handling, and even overall safety. These factors have led many automakers to adopt larger wheels and lower-profile tires on modern vehicles as well.

When executed properly, plus-sized wheels paired with low-profile tires also offer a more aggressive aesthetic. Larger wheel diameters often create additional clearance for bigger brake packages, further enhancing performance potential. However, there are trade-offs. Bigger wheels typically add weight at each corner, increasing unsprung mass and negatively affecting suspension dynamics. Meanwhile, shorter sidewalls reduce the tire’s natural cushioning effect, resulting in a stiffer ride that can make rough pavement more punishing.

Everyone has their favorite styles and different tastes, but a classic Chevy riding on 15-inch Rally Wheels will never go out of style.

Sticking With The Classics

Where it all started. 15-inch wheels are the gold standard for classics, and one thing is certain: they will always look good on an old-school ride. Whether it be steel wheels with dog-dish hub caps, Rally Wheels, a set of chrome Cragar S/S wheels, or American Racing’s Torq Thrust aluminum wheels, it’s a look that can’t seem to ever go wrong.

These chrome 15-inch Cragar S/S wheels fit perfectly with this ’57 handyman wagon and its chrome trim.

Sticking with 15-inch wheels potentially keeps the cost down. While it seems everything lately has increased in price, going with the classic muscle car look hasn’t jumped up as much and is still relatively cheap, with a set of wheels and tires only costing you $1,000-$1,500.

On muscle cars, classic cruisers, and even trucks, 15-inch Torq Thrust mags by American Racing Wheels are timeless.

Another benefit of applying the old-school look to the street is comfort. Running 15-inch wheels with 26 or 27-inch tires gives us that good-looking, meaty sidewall that also provides some cushion. Springs and shocks dictate the ride quality of your classic, but the height of the tire’s sidewall contributes to a softer ride.

There are some downsides to keeping this traditional appearance. If you want to improve steering response and handling, that cool-looking soft sidewall with raised white lettering might hold you back. The whole point of going to bigger wheels is to vastly improve performance on twisty roads, not to say that 15-inch wheels can’t turn, but you are leaving a lot on the table by staying traditional.

Old School Pro Street Muscle

While the Pro Street and Street Machine look may seem like a trend from the 1970s and 1980s, there are still plenty of these builds out there, and many enthusiasts are still building their classics with giant wheels and tires out back. Some love this look, others don’t really care for it, but one thing is for certain: this is a tough aesthetic. When you see a pair of steamroller tires tucked underneath the quarter panels, you know that car means business.

Talk about intimidating. This second-gen Camaro is running Hoosier tires that measure 32 inches in diameter, 22 inches wide, and mounted on 15×15-inch wheels.

The cost of big sticky tires and 10 or 12-inch wide wheels is going to hit your budget harder than the more common 15×7-inch wheels and tires, but in return, you get maximum traction off the line. Getting these to fit under the rear quarters can also be costly. Modifications like tubbing the wheel wells, relocating leaf springs, and narrowing the rear axle require a substantial increase in parts and labor costs.

Pro Street cars can have different touches to give them their own character. This Chevy II has the perfect amount of rake to give it a menacing stance.

A limiting factor to rolling on 15-inch wheels is the size of your brakes. For a streetcar, the discs or drums that came stock behind your steel 14 or 15-inch wheels are perfectly fine. But when you are looking to increase performance, and I think we all are, you need to pay attention to the amount of “Whoa!” to match the increase in “Go”.

Skinny in the front, massive out back. That is the basis for a Pro Street muscle car.

Thankfully, there are companies that offer upgraded braking that can squeeze inside of 15-inch wheels, like Wilwood’s disc brake kits. These kits fit several different OEM and aftermarket spindles, and you can get 4-piston or 6-piston calipers for maximum clamping force. While you are still limited to smaller 12-inch diameter or smaller rotors, this is a big upgrade over the stock single-piston calipers most classics run.

Wilwood and other manufactures offer all sorts of different brake kits to fit your needs. This is Wilwood’s 6-piston brake kit for first-gen Camaros.

Best In Show

The restomod movement in the muscle car world grew naturally out of the advancements seen in factory performance cars of the early 1990s. With more powerful engines, electronic fuel injection, overdrive transmissions, improved suspension design, larger disc brakes, and modern radial performance tires, it didn’t take long for enthusiasts to realize they could apply the same upgrades to their classic muscle machines.

At its core, a restomod blends vintage styling with modern mechanical improvements. The exterior keeps its classic appeal, but underneath that sheetmetal lies a car that stops, steers, and accelerates far better than it ever could in stock form. That balance is what makes restomods so appealing, because owners get the timeless looks of a muscle car paired with the drivability and reliability of today’s technology.

One of the more debated aspects of the movement involves wheels. Restomods often replace the original 14 or 15-inch wheels with larger 17 or 18-inch versions. Purists argue the look strays too far from tradition, while the Pro Touring camp sometimes see it as not extreme enough. Still, the advantages are undeniable. Larger wheels allow room for bigger brakes, sharper handling, and can even replicate the design of classic muscle car wheels, just in modern sizes.

Supercar Destroying Grip

While restomod and Pro Touring seem the same on paper with lowered suspensions, grippy tires, larger wheels, and bigger brakes, the difference is primarily one of performance and cost. While a restomod tries to bring a classic car up to or above a factory-equipped modern car’s performance, the Pro Touring car is as close as you can get to a pure race car under muscle car skin for the street.

These three-piece Forgeline wheels look great, but leave tradition in the past with their racing spoke design.

The style of wheels that owners put on these track-ready builds is either loved or hated by the classic car community, as they tend to focus more on function and fitment, not so much classic styling. The goal with these G-Machines is to fill the wheel well with the maximum width of rubber possible, accompanied by massive disc brakes and max-effort suspensions.

There is no denying it, these muscle cars and classics mean business, but the wheel styles can vary wildly. Some companies like Forgeline make high-end forged wheels that can take a beating on the street and race track, but still have classic styling. But some users fit forged one-piece or three-piece racing wheels with more of a European or Japanese flair, and this styling choice can be the most polarizing at the local car show.

While you can’t hide racing suspension and massive brakes behind 15-inch wheels, you can fit some unique wheels to mix the sleeper look with your pro touring build. This gold 1971 Malibu is built by Ironworks and sports 18-inch versions of the classic steel wheel with dog dish hubcaps.

So What’s The Best Choice?

There truly isn’t a “best choice” for wheel and tire sizes for your classic car or truck. Whether it’s stock-sized wheels and tires, mile-wide Pro Street 15s with big meats on the rear, 17 or 18-inch classic styled wheels for your resto mod, or high-tech forged wheels with sticky wide rubber on all four corners to tackle the local auto-x, it’s all about whatever fits your project best for its intended use and look.