My recently acquired 68 xr7 has front factory disc brakes, drums on back. Rims on it now are (I think) 1969 Cougar 14" mags (see pic). I have no need or desire to change these wheels. The issue is there is no spare tire/wheel with the car. I was figuring on just getting a std 5 lug 14" stamped steel wheel as a spare, but says “for drum brakes only”. So…what if I have a flat on the front? The spare wheel would not work on the front? Are the mags interchangeable in my case from front to back or are they brake-type-specific? Thx in advance for help!!
The 69-70 SS wheels shown on your car will interchange front to back. The only wheel that will give you problems on your fronts with disc brakes are the 1967 wheels designed for drums orthe lower profile Kelsey Hayes calipers.
Check the DOT number on your tires. They look pretty old and you will want some new ones if you plan on driving it. here is a link to decode the number: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=11
To add to what has already been posted not all wheels will work on the front of your car. If you try to use a drum brake wheel on your disc brakes it will bind up. I believe it catches on the caliper. The wheel will not spin at all, not even a little. I found this out the hard way many years ago.
Randy Goodling
CCOA #95
Thanks Don, Boss and Cathouse! Tires are old as car was stored since 1979. Appreciate ALL input, but Don wrote what I was hoping to hear, so gonna go with him on this!
Just to make sure: so I CAN use a std stamped wheel as a spare if I have a flat front OR back?
14 x 5 wheels will not fit over 1968-73 disc brake calipers.
14 x 5-1/2 and wider will fit. Measured from inside the beads of the wheel.
This might work for you (and someone here knowledgeable about these things can confirm). I have a 14" wheel from my '69 disc brake car that I made up to use as a spare before I put Cobra Discs all the way around (won’t fit with the Cobra disc’s). The rim is blasted and painted with satin black, it looks brand new. A brand new P215/70R-14 Kumho Solus KR21 is mounted on the rim and was spin balanced, it has never been on a car. PM me if you have interest in this.
Regards,
Bob
I think I am screwed re idea of having one size spare on a stamped wheel anyway - at least with the tires on it now: 235/60/ 14’s on front and 245/60/14’s on back! Any ideas or suggestions?
I suggest 225/60 as you will run into multiple problems with anything larger.
I know I am coming off as a real dumbass, but… never had any car out of about 100 owned that had 2 diff size tires on it. So, Don, do u mean a 225/60 as a spare on a std steel stamped wheel? Or switch them all out to be the same size and get new set of 5?
The size I used was just in an effort to match the diameter of the 17" tires that I put on Isabel, that diameter being 26 inches. Whether or not this size would work as a spare for what you plan to go with for the “regular” tires on your car is of course for you to decide. I am simply putting out there something I have (which I no longer need) that could possibly be of interest/help to you (or not!).
Sorry - I had “Bob” on the brain and meant to key “Don” which I edited - no wonder Bob was confused by my trying to drag him into this tech issue…sigh…
I would say buy another '70 Styled Steel Wheel to use as your spare. Then you have no issues 
OR, when you go in to buy new tires, have the tire shop guys measure the wheels and set you up with a compatible steel wheel for spare. Then they can test fit it right there in the shop just to be sure it fits.
I prefer all the same size tires myself. Just saying anything bigger than 225/60 will often rub on the front corners of the fenders.
Yeah… pick up a spare front. That way you’re guaranteed that it will fit on the front. It would work on the rear as well. But getting a spare rear won’t work on the front.
One of Dad’s projects has custom made steelie wheels on the front. He got a third “front” as the spare and it fits just fine on the rear if needed.
Same maximum tire size for a '69? I want to use my stock wheels and need fresh rubber as the current 15" wheels rub badly on the front corners of the front fenders as you note.
Surely re a spare a matching 5th wheel would be the easy answer. Was thinking of a std steel wheel/tire combo to save space in the trunk and also avoid the higher cost of another SS wheel… Measured the distance rim edge to rim edge and came up with 7.5 instead of the expected 6…see no stamping as to size on the back of the rim
Hey Bob, can you post the specifics on the donut spare you’re using? I’m thinking of going that route and since you’ve already done the research, I’d like to take advantage of that.
Jeff,
I got a late model 'stang temporary use spare, like new, never driven on. I forget the year but will see what I have on it at work tomorrow. It is the right diameter and fits over the Cobra brakes, the center hole is bigger (like the rotors are) though. At the very least I can provide the size of the temporary use tire. Probably a 200x Cobra spare I’d guess but will see what I can find tomorrow and get back to you.