72 Series III Wheels

[ColoRover]

I recently purchased a '72 Series III 88" with 15" wheels which I believe came with the vehicle when new.

It seems like all other Series vehicles I encounter are running 16". Were the 15" wheels uncommon?
Since I'd like to eventually run BFG 235/85 AT's so I'm thinking about changing over to 16", does anyone know where I can find stock-looking 16" rims for sale?

Thanks,

 

[Leslie]

You are correct that the US SIII had 15" wheels (to improve acceleration), whereas earlier SIIas and most everwhere else used 16" wheels.

Lots of places have standard 16" wheels available, they're common and cheap, just shop around.

While 16" is more common, there's nothing wrong with the 15"; some people really go out of their way to find 15" wheels. You can select a different tire and end up with the same outer diameter, probably for less money than the 16" tires would be. But, 16" tire selection has dramatically increased, so, there's nothing wrong with going to 16" wheels if that is what you want to do.

I would suggest hanging onto the 15" wheels, though.... you can put a street tire on one set, and a more aggressive tire on the other set, and swap back and forth depending on needs. Or, just keep 'em, in case you want to try a 15" tire at some time in the future.

IMHO, FWIW....

-L