Traction Control Needed...
First off, ditch the air shocks before you crack your shock mount stud sheetmetal!
Get the springs re-arched or buy some new ones if they sag.
I can't understand putting a 215 on the rear if you are looking for traction, even for normal driving.
The air shocks have been on there for 25 years. I think they would've cracked by now. I'm not disagreeing with you, but I don't know what you call "normal" driving. It has 225/60s on it now. And for normal driving, they're just fine. 215/60's will be just fine for normal driving in my opinion. They just may not be the best choice at the strip.
But, my choices are limited, as long as I stay with 14". Which I prefer to do, I like the original look.
Here's my thinking. 265/50's are the widest I can get with 14" wheels. And at that, they're 2 inches wider than what I have. How much additional traction is that going to be? I can't say for sure. But it seems the general concensus on here is that it is NOT substantially more. Not in a street radial anyway. And the 265's seem to be guaranteed NOT to fit.
But the 215's ... they're a skosh more narrow. The other side to that coin is, they offer a bit more "gearing," and the rubber is bound to be more compliant than what I have on there now. The gearing and the new rubber may offset any traction loss.
I think that is a couple good reasons to put the 215's on it. The only down side is I'm losing 10 mm's of width. I will live with more narrow for now, to get the 25 year old Maypops off there.
7milesout
