The 1979 Chrysler New Yorker came from an era when full-size American luxury cars still leaned heavily on smooth ride quality, formal styling, and a substantial road presence. As one of Chrysler’s premium passenger cars of the period, it benefits from a tire choice that supports both its appearance and its intended driving character. This New Yorker uses radial 15-inch fitments, with 205/75R15 and 225/70R15 both applying to the model. That opens the door to meaningful choices in whitewall, redline, blackwall, and raised white letter styles across several well-known tire series. The right selection starts with confirming your wheel setup and deciding whether your priority is restoration-style presentation, everyday road use, or both.
Which Tire Size Is Right for The 1979 Chrysler New Yorker
The 1979 Chrysler New Yorker uses two radial tire sizes, and both mount on 15-inch rims. Since the same sub-model can appear with either 205/75R15 or 225/70R15, the first step is confirming which size is already on the car and making sure the wheel width matches the tire you plan to use. Once that is established, the decision shifts to sidewall style, brand, tire series, and the overall look you want the car to carry.
A 205/75R15 uses a 205-millimeter nominal section width, a 75-series profile, radial construction, and a 15-inch rim. On a 1979 Chrysler New Yorker, this size gives a traditional late-1970s full-size car presentation while staying within a modern radial sizing system. Available choices include BFGoodrich, American Classic, Coker Classic, Tornel, Maxxis, and Travelstar, with wide whitewall, narrow whitewall, goldline, and redline sidewall treatments. This size is worth considering when the goal is a more formal touring appearance, but wheel width and the car’s current setup should still be checked before changing from another New Yorker fitment.
A 225/70R15 uses a 225-millimeter nominal section width, a 70-series profile, radial construction, and a 15-inch rim. For the 1979 Chrysler New Yorker, it remains a proper 15-inch radial fitment but with a different sizing balance than 205/75R15. Product options include Goodyear, Cooper, Michelin, Maxxis, and BFGoodrich, with blackwall, narrow whitewall, wide whitewall, pin-white-stripe, redline, and raised white letter styles across several tire series. This size makes sense when matching an existing wheel-and-tire combination or when the desired look calls for a more performance-flavored sidewall treatment such as RWL or redline.
Fitment is straightforward in one sense, because the covered 1979 Chrysler New Yorker sub-model remains on a 15-inch radial setup. The important detail is that the same sub-model can use either of the two primary tire sizes, so checking the exact wheel-and-tire combination on the car matters before choosing replacements.
1
1979 Chrysler New Yorker Base
The 1979 Chrysler New Yorker Base uses radial 15-inch tire fitments and may appear with either 205/75R15 or 225/70R15. That means tire selection starts with confirming the wheel width and the size already fitted, then narrowing the choice by sidewall style, brand, and the kind of period-style appearance you want.
The tire sizes listed on this page assume factory-standard vehicle configuration. The following modifications may affect tire fitment and are not reflected in this guide:
Suspension changes (lowering, lift kits, spring replacements)
Body alterations (fender modifications, custom bodywork)
If your vehicle has been modified from factory specifications, verify tire clearance before purchase.
Best 1979 Chrysler New Yorker Tires for Sale
Available 15-inch radial choices for the 1979 Chrysler New Yorker span BFGoodrich, Goodyear, Cooper, Michelin, American Classic, Coker Classic, Maxxis, Tornel, and Travelstar. Depending on size, the product grid includes wide and narrow whitewalls, redlines, blackwalls, pin-white-stripe designs, and raised white letter options across several distinct tire series.
Showing 6 of 21
Radial Tires
BFGoodrich Silvertown Radial | 2.375 Inch Whitewall | 205/75R15
These 1979 Chrysler New Yorker tire FAQs focus on the two supported radial sizes, 15-inch wheel fitment, sidewall and brand choices, and the practical checks that matter before putting a collector-era luxury car back on the road.
Tire Size & Fitment
What tire size fits a 1979 Chrysler New Yorker?
A 1979 Chrysler New Yorker uses two primary radial tire sizes: 205/75R15 and 225/70R15. Both are 15-inch fitments, and both apply to the New Yorker Base. That means the car is not limited to a single size across every example still on the road today.
The practical next step is to confirm which size is already on the car and whether the wheel width matches the intended replacement tire. Owners should also account for any prior wheel changes, since many older cars have been updated over time. Matching the existing, verified setup is usually the cleanest starting point.
What size rim does a 1979 Chrysler New Yorker use?
The 1979 Chrysler New Yorker uses a 15-inch rim with its primary tire fitments. Both supported tire sizes, 205/75R15 and 225/70R15, are built for a 15-inch wheel diameter. Rim diameter stays consistent even though the two tire sizes differ in width and profile.
Wheel diameter is only part of the fitment picture, so it helps to confirm wheel width before selecting a tire. Product specifications in these sizes show differing rim-width requirements depending on the tire chosen. A correct 15-inch diameter does not automatically mean every 15-inch tire is suitable for the exact wheel on the car.
Why does the 1979 Chrysler New Yorker have more than one tire size?
The 1979 Chrysler New Yorker appears with both 205/75R15 and 225/70R15 radial fitments. Since both sizes are used on the same model and the same 15-inch rim diameter, the difference comes down to which wheel-and-tire setup the individual car carries rather than a change in overall vehicle identity.
That is why the existing tires and wheels should be inspected before ordering replacements. One New Yorker may be set up around a narrower touring-style fitment, while another may already have the wider size installed. Preserving the verified combination helps maintain proper appearance, wheel compatibility, and clearance around suspension and body components.
Choosing the Right Tire
What should I consider when choosing a 1979 Chrysler New Yorker tire?
Start with the verified size on the car, since a 1979 Chrysler New Yorker can use either 205/75R15 or 225/70R15. From there, compare radial construction details, wheel-width compatibility, sidewall style, and the visual character of the tire. That keeps the choice centered on fitment first rather than appearance alone.
A formal luxury sedan like the New Yorker can look very different depending on whether it wears a wide whitewall, narrow whitewall, redline, blackwall, or raised white letter tire. Intended use matters too. A car aimed at restoration-style presentation may call for one look, while regular road use may lead you toward another series or brand.
What sidewall styles are available for 1979 Chrysler New Yorker tires?
Sidewall choices for the 1979 Chrysler New Yorker include wide whitewall, narrow whitewall, goldline, redline, blackwall, pin-white-stripe, and RWL raised white letter styles. The exact mix depends on whether the car uses 205/75R15 or 225/70R15, since the two sizes do not share the same product assortment.
That variety gives the New Yorker owner room to shape the car’s presentation without leaving the supported size range. Whitewall styles usually suit a more formal luxury look, while redline or raised white letter tires create a noticeably different character. The best approach is to decide on the tire size first, then compare sidewall treatments within that size.
What brands offer tires for the 1979 Chrysler New Yorker?
Tires for the 1979 Chrysler New Yorker are available from BFGoodrich, American Classic, Coker Classic, Tornel, Maxxis, Travelstar, Goodyear, Cooper, and Michelin. Brand choice depends partly on tire size, because 205/75R15 and 225/70R15 each have their own mix of available products and tire series.
Choosing among brands works best when it is tied to the features that matter most for the car. Some owners will focus on traditional whitewall styling, while others may want redlines, blackwalls, or raised white letters. Comparing each brand within the correct size and wheel-width range gives a more useful answer than choosing by name alone.
Restoration & Appearance
Which tire should I choose for a period-style 1979 Chrysler New Yorker?
For a period-style 1979 Chrysler New Yorker, the first priority is staying with one of the supported 15-inch radial sizes already used on the model: 205/75R15 or 225/70R15. After size is confirmed, a whitewall-style radial is often the most natural visual direction for a full-size Chrysler luxury car from this period.
Appearance details matter, but exact originality questions should be checked against vehicle-specific historical references if a highly precise restoration is the goal. Within the available products, wide whitewall and narrow whitewall options create different visual effects. Matching the tire to the car’s verified size and wheel setup preserves the stance as well as the look.
How does tire construction affect the appearance of a restored 1979 Chrysler New Yorker?
On a 1979 Chrysler New Yorker, construction is straightforward because the primary fitments are radial rather than bias-ply. That means the appearance decision centers less on switching construction types and more on choosing the radial size, sidewall treatment, and tire series that best suit the car’s restoration style.
A wide whitewall can give the New Yorker a more formal luxury presentation, while a narrow whitewall, pin-white-stripe, blackwall, or redline can shift the visual tone noticeably. The important thing is not to separate appearance from fitment. A tire that looks right still needs to match the car’s confirmed 15-inch wheel and supported size.
Fitment, Maintenance & Road Use
Can modifications affect tire fitment on a 1979 Chrysler New Yorker?
Yes. A 1979 Chrysler New Yorker may support 205/75R15 or 225/70R15 in its normal fitment range, but aftermarket wheels, different wheel widths, suspension changes, or body alterations can affect which tire works properly on the car. Even when rim diameter stays at 15 inches, other fitment factors can change.
Checking the actual wheel width and the space around the tire is especially important on older vehicles that may have been altered at some point. Steering clearance, fender clearance, and suspension condition should all be reviewed before changing sizes. That inspection helps prevent rubbing issues and avoids choosing a tire by size code alone.
What should I inspect before driving a 1979 Chrysler New Yorker on new tires?
Before driving a 1979 Chrysler New Yorker on new tires, inspect the wheels for the correct 15-inch diameter and suitable width, verify that all four tires match the intended size, and confirm proper inflation. It is also smart to check for alignment issues, worn suspension parts, and any clearance concerns at full steering lock.
A collector-era car that has spent time parked deserves a broader once-over as well. Look for brake drag, wheel-bearing looseness, old valve stems, and signs that the existing tires wore unevenly. A short, careful test drive after installation can reveal vibration, pull, or rubbing before the car is taken on a longer highway run.
How should 205/75R15 or 225/70R15 tires on a collector 1979 Chrysler New Yorker be maintained?
Collector-use tires on a 1979 Chrysler New Yorker should be kept at the proper pressure for the tire and vehicle setup, inspected regularly for cracking, cuts, bulges, and irregular wear, and checked for slow air loss between drives. Tires on low-mileage classics can age visibly even when tread wear remains modest.
Storage conditions matter just as much as mileage. Keeping the car away from prolonged sunlight, moisture, excess heat, and ozone-producing equipment helps preserve sidewalls and overall condition. It also pays to inspect the tires before each outing rather than assuming they are fine because the car has not been driven much.
