bolt pattern
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Heel & Toe
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 21
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bolt pattern
Im considering purchasing a set of team III AC wheels for my 63. Does any one have any opinion on that. Good idea or bad. Also i would like to know the bolt pattern for the car and any opinions on the offset i should use.
Thanks. Nate
Thanks. Nate
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 7,246
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From: Going too fast over the hill. Iowa
I believe 63s used 5.5 inch wheels. I went with 6inch rally wheels designed for a 67 to avoid rubbing the fenders - in the front on turns into driveways - in the rear on fenders and on the park brake trailing arm brackets when the car is cornering hard on bumps.
Many words have been written about wheels rubbing on fenders, frames, supension, and even brake calipers.
To give you a feeling for the possibilities, here is a breakdown on rally wheels - widest that came on a midyear were the 67 rally wheels. They have an offset code stamped on the outer rim, DC. On a stock 1965-66 5.5 inch steel wheel, that would yield about the same (3 inch+.5) backspacing - the added half inch is the distance from the tire mounting surface to the edge of the rim. The optional alloy wheels had adapters that required a deeper backspace to clear the spacer, in order to maintain the back edge of the wheel far enough from the front frame rails, rear trailing arm parking brake cable brackets, and the rear spring ends. OFFSET is a function of the relationship between the wheel rim centerline and the plane of the mounting surface of the wheel center section. If the plane of the wheel mounting surface of the center section is at the middle of the wheel rim, the offset is "0". OUTBOARD of the center of the rim, the wheel has POSITIVE offset. INBOARD of the center of the rim, the wheel has NEGATIVE offset. BACK SPACING refers to the distance that the wheel mounting plane of the center section is from the back edge of the wheel rim. BACK SPACING has no "positive" or "negative" dimension. Auto manufacturers usually use the OFFSET in describing specifications for wheels. Aftermarket wheel manufacturers often use BACK SPACING, since it is easier to understand and measure.
6x15 DC,YS,FI rally wheel offset +0.06" = 3.06+.5 backspace
7x15 AG rally wheel offset -0.28" = 3.32+.5 backspace
8x15 AZ rally wheel offset -0.50" = 3.50+.5 backspace
6x15 FW rally wheel offset +0.30" = 3.30+.5 backspace
NOTE: With an FW 6x15 wheel on a 65 Vette, the clip that holds the lead weight on the inside of the rim may brush the park brake bracket on the trailing arm (tick, tick ... as it turns).
6x15 knockoffs +0.44" offset on the 65/66 wheel, 3.44 backspace (decreased by a spacer+?rim)
My car had AG front wheels and AZ rear wheels when I bought it. The fronts rubbed the frame and the edge of the fenders when turning into a driveway. The trailing arms were modified for the rears (park brake cable brackets moved to the top of the arms) and the air shocks kept the body off the tires. I put FI wheels on all four corners and installed new trailing arms.
Many words have been written about wheels rubbing on fenders, frames, supension, and even brake calipers.
To give you a feeling for the possibilities, here is a breakdown on rally wheels - widest that came on a midyear were the 67 rally wheels. They have an offset code stamped on the outer rim, DC. On a stock 1965-66 5.5 inch steel wheel, that would yield about the same (3 inch+.5) backspacing - the added half inch is the distance from the tire mounting surface to the edge of the rim. The optional alloy wheels had adapters that required a deeper backspace to clear the spacer, in order to maintain the back edge of the wheel far enough from the front frame rails, rear trailing arm parking brake cable brackets, and the rear spring ends. OFFSET is a function of the relationship between the wheel rim centerline and the plane of the mounting surface of the wheel center section. If the plane of the wheel mounting surface of the center section is at the middle of the wheel rim, the offset is "0". OUTBOARD of the center of the rim, the wheel has POSITIVE offset. INBOARD of the center of the rim, the wheel has NEGATIVE offset. BACK SPACING refers to the distance that the wheel mounting plane of the center section is from the back edge of the wheel rim. BACK SPACING has no "positive" or "negative" dimension. Auto manufacturers usually use the OFFSET in describing specifications for wheels. Aftermarket wheel manufacturers often use BACK SPACING, since it is easier to understand and measure.
6x15 DC,YS,FI rally wheel offset +0.06" = 3.06+.5 backspace
7x15 AG rally wheel offset -0.28" = 3.32+.5 backspace
8x15 AZ rally wheel offset -0.50" = 3.50+.5 backspace
6x15 FW rally wheel offset +0.30" = 3.30+.5 backspace
NOTE: With an FW 6x15 wheel on a 65 Vette, the clip that holds the lead weight on the inside of the rim may brush the park brake bracket on the trailing arm (tick, tick ... as it turns).
6x15 knockoffs +0.44" offset on the 65/66 wheel, 3.44 backspace (decreased by a spacer+?rim)
My car had AG front wheels and AZ rear wheels when I bought it. The fronts rubbed the frame and the edge of the fenders when turning into a driveway. The trailing arms were modified for the rears (park brake cable brackets moved to the top of the arms) and the air shocks kept the body off the tires. I put FI wheels on all four corners and installed new trailing arms.
Last edited by magicv8; Nov 11, 2004 at 09:22 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 5,772
Likes: 694
From: Maryland
St. Jude Donor '05, '09, '15
I have been considering that wheel for my 65. They look good on the web site. I think you should buy a set and send me some pics so I can see what they look like on a mid year. I believe the bolt pattern is
5X4.75
Tom
5X4.75
Tom
