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About to pickup a 71 vert. Currently it has the stock 15" wheels. They look good but I would like to look at some modern wheel options (bigger wheels and low profile tires). What do I need to look at size wise to make sure they fit? Pics are good if you have them.
A 1969.
Front 255/40/18x9.0 4.5 backspace. No modifications needed.
Rear 285/40/18x10 5.0 backspace. Offset trailing arms [not deeded with parking brake calbe relocate, but I had 1 bad T/A] and shortened rear composite spring.
There is a sticky at the top of general section for wheel and tire upgrades with so much eye candy and info you'll go into overload.
Here's what the 69 looks like. T
In my opinion Corvettes are unusual in regards to wheel swaps. I can't think of another car like a Vette that does not benefit in the looks department with aftermarket wheels. Even factory hubcaps are hard to beat, the exception being the dog dish.
From: Some days your the dog and some days your the hydrant.
Royal Canadian Navy
I have 18X9.5 with 5.25 bs on the rear with a 275/40 tire. I relocated my parking brake cable bracket. No interference issues with sway bar, 8" spring bolts and composite spring or steel 7-leaf spring.
About to pickup a 71 vert. Currently it has the stock 15" wheels. They look good but I would like to look at some modern wheel options (bigger wheels and low profile tires). What do I need to look at size wise to make sure they fit? Pics are good if you have them.
With the factory 15" get a caliper and set to 3/4" width and start measuring if there will be any spot from the current wheel / tire that will touch anything in the front or rear. This would be simulating going from the 15x8" wheel with 4" BS and moving to a 15-19" wheel with 4.75" BS.
Also note moving from 15" to 18" wheel many clearance problems just move to the inside of the wheel opening providing extra clearance. example would be the rear parking brake bracket.
for me 18x9.5" with 4.75" BS I didn't need any mods anywhere with the stock vb&p street and slalom kit on my 78"
Many are using 5"-5 1/2" BS and need to relocate the parking brake assembly, remove a rear sway bar. I understand why many are using the 5-51/2" bs is because the price of a custom Backspace wheel vs a stock BS wheel adds to the cost per wheel.
Mine are custom BS wheels with custom caliper clearance also.
Last edited by cagotzmann; Oct 14, 2017 at 11:41 AM.
Added these over the summer. American Racing Torque Thrust II polished 17x8 4.03" backspace with Nitto NT 555 G2 245/45zr17 front 255/50zr17 rear. I HAD to have tires and couldn't wait any longer. Wanted the better rubber and bigger wheels and with other stuff going on, wanted something I knew would bolt right up because I didn't have time to mess with moving the p brake bracket. The car had Truespoke 15s on it with a spacer, and even with everything I read saying spacers are ok, I wanted something that didn't need them. Later on I'll move the bracket and go wider on the rear.
Wheel options?
