Preparing for Good Weather!
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5th Gear
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 5
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Preparing for Good Weather!
Hello, everyone.
I'm planning the things I would like to get done this spring for the coming riding season. It's been 42 years since I've had a 'vette so I have lots of questions:
My '77 (22,700 miles)is all stock and I would like to go from the 15" aluminum wheels to 17" rally wheels. What is the widest width I can put on the rear and what would the offset be?
What tire size, if any, will eliminate the need to install longer bolts? What shocks will make for a smoother ride (perhaps impossible - the 77's will never ride like the new ones)!
Lastly, will a composite spring ride better than the 9 leaf steel.
I'll be having the carburetor tuned (only getting about 9 mpg), brake and fuel lines replaced, repairing the gearbox (it's seeping).
Thank you all and stay safe!
I'm planning the things I would like to get done this spring for the coming riding season. It's been 42 years since I've had a 'vette so I have lots of questions:
My '77 (22,700 miles)is all stock and I would like to go from the 15" aluminum wheels to 17" rally wheels. What is the widest width I can put on the rear and what would the offset be?
What tire size, if any, will eliminate the need to install longer bolts? What shocks will make for a smoother ride (perhaps impossible - the 77's will never ride like the new ones)!
Lastly, will a composite spring ride better than the 9 leaf steel.
I'll be having the carburetor tuned (only getting about 9 mpg), brake and fuel lines replaced, repairing the gearbox (it's seeping).
Thank you all and stay safe!
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,169
Likes: 9,296
From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
8 inch wide, 4inch offset. 10 inch wide may require offset trailing arms.
Some wheel brands say 3.75 inch offset. If you put in the year and model, most rim manufacturers will take care of that for you in a search.
composite springs are smoother than the 9 leafs. I had a 330# monspring from a grand touring package and it was nice
Bilstien shocks are hard to beat.
I'm not understanding the tire size longer bolt question.
Some wheel brands say 3.75 inch offset. If you put in the year and model, most rim manufacturers will take care of that for you in a search.
composite springs are smoother than the 9 leafs. I had a 330# monspring from a grand touring package and it was nice
Bilstien shocks are hard to beat.
I'm not understanding the tire size longer bolt question.
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,169
Likes: 9,296
From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
if you go from a 15 inch rim to a 17 or 18 inch rim, you should keep the outside diameter which is 27 inches on the early C3s. It will save you the trouble of having to recalibate the speedometer. And it wont raise the rear end. BUT you may need longer bolts anyway because some monosprings raise the rear just by the composition and design of the spring
