JCG500PLUS

1970 conv, has anyone done this and will it work 17x8 or 9 on rear w/255/45r17 4 or 5'' backspace
and 17x8 w/245/45r17 on front 4'' backspace

3JsVette

There are guys on here running as big as 285s on 10s in the rear with 5.5" of backspace but most of them are 18s. Those cars usually have shortened springs and don't run a rear sway bar. 9s will work in the rear but more than 4.5" backspace with 17s may have issues with the emergency brake cable and/or bracket. If you are going with a 255 tire and a 4.5" backspace on a 17x9 I would think you should have no problem. There is probably some room there though for a little more backspace and a bigger tire. It depends on how much you want to flirt with the fender lip depending on ride height and when the suspension compresses. I know not a concrete answer but you know "all these cars are a little different" so you have to measure your car carefully before you spend your hard earned money. It's always nice if test fit something close.

Attfay Elleybay

17" & 18" look pretty good on a C3. Larger just don't look right.
Lots of people on here have 17" or 18". It's on my List.
Those that have done it say the vette handles/rides a lot better with 17".

MotorHead

I have Toyo TR1 Ultra High Performance 285/40/18 on the back and 255/45/17 on the front. The tires are unbelievable in the way they handle and are smoother than my old BFG's with a taller sidewall

Grumpy 427

Your car looks great. Would you mind telling me the wheels sizes and back spacing on both the front and rears please? I was looking at 17x8 with 4" BS and 255/50x17 all the way around? But if 10's and wider rubber will work in the rear i would like to know.

roscobbc

Got the same size Toyo's on rear but 255/45/18 on front - and yes they do handle really well (but there again anything would handle better than the old BFG's) lots more road noise and far harder ride over poor road surfaces - but 100% better handling and significantly better traction (and I am putting 565 ft/lbs torque through these tyres!). My suspension (at present) is the F41 option. The tyres seem to be very well suited to this set-up.

jb78L-82

If you are interested in 17's, check out SLP's rims for the C3 which are 17 X 8's and which I paid $699 with free shipping from Mid America in August 08. I think that they look great and I mounted 255/45/17's ZR in the front and 255/50/17's ZR in the rear since I wanted to keep the same diameter as the 255/60/15 in the rear (3.70 gears, smaller diameter, larger numerical gear ratio). If you are looking for overall balanced performance from the tires balance tire width with sidewall profile (smaller, but not too small). What I mean by this explanation is that I would much rather have a 255/45/17 ZR than a 265/50 or 275/45 or 275/50 S or T rated tire since the Z will have much stiffer sidewalls and much softer rubber contributing to MUCH better steering and handling with a slight deteriation of ride.

eta_78vette

have you seen the new zr-1 rims only $500 a pair
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/13/m...ier-corvettes/

mrvette

15 years ago the choices of 17" rims that would fit a '72 where rather limited, and expensive as hell.....simply was NOT putting 1200 bux or so into wheels.....

got a deal on 4 '92 vette wheels and tires...only the stock 40 series....but they were replaced with 275/50/17 in rear and using VBP wheel adapters in 2.5 inch....moved the ebrake cable mounting to behind the rotor...

fronts are 255/50/17.....same adapter thickness....

Grumpy 427

Bump... Still would like to know the back spacing and sizing.

ED69ray

American racing 17 in wheels and tires came with the roller chassis I just purchased for my '69 model rebuild




They are the Hoopster models listed under the Vintage wheels. Looks like the backspacing is between 4 - 5 inches. My sizes are 17x8 front with 215 rubber and 17x9 with 255 rubber. I am probably gonna want at least 235's on the front and have no idea how they will look with the body........hope to find out soon enough

http://www.americanracing.com/browse_vintage.asp

good Luck, Ed

MotorHead

5 in. bs on the back and 4 in bs on the front

Grumpy 427

I take it they are 18x8 on the rear and 17x8 on the front?

MotorHead

No 18x9.5 on the rear and 17x8 on the front

Grumpy 427

Ok thank you very much for the information

gkull

Motor head. I have centerlines. I was looking for 18X10 at the smallest. I would prefer 11's or 12's do you know a vendor?

as to the poster. 4 inch BS works the best with 255ish fronts. I have 9 and for racing 10 inch 17's 5 inch bs back on the rear works great

Grumpy 427

Can you please post the exact wheels size and tire size that your running.