C3 tire-wheel + 2 setup
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 14,948
Likes: 3,351
From: NYC NY
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.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,108
Likes: 0
From: Sebastian Florida
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".
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".
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
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 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,154
Likes: 69
From: Regina Sk Canada
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.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,527
Likes: 148
From: East London/SW Essex UK
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.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,451
Likes: 974
From: RI, Now Franklin/Nashville TN
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.
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
From: toronto ontario
have you seen the new zr-1 rims only $500 a pair
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/13/m...ier-corvettes/
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/13/m...ier-corvettes/
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
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....
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....
Pro
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 531
Likes: 0
From: Frisco TX
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
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
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
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
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
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,154
Likes: 69
From: Regina Sk Canada
Can you please post the exact wheels size and tire size that your running.