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Had a decent day over the weekend so here's my update:
The original Rally wheels with 365/50-15 versus the 17" Superlites from Trans Am Race Engineering with 245/45-17.
The new 17x8s have a 4" backspace. The Trans Am salesman suggested going with a 9.5" width on the rear. I would have been cooler if I listened but I'm happy with what I got.
The new 17x8s have a 4" backspace. The Trans Am salesman suggested going with a 9.5" width on the rear. I would have been cooler if I listened but I'm happy with what I got.
Sorry to add to an old thread, but I promised I would post after I got my new wheel/tire set.
15x8 American Racing Torq Thrust II #VN5155861 (-18mm offset) on all corners. (grey centers are plastidip for now)
255/60r15 Mickey Thompson ET Street S/S (drag radials) on rear (painted raised letters white)
245/60r15 Mickey Thompson Sportsman S/T front
Now with my impressions after putting some miles on them going from my old 17/16 inch Ultra High Performance tire combo;
Over-all I love the new combo; I have better traction, better acceleration, better ride comfort, and I love the look.
I did loose some cornering feel/response a bit going to the 15 inch combo, but I was expecting this to some degree with the taller sidewalls, etc. It still handles very well and I did take it through some curvy back roads on multiple occasions and pushed it hard. The 16/17 inch combo did stay flatter in the curves, but the 15 inch combo held the road just as well, if not even better with the sticky drag radials.
There was a very noticeable increase in ride comfort going to the 15 inch combo, which is great for a lot of the crappy public roads I have to drive on.
Not only do the 15 inch drag radials hold traction on hard acceleration and quick turns, I also noticed that they are easier to turn and get up to speed on light throttle due to the decrease in mass compared to the 17/16 inch combo.
Here is my old combo to compare (255/50r17 Nitto Invo on 17x8 TT2 rear, 245/50r16 Falken ZE950 on 16x8 TT2 front):
Looks Great with the 15inch wheel/tire Combo! Thats why this is my choice too... Yes, You may have to sacrifice some sidewall stabillity but for sporty road driving that is ok... I am not going on the tack.... But even back then, they were sporting These 15 Inch wheels with 60 Diameter tires on the track racing Are These really just 8 x 15`s ? They look like 8,5! Any spacers?
The dark Centers make them look nice and deep and Offset the shiny lip, Nice!
Sorry to add to an old thread, but I promised I would post after I got my new wheel/tire set.
15x8 American Racing Torq Thrust II #VN5155861 (-18mm offset) on all corners. (grey centers are plastidip for now)
255/60r15 Mickey Thompson ET Street S/S (drag radials) on rear (painted raised letters white)
245/60r15 Mickey Thompson Sportsman S/T front
Now with my impressions after putting some miles on them going from my old 17/16 inch Ultra High Performance tire combo;
Over-all I love the new combo; I have better traction, better acceleration, better ride comfort, and I love the look.
I did loose some cornering feel/response a bit going to the 15 inch combo, but I was expecting this to some degree with the taller sidewalls, etc. It still handles very well and I did take it through some curvy back roads on multiple occasions and pushed it hard. The 16/17 inch combo did stay flatter in the curves, but the 15 inch combo held the road just as well, if not even better with the sticky drag radials.
There was a very noticeable increase in ride comfort going to the 15 inch combo, which is great for a lot of the crappy public roads I have to drive on.
Not only do the 15 inch drag radials hold traction on hard acceleration and quick turns, I also noticed that they are easier to turn and get up to speed on light throttle due to the decrease in mass compared to the 17/16 inch combo.
Here is my old combo to compare (255/50r17 Nitto Invo on 17x8 TT2 rear, 245/50r16 Falken ZE950 on 16x8 TT2 front):
Looks Great with the 15inch wheel/tire Combo! Thats why this is my choice too... Yes, You may have to sacrifice some sidewall stabillity but for sporty road driving that is ok... I am not going on the tack.... But even back then, they were sporting These 15 Inch wheels with 60 Diameter tires on the track racing Are These really just 8 x 15`s ? They look like 8,5! Any spacers?
The dark Centers make them look nice and deep and Offset the shiny lip, Nice!
Thank-you, and yes they are the 15x8s part number VN5155861. I like the Torq Thrust D look with grey centers (which is why I painted them), but I think the offset and width works out better with the polished VN515 version I got.
I also forgot to mention the front does have small 5mm (under 1/4 inch) wheel spacers, but no spacers in the rear. Also kerp in mind stock offset is -12mm, and these are just another -6mm (-18mm total) which pushes the wheel/tires out another 1/4 inch compared to stock.
Had a decent day over the weekend so here's my update:
The original Rally wheels with 365/50-15 versus the 17" Superlites from Trans Am Race Engineering with 245/45-17.
The new 17x8s have a 4" backspace. The Trans Am salesman suggested going with a 9.5" width on the rear. I would have been cooler if I listened but I'm happy with what I got.
Yea I know what you mean 9.5"
from 15x8 to 18x8 to 18x 9.5 all around.
Last edited by cagotzmann; 04-16-2018 at 10:42 AM.
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-‘18-'19-'20-'21-'22-'23
Finally got one pic of my new wheels. AR Ansen Sprint 17x8 with Nitto 255/50-17 NT555 G2. Kind of keeps the stock wheel look. I like them. When they were mounted the first time they just barely rubbed the calipers so we used 1/8" billet aluminum hub centric spacers. $35 each but no more rub.
Pic was taken today at the Cruise In at the Dixie Freeze in South Pittsburg, TN at the Cornbread Festival
no, really
And the 58 Impala next to us was incredible
Last edited by Capt. Shark; 04-29-2018 at 09:29 AM.
The Trans Am Race Engineering Superlites have fairly skinny wells for the lugnuts. If you buy them, make sure you have a thin-walled, deep-well socket, that fits your torque wrench.
I have plenty of sockets that are two of those three things but, uh...
When I installed mine, I purchased 20 Balkamp 7352139 lug nuts from my local NAPA store.
I also purchased a new 7/8 Craftsman deep socket. They fit and work perfectly.
These are the before and after pictures of our 69. The first picture was the day I got her home and the others are after a treatment of Zanio and upgrading the wheels and tires. The new wheels are from American Racing and the tires are 225/70R15 BFG Radial TA. I can't tell you how much the tires improved the ride and drive of the car, was is unbelievable and I love the look.
04-03-2018, 12:20 PM
Are These really just 8 x 15`s ? They look like 8,5! Any spacers?
but no more rub.
