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Another recent forum thread got me thinking about lightweight Corvette Rally wheels (https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...re-combos.html). I didn't want to hijack that thread, so I decided to create a new one. In my opinion (IMO), the best looking wheel on the early chrome bumper C3s is the 15" Corvette Rally wheel with a beefy/fat 60 or 70 series tire (approximately 27" diameter) to fill out the fenderwells. Not the best for cornering performance, but they look so good.
I've seen the 17" and 18" reproductions, but they just don't look right to me. Mostly because of folks using the lower profile 35-40 series tires. Did this wheel ever get made with lightweight materials (aluminum, or better yet, magnesium) in 15"? In steel, these things are heavy, and it would be nice to reduce the rotational mass, if possible.
Can't do much about reducing the weight of the tire, since even 60 series tires (in 255 width like mine) have a lot of 'meat' on them, and that's the price to pay for that kind of tire, but if you can reduce the weight of the wheel itself by a few pounds, it could be worth it.
Last edited by Corvette-ZL1; Jun 6, 2022 at 12:52 PM.
I've thought about this too, being as diet-obsessed as i am, but i'll venture out on a limb here and say we're probably outta luck. I've never heard ov it. The Mopar guys tried this with their Mopar rallye rims, and i thought they looked awful. Didn't look any more OEM than the 18" versions.
I just bought 3 Corvette rallys (my car came with mags), and looking at them, they're pretty beefy. If you were outright dead-set on a lighter rally, you could probably have them acid dipped. I'd say though, by the time you thinned them out even to the point ov a 2 pound loss, you'd be edging out into the danger zone, strength wise.
As it is though, they're not that heavy. 25lbs for a factory 8" rim is decent. Both Mopar steel rims (Ramcharger and Super Coupe) in that size are 26.5lbs and 28lbs. Hell, the widened 10" Corvette rally i just bought only weighs 27lbs. 'Fraid you're gonna have to go with aluminum.
I've thought about this too, being as diet-obsessed as i am, but i'll venture out on a limb here and say we're probably outta luck. I've never heard ov it. The Mopar guys tried this with their Mopar rallye rims, and i thought they looked awful. Didn't look any more OEM than the 18" versions.
I just bought 3 Corvette rallys (my car came with mags), and looking at them, they're pretty beefy. If you were outright dead-set on a lighter rally, you could probably have them acid dipped. I'd say though, by the time you thinned them out even to the point ov a 2 pound loss, you'd be edging out into the danger zone, strength wise.
As it is though, they're not that heavy. 25lbs for a factory 8" rim is decent. Both Mopar steel rims (Ramcharger and Super Coupe) in that size are 26.5lbs and 28lbs. Hell, the widened 10" Corvette rally i just bought only weighs 27lbs. 'Fraid you're gonna have to go with aluminum.
Yeah, I figured it was worth a try in asking. I had searched before posting and came up with nada'.
Yeah, I figured it was worth a try in asking. I had searched before posting and came up with nada'.
It COULD theoretically be done... I've seen custom aluminum 18" Mopar steelies (the kind you put the redline dog dishes on), and they looked surprisingly good, but if i remember correctly, the guy spent around $5000 to have them made. Its always just money man... how bad do you want it? The other problem is, even if you could replicate a perfect 15x8" rally wheel out ov aluminum, you'd still have an absolutely **** tire selection. Makes zero sense to build super HP wheels, and then put S-rated junk on them. Slicks and race tires perhaps... but there is no in-between.
It COULD theoretically be done... I've seen custom aluminum 18" Mopar steelies (the kind you put the redline dog dishes on), and they looked surprisingly good, but if i remember correctly, the guy spent around $5000 to have them made. Its always just money man... how bad do you want it? The other problem is, even if you could replicate a perfect 15x8" rally wheel out ov aluminum, you'd still have an absolutely **** tire selection. Makes zero sense to build super HP wheels, and then put S-rated junk on them. Slicks and race tires perhaps... but there is no in-between.
Even if you did make them, if they were an EXACT replica, including the thickness, wouldn't they be too weak? Aluminum wheels are thick castings, steel wheels are thin stampings.
Even if you did make them, if they were an EXACT replica, including the thickness, wouldn't they be too weak? Aluminum wheels are thick castings, steel wheels are thin stampings.
Even if you did make them, if they were an EXACT replica, including the thickness, wouldn't they be too weak? Aluminum wheels are thick castings, steel wheels are thin stampings.
They'd obviously be thicker to the back ov the rim, where you cant see. They never quite look the same, but some get close. Most dont.
Steel is stronger at a given dimension. I'm no engineer, but a 1" thick aluminum plate would probably be stronger than a 1/8" thick steel plate.
Aluminum is usually stronger than steel by weight.
I have a great set of 16" aluminum wheels from Circle Racing wheels that I used for autocross for years. With sticky tires I could easily pull over 1G and they never got out of whack. I can't tell you what they weigh as they have tires mounted but they were remarkably light. They're no longer made.
With some way to cover the lug nuts they wouldn't look half bad, If somebody made a Rallye version in aluminum I would definitely buy them. No way would I ever put those 15" steel monsters back on my car.
Aluminum is usually stronger than steel by weight.
I have a great set of 16" aluminum wheels from Circle Racing wheels that I used for autocross for years. With sticky tires I could easily pull over 1G and they never got out of whack. I can't tell you what they weigh as they have tires mounted but they were remarkably light. They're no longer made.
With some way to cover the lug nuts they wouldn't look half bad, If somebody made a Rallye version in aluminum I would definitely buy them. No way would I ever put those 15" steel monsters back on my car.
Those are actually pretty nice rims that look good, and that's coming from a die-hard rally wheel fan.
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
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Lightweight 15" Rally wheels...
