I plan on ordering a pair of the reproduction gs flares soon, my car is getting ready for paint so I thought now would be the perfect time to get them and glass them in. With paint comes the need for new wheels. Since I am going to have fender flares should I look for wheels with a lower offset then the 36 stock so they will fill it out all the way? This is for a street car if that helps at all.

 

no one?

 

I don't know the answer but I think the 36mm with 315's look great. Surely, someone has the right answer though.

 

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1572205241-post4.html

 

that thread you posted is what triggered my question, I have an 86 with the 36 offset stock. if i had in 88+ i would be able to use the 36 to make them sit flush with the flares, but I don't. If the 36 sits flush when 50 offset is used stock would that mean I should look for wheels with a 16 offset to be spaced out properly with the flares on my 86?

 

still looking, anyone have info?

 

Have you contacted the vendor for their input?

Good luck!

 

The 86 has a different off set than the 96 GS Corvette however, the offset for the 11" wheel is 50mm.

It uses 315/35ZR17 tires...buy Nittos NT-05

 

i know the offset is different, thats what is making this difficult. the wheels im looking at are 17x11 with a 36mm offset

 

GS 11" rear wheels had a 50mm offset. The 86 9.5" wide wheels have a 38mm offset. The 12mm difference isn't a lot, but the 1.5" difference in overall width will be significant. "Real" ZR-1 rear wheels had a 36mm offset and they will fit and not stick out very much. But you do have to watch for any interference on the inside. Carefully check the location of the flexible brake line and the E-brake cable.

The GS flares only cover the top of the wheelwell and down towards the door guard on the beltline. The lower half of the rear wheel well will still have the tire sticking out more than the OEM tire on the OEM wheel. You may want to think about using the aftermarket molded lower fender guards (mud flaps) for the rear and have them sanded smooth and painted body color.

 

First off, 17x11 36mm offset on an early car (yours) will fit under the quarter panel without GS flares. So if you're doing them to run the 11" wheel, you don't need to.

Now, if you are looking to have the the 17x11 36mm offset line up with the fender flare just because you want fender flares, you will need a spacer to push the 36mm wheel out. Or ~1.5" less offset ( or whatever the width of the flare is).

If you go the spacer route, it may be worth it to measure the final results on your car and have spacers made. MANY C4s will have a tire stick out on one side and not the other. You may end up with two different sizes, a left and right specific spacer. (1/8" to a 1/4" difference)

Now to address the offset you would need to get an 11" wheel to line up with a fender flare on an early car, let's do the math:
36mm and 11" wide lines up with stock rear quarter (maybe a bit out)
Flare is ~1.5"
Need to push the wheel out 1.5"
1.5" = 38mm
Safety margin of say a 1/4inch = ~6.5mm
38mm - 6.5mm = 31.5mm aka, how much farther you need to push the wheel out
36mm - 31.5mm = 4.5mm offset.

That said, unless you go custom aftermarket, you will find very little choice in offset, your choices are really 36 and 50something in a C4 specific aftermarket wheel.
If you are going aftermarket custom built, say CCW, get the flares on and then give them a call.

 

Here is an 86 with the 36mm offset ZR1 wheels without flares.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c4s-...0-must-go.html

 

Thanks for the info, I know I dont have to use the flares with these wheels on this car, but I like the look of them and want to try to set my car apart from the rest a little. The custom wheel option is out of the question financially for me right now. Should I use spacers or adapters if I go that route, which looks like the direction I'm headed? and will those be safe if the car gets occasional (less than a couple times a year) track use?

 

OK, that's what I thought, I just wanted to make sure

I would venture to guess that an adapter will be necessary. That seems a little big for a spacer and you would have to get extra long studs anyway.

I think an adapter is OK for street use but for the track (drag or road course) I would take the few minutes to just remove them.

 

I'd "rethink" the idea of "bonding" the flares to the composite body! There's likely no similar "bonding characteristics" of the material the flares are made of and the composite body panels. You will likely regret the operation very soon! I'm not telling you it "can't" be accomplished but it's very seldom a bond that isn't later a nuisance!

Most would be enviable to be able to put the tire/wheel package under the body!

Personally I think the flares on the rear "only" aren't that appealing. The exception "A GS"!

 

very very tru

 

What brands of spacers are better than others? I see some on summit for as low as $7 a piece but also some over $100, whats the best bang for the buck?

 

I have no experience with the kind of spacer you need but this seems like what you need to be looking for. I can't imagine you'll get a quality spacer of this type and size for less $100 a pair, probably not much less than even $150. Ebay could be your friend (I would shop for a name brand) especially since you have time with the car not even ready for the body shop yet.

30mm Eibach Billet Spacer

Also, I used Evercoat SMC Panel Adhesive #3 to bond a fiberglass hood scoop to the hood with great success so far. It's been on over a year and no cracking or or anything...

 

There is a difference between "spacers" and "adapters". A spacer is simply a ring of aluminum with holes for the studs. It slides on the studs, you install the wheel and tighten the lugnuts. An adapter is a ring of aluminum with its own studs and nuts. The adapter is bolted to the existing studs and the wheel is bolted to the adapter studs.

Adapters are more expensive and the good ones will be made from strong aluminum alloy and the studs will be equal to OEM in terms of strength.

If you are in the market for wheels, there are vendors that sell a ZR-1 style wheel in the proper offset for the 84-87 cars at 36mm. AFS Wheels has wheel sets that have 2 17x9.5 and 2 17x11 that will bolt on with no adapters required. The 9.5" wheels have a 36mm offset and the rear 11" wheels have a 38mm offset. I have two sets of AFS wheels and both sets have survived 4 years worth of autocross and track days with race rubber mounted.

 

That is great info and all, but as I said in post 1 I am putting on flares (not should I, or do I need to) and want to know how to get the wheels flush with the flares. Steve85; Thanks for the info about the sizes and the bonding, my father is taking care of the bonding but the stuff you mentioned sounds like the same stuff professionals recommended and he will be using.