theboss84

I've got an 84 C4 with the Z51 package. According to my research and what is currently on the car the tires are all the same size, 255/50/16. Since the rims on the rear are 1" wider why not put a wider tire on the rear?

project C4

easy answer to that question. there is nothing wider in a regular street tire. 16" sizes are very limited. there are some larger sizes but they are drag race tires and most are larger diameter.

c4cruiser

Did you mean front?? The '84 Z51 package did have a 16x9.5" wheel and a 255/60-16 tire in the rear, But you can easily get a rear wheel and rear tire and install them up front. They will fit wit no problems and will also give you the ability to rotate the tires for better tread life. For that 255/60 tire, check with the Tire Rack or Discount Tire websites. You should be able to find tires in that size. You may want to check to see how old the current 255/60 tires; look for the date code on the sidewall. The Tire Rack website has a good informational page about date codes and why tires should be replaced every 5-7 years regardless of the tread remaining.

cv67

You should be able to get a 275 on a 9.5" wheel (or larger) without a problem. Go too wide and your sidewall will roll some, you dont want that.
I had mounted a 315 on a 9.5" wheel to put on an older car, it fit but was concerned about the sidewall thing.

MatthewMiller

Correct. A 275/45r16 would be the right size, but like he says, there are only a few competition-grade tires in that size and nothing in regular street tires.