C7 Wheels?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: SouthEast PA
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C7 Wheels?
With the renditions of the C7 for the most part showing a European flavor, somewhat like a Ferrari, what wheels do you think would look best? Silver/Matt/painted finish like most foreign sports cars or polished/chrome like we see generally purchased on the Corvette, or at least what we upgrade to later.
Post pictures of what wheels you think would look best as OEM and/or aftermarket.
Post pictures of what wheels you think would look best as OEM and/or aftermarket.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: IL / FL .
I'd expect gloss silver or gray metallic wheels as used on other premium sports cars to be on the initial display cars. There should be a chrome option for traditional Corvette buyers (plus it's a high-profit option) even though chrome wheels are seldom seen on premium sports cars. Soon after that some owners will be refinishing their wheels black which looks good on certain colors, but maybe not from the factory at first. Since the factory wheels will be a flush style, wider aftermarket wheels with some lip and maybe a matte center could be interesting. Don't expect a polished version of the factory wheel unless it turns out to be a forged wheel. The forged/polished C5 wheels had a beautiful finish but the C6 cast/polished wheels looked dull by comparison and caused lots of complaints in 2005-2007.
If the diameters don't increase much, once we know the offsets we could see if any of our favorite C6 wheels might fit (our weight-conscious friend Dave Hill is gone, but still they might avoid going to too-large diameter wheels because they are heavy).
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If the diameters don't increase much, once we know the offsets we could see if any of our favorite C6 wheels might fit (our weight-conscious friend Dave Hill is gone, but still they might avoid going to too-large diameter wheels because they are heavy).
.
Last edited by ZL-1; Aug 28, 2012 at 02:39 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
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From: Coatesville PA
1000% based on color of car. I've seen whole wheel designs I wouldn't put on certain color cars, let alone some finishes.
Black/machined face is starting to become big finally. I've always liked aftermarket wheels like that myself, and I think the 11+ models even have an optional finish like that?
I love me some thin 5 spokes, thin 10 spokes or, I know I'm in the minority, some directional sawblade-ish type wheels. Heck the old SLR McLarren had em. Supposedly functional too...
Black/machined face is starting to become big finally. I've always liked aftermarket wheels like that myself, and I think the 11+ models even have an optional finish like that?
I love me some thin 5 spokes, thin 10 spokes or, I know I'm in the minority, some directional sawblade-ish type wheels. Heck the old SLR McLarren had em. Supposedly functional too...
Melting Slicks
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Race Director
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BTW, Corvette certainly isn't the only player offering chrome factory wheels...the LF-LC for instance. I saw these in person and they are awesome wheels, IMHO. BTW, this had one of the most amazing interiors I have seen in my life!
Last edited by BlueOx; Aug 28, 2012 at 09:19 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
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From: Coatesville PA
Chrome wouldn't be my personal first choice because I wouldn't want the upkeep from driving it so much, but it looks great on a lot of cars none the less. Highly polished wheels look great too.
Safety Car
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From: Western Chicago Suburbs
You'd rather them follow the trend of gunmetal grays, argent silvers, and matte blacks that(odds are) is the current, bland fad? I regret to inform some that matte black wheels don't look "mean" or "bad ***", they look like gloss black wheels that are dirty.
Chrome wouldn't be my personal first choice because I wouldn't want the upkeep from driving it so much, but it looks great on a lot of cars none the less. Highly polished wheels look great too.
Chrome wouldn't be my personal first choice because I wouldn't want the upkeep from driving it so much, but it looks great on a lot of cars none the less. Highly polished wheels look great too.
People will end up doing whatever they like, some will even jack up their C7 and put 26"+ wheels on there. Different strokes for different folks, and if they like it they should put whatever they like on their car.
With that said, what high performance sports car comes with chrome wheels nowadays? Polished I can see, but chrome is a thing of the past. If GM wants to be taken seriously as a Porsche, GTR, etc competitor, then it would be wise to cut as many "cheesy factors" as possible from the C7. Chrome wheels negatively affect the perception of the brand IMO. Time to get current.
The aftermarket is always there for those that want to do whatever to their car.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
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You'd rather them follow the trend of gunmetal grays, argent silvers, and matte blacks that(odds are) is the current, bland fad? I regret to inform some that matte black wheels don't look "mean" or "bad ***", they look like gloss black wheels that are dirty.
Chrome wouldn't be my personal first choice because I wouldn't want the upkeep from driving it so much, but it looks great on a lot of cars none the less. Highly polished wheels look great too.
Chrome wouldn't be my personal first choice because I wouldn't want the upkeep from driving it so much, but it looks great on a lot of cars none the less. Highly polished wheels look great too.
A hint of chrome, i.e. - around the lip of the rims also looks good to me. However, these all-chrome rims are just too much (too blingy) As a result, they end up looking cheap to me.
Maybe its an age thing. I find that most older people like the chrome while most of the younger folks do not.
Last edited by Paulchristian; Aug 29, 2012 at 03:59 PM.
Le Mans Master
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From: North Dallas 40 TX
I agree with you regarding Matte Black. Not very attractive (but still better than chrome IMO). Take the ZR1 spoke rims for example, if you ask me, the dark gray, silver, and gloss black ZR1 rims look much better than the chrome ZR1 rims (which to me, resemble tin foil). I think there is a reason why every other premium car maker has put them to bed years ago. I think corvette needs to follow that trend. Just my opinion.
A hint of chrome, i.e. - around the lip of the rims also looks good to me. However, these all-chrome rims are just too much (too blingy) As a result, they end up looking cheap to me.
Maybe its an age thing. I find that most older people like the chrome while most of the younger folks do not.
A hint of chrome, i.e. - around the lip of the rims also looks good to me. However, these all-chrome rims are just too much (too blingy) As a result, they end up looking cheap to me.
Maybe its an age thing. I find that most older people like the chrome while most of the younger folks do not.
Heck, I think they would buy chrome wire wheels if they were an option on cars today.
As for me, I am not big on chrome for weight reasons on a sports car. On a luxury SUV they are fine, plus they are easier to keep clean.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Pacific Northwest
Ditto above. In fact, when Dave Hill asked me in 1998 what could he do to improve the C5, I told him the pick-up truck wheels had to go. He said he agreed, but that the bean counters wouldn't give him money for better wheels for 18 more months, and we all saw that the 2000 model year wheels were a huge improvement.
I like the 2013 Anniversary wheels, but would like a C7 black and a chrome option for those who want to choose them. Just please give me a wheel that is easy to clean.
I like the 2013 Anniversary wheels, but would like a C7 black and a chrome option for those who want to choose them. Just please give me a wheel that is easy to clean.