Help Me Find Inexpensive 17" or 18" Wheels 69 Camaro

[Flash68]

You want to spend $1000 total for a set of 18's? Did I read that right?

And you just posted pics of 3 sets of wheels that cost in the $3000 to $5000 range.

So basically you want the champagne on the beer budget. Welcome to the club.

[OBeer-WAN-Kenobi]

Originally Posted by Flash68

You want to spend $1000 total for a set of 18's? Did I read that right?

And you just posted pics of 3 sets of wheels that cost in the $3000 to $5000 range.

So basically you want the champagne on the beer budget. Welcome to the club.

No, I want ones that LOOK like that and I wouldn't mind used ones either. I posted the pictures for examples of wheels I like the looks of.

My biggest concern that I need advice with is probably the sizing more than anything.

The last set of wheels I bought came with great tires, looked like the first picture, and were $650 off of Craigslist. They were 18" Rota's for my Subaru and I loved them.

So, if I know what size and offset I need, I can keep watching the list for good deals.

[Flash68]

Your best bet of finding something looking those 3 would be a used set of CCW's. They are traded second hand often but the tough part will be finding the right backspacing.

I would point you here for an option that is new and inexpensive.

http://www.team3wheels.com/lt_iii.html

[OBeer-WAN-Kenobi]

Originally Posted by Flash68

Your best bet of finding something looking those 3 would be a used set of CCW's. They are traded second hand often but the tough part will be finding the right backspacing.

I would point you here for an option that is new and inexpensive.

http://www.team3wheels.com/lt_iii.html

Thanks Flash, I'll check them out.

So, would I be OK in the area of:

Front 8" wide rim with 4.75" BS
Rear 9.5" wide rim with 5.5" BS

Or would I be safer with a 9" rear rim with ?? backspacing?

I have stock front discs for now and rear drums.
As I said, at some point in the future I'll be lowering aprox 2", probably with the ridetech setup.

I want to get as wide a rear tire as possible while still not getting too close to rub.

I'm also thinking I'll want to go with a 26" or 27" tall rear tire.

[Sieg]

Originally Posted by OBeer-WAN-Kenobi

So, would I be OK in the area of:

Front 8" wide rim with 4.75" BS
Rear 9.5" wide rim with 5.5" BS

That's what my Vintage V45's are spaced at with Nitto NT05's 18 x 245/40 and 275/40.

Rears are tight both inner and outer. I was getting a little contact with hard cornering loads with urethane from spring bushings and new OEM rubber rear bushings. Just installed urethane rears and I'm guessing the contact won't be an issue as they are much more rigid. My wheel opening to ground measurements are 24.25" front 25" rear. The rear inner lips have not been rolled, I had to massage a couple high spots on the inner sheet metal. That said all these car vary to a certain degree.

[Vince@Meanstreets]

American Racing TTII's are cheap still @ $199 each. You can paint the centers.
front 18x9 -5" BS 265's
rear 18x10 -5 3/4" BS 285's 295's with a trimmed lip.

Get some sumitomo tires and you'll be close.

[gray776]

Just saw these on fleabay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/18X8-5-18x10...b1277a&vxp=mtr

I am not going to argue for or against using BMW bolt patterns on early Camaros, but it has been done by many. Just another option.

[OBeer-WAN-Kenobi]

Originally Posted by Vince@MSperfab

American Racing TTII's are cheap still @ $199 each. You can paint the centers.
front 18x9 -5" BS 265's
rear 18x10 -5 3/4" BS 285's 295's with a trimmed lip.

Get some sumitomo tires and you'll be close.

Thanks Vince,

9's will fit on the front without increasing my turning radius?

10's won't be too close on the back?

Bigger is better of course but I want to make sure I'm not too close on the sides.

I'm not really feeling the Torque Thrusts though, maybe a bit to vintage looking for me.

[67Rally]

Originally Posted by OBeer-WAN-Kenobi

So, would I be OK in the area of:

Front 8" wide rim with 4.75" BS
Rear 9.5" wide rim with 5.5" BS

Or would I be safer with a 9" rear rim with ?? backspacing?

I have stock front discs for now and rear drums.
As I said, at some point in the future I'll be lowering aprox 2", probably with the ridetech setup.

I want to get as wide a rear tire as possible while still not getting too close to rub.

I'm also thinking I'll want to go with a 26" or 27" tall rear tire.

Ideal backspacing for a 1st gen:
18x7 w/4.25" BS
18x8 w/4.75" BS
18x9 w/5.25" BS
18x9.5 w/5.5 "BS

If you are looking at wheels that list an offset, you are looking for +6mm to be dead center in the wheel well.

A 245/40/18 is about as big as you can go up front, and you still may have some rubbing issues. 275/40/18 is about as big as you go in the rear without tubs. Obviously each car is different, and GM tolerances were questionable back in the day. Some cars seem to get away with slightly bigger, and some have had issues with slightly smaller.