1969 442 Widest Tire - few questions - Driver's Inc opinions please

[BanditDave]

That car is pretty sharp looking man, but my biggest beef is with the sidewall. Here in NJ it would be considered rape to drive around with that little sidewall under it...I would be waffling rims like it was my job!

I like the ride height on the car, but I really like the wheel "tuck" of Widowmaker's...but that would necessitate new tubs, etc...

Considering I am going to go with something a little different on the interior, I may just go the route of the 20's with more tuck. I gotta get the damn rear under it tonight and see where I am at on ride height...then I can figure out if I am even in the ballpark.

Thanks for the pics guys, please keep'em coming...I really appreciate it!

Dave

[Roadbuster]

I run an 18x11 wheel with 305/35R18 R888s in the rear of my 68 GTO.


I needed a little massaging on the inner tubs but did not need to roll the lip and I still have my wheel trim.

[JayR]

Hey Dave, Glad to see you're almost ready for wheels.

I would do a combination of Tim's and Justin's advice if it were my Olds and do a 28" tall 295/35/20 on the back with a 19x8 up front.

[wmhjr]

Personally i think roadbuster got it right. It looks (and probably is) more true performance oriented. There is a similar thread over on pt. It's amazing how different peoples tastes are. If somebody gave me a set of 20s I'd sell them and buy smaller rims. I'd save 22s for my massy ferguson. It won't notice the extra rotating mass.

[BanditDave]

Originally Posted by Roadbuster

I run an 18x11 wheel with 305/35R18 R888s in the rear of my 68 GTO.


I needed a little massaging on the inner tubs but did not need to roll the lip and I still have my wheel trim.

Man that looks perfect! You mind giving me the back spacing on those - front and rear? I am actually pretty set of 18s all the way around - figured on 245/45-18 up front and 285/40-18 in rear because of NJ's **** roads, but Roadbuster, yours is DEAD ON!

[The WidowMaker]

Personally i think roadbuster got it right. It looks (and probably is) more true performance oriented. There is a similar thread over on pt. It's amazing how different peoples tastes are. If somebody gave me a set of 20s I'd sell them and buy smaller rims. I'd save 22s for my massy ferguson. It won't notice the extra rotating mass.

i would agree with you if we were talking first gen camaros, but we're not. the wheel wells on these cars are huge and need a larger wheel/tire combo to look balanced. until somebody does a back to back test and shows me some significant number differences, i'll keep the 19/20s. i was going to go with an 18/19 combo, but most 18s wont fit my brakes and 19 rears suck for tire sizes.

red devil just tore up OUSCI with the following......

18X10 Forgeline wheels with Goodyear 275/30R18 tires
19X12 Forgeline wheels with Goodyear 325/35R19 tires

Early Performance Numbers

0-60 mph 3.29 seconds
0-100 mph 7.26 seconds
1/4 mile 10.91 sec. @ 130 mph

Braking
best 60-0 107.4' & 2.5 sec
0-60-0 with 1 ft rollout best 6.84 with overshoot to 61mph
0-87-0 in 8.0 seconds

40 foot slalom
Slalom best 48.34 mph

Skid pad 1.03 G

[wmhjr]

Is your car red devil? Are you running that large a diameter brake rotor? If you have really large rotors and require more clearance, thats a different issue. However, Physics are a bitch. You don't need a back to back test. Math is easy.

Like i said, it comes down to opinion. I have an a body. The wheel wells are not huge. There is actually less room than in an f body. But here's a question. Why do NO high end race cars run large diameter wheels? And I do mean NO cars running anything larger than what their brakes require. If you like the look more power to you. No problem. But for performance, I'd run 17s on a car if there was good rubber to support it and the brakes would fit. I know there are things about my car that some may not like. That's what makes them different.

[The WidowMaker]

Is your car red devil? Are you running that large a diameter brake rotor?

no and yes.

does your car have a full interior? are you running glass windows? did you shave the extra off each bolt? what about a radio?

before you answer, we are on the same page. unsprung weight is a killer and thats before we get into the physics of inertia involved in larger wheel/tire combos, but we all make sacrifices somewhere on our cars. but if you really cared about the almost negligible difference between 18/19/20's, i would expect whoever to lose the interior and drop 20lbs themselves.

Math is easy.

its actually not here. its more than just the weight difference. if it were a solid object it would be easy.

I have an a body. The wheel wells are not huge.

the whole friggin car is HUGE. these things eat the wheels and tires. most camaros with 18's look like they have a large wheel because with the appropriate tire they fill the wheel well. imho, a 26.5" tall tire does not appear to fill the well on the back of an a-body. i went with a 28.5" tall tire to mimic the height of the 275/60/15s i used to run. i ran a 295/50/15 for the last few years the car was driving and always thought it was too short. a 28.5" tall tire on 18s just has too much sidewall.

[wmhjr]

For an a body, the car is huge. The wheel wells are not. In fact, they're too small. They need work just to fit a decent combo. As I said, it's opinion. Personally since I knowmthe larger than necessary wheels detract from performance, I don't like them or the look. Too much "low rider" of a look. You have to get wheels, so you can't compare to removing glass or handles. We buy wheels and tires to improve performance and looks. To me, the really big ones satisfy neither. But that's why we have so many different looks. It's all opinion. As well, if your rotors demand those sizes, no problem. Problem is that so few do.

[The WidowMaker]

The wheel wells are not. In fact, they're too small. They need work just to fit a decent combo.

i think we're talking about different measurements. you are right in that they could be wider, but they are VERY long. roadbusters tires have a few inches in the front and the rear of the tire. look at the silver 2nd gen in the background. that is a tire that fills the well nicely. i like a slightly larger tire on the rear of the a-bodies. roadbusters is very nice though. he'd still be hated on the chevelle site for runing a nice car with anything other than 15's though .