I've been searching for some wheels as of lately, only 3 really catch my eye that are in budget. Boss 338's, MB Wheels Old School Gunmetal or Summit Racing's 143 Torque Spokes. I'm leaning towards Summit Racing's 143 but I'd like to know your opinions. I'd get them in gray and in 18's (18x8 or 18x8.5 front and 18x9.5 rear). Not sure if I can go 45's in the rear, although I know 40's will work. I haven't ruled out getting 17's either simply for the price and allowing for more tire. Plans are to paint the car a colbalt/navy blue. Thoughts... Summit's Boss MB
The bottom two have a somewhat period correct look. #2 is a take on the original Torque Thrust wheel look while #3 were called Raiders.
For an 8" wide wheel, use 4.5" back spacing. For a 9.5" wide wheel, 5.25" back spacing. That will center the wheel in the well. When going that wide in the rear, there may be more room on one side than the other. The car body is not always centered on the frame.
Thanks for that info, I'll have to check out the manufacturer wheel spec to see if they'll work or not. When you mention 4.5 and 5.25", is that the maximum backspacing I can go?
The back spacing requirements are well known for the 70-72 Skylark/GS. These cars have very generous wheel wells. The back spacing is the amount you need to center the wheel in the wheel well. Anything different will move the wheel off center in the well and decrease the clearance on the inside or outside of the wheel. The back spacing varies with the wheel width, not height, so back spacing requirements are the same whether you have 14", 15", 16", 17", etc. 7" wide....4.25"B.S. 8" wide....4.5"B.S. 10" wide ..5.5-5.625"B.S.
Be sure that your selection wheels are NOT hub centric. Personally, I like the first wheel. They have to be wheel stud/bolt centric.
And its a good idea to 'upgrade' your wheel studs. If you are not racing, just a standard Dorman set is fine. If you are racing, I'd run ARPs. I've seen too many fenders/quarters messed up by broken wheel studs when the wheel/tire combo was changed to a larger size.
First one looks like a pro touring type and the bottom 2 look like cruiser wheels. Depends on the look your going for. I like all 3 but would pick the boss. No matter what you pick how about a update once they are mounted, my car might "need" new wheels for a unexpected reason
Yup, double checked, NOT hub centric. Yes, I'm slowly being persuaded to go pro touring style. Yet, I'm stuck with the cruising style. If I had to put the 3 in order, they'd be: Boss, Summit then MB
You may want to see how they look with drums or rotors behind. The Summit's seem like they will have more coverage for that.
I found a rendering online. Although it is a Chevelle, the color combo (minus the white rally stripes) is close to what I want. I'd like it to be a darker blue. :shock:
That's a good look but, correct me if I'm wrong, there's much more to that look than just bolting on a set of wheels
VERY good advice!! :Smarty: Unless you're planning to go with bigger brakes front and rear, don't go over a 15" wheel. I've got a set of 18" Boss wheels in the garage I'm probably not going to ever use, because of this. I set one on the car and took it right back off. They look like crap with stock sized drums and rotors.
No, I think 40 year old 11in rotors with big fat rusty calipers and drums just don't look very sexy when wrapped in 18+in of modern wheel is the problem. I've gotten close to pulling the trigger on some 17 and/or 18 in wheel tire upgrades a couple times over the last 10 years only to chicken out when I started looking at what it was going to cost to put a set of big rotor front and rear disk brakes on the car so that it all looks "right" to my eye. I did see someone was making a 17in aluminum Buick Rally like wheel but read some very mixed reviews so decided to lay off... Maybe in a few years the 3d metal printers will be as common as a Bridgeport knee mill and I'll get someone to print a set of wheels for me!
