That is EXACTLY what I'm on here looking to do. The extra offset of chrome on the rim makes a big difference, as does the wider tires. Can you provide the what and where details? I want another set of 500 Magnum wheels with a deeper offset and larger tires - preferably Goodrich TAs - basically that exact setup. This will make one kick-ass Mother's Day present! Thanks, Hutch
I went from 215/75 R14 white walls on 14x6 rally wheels to 235/60 R15 BF Goodrich on 15x7 rally wheels, all corners. I was holding out for 245/60 since it's said to be the widest you can put on the front, but I ran across these bfg's on Craigslist for $100 and couldn't pass them up. Im really happy with them, except my pure stock 350-2 can no longer lay down rubber ( my carb isn't the greatest ). Other than that, :TU:
The 70-72 Skylark/GS has some generous wheel wells. The optional tires were G60-15, and the equivalent of that tire is a P245/60R-15. The stock wheels were 15 X 7", and they had 4 1/4" to 4 3/8" of back spacing. Offset is different than back spacing. http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/tech/techpage.jsp?techid=101 The stock 15 X 7" wheels had 3/4" -7/8" positive offset. The aftermarket makes Buick Rallye wheels in 15 X 8" with a back space of 4 1/2" (1/2" positive offset) 15 X 10" wheels are available with 5 1/2" back spacing (again 1/2" positive offset) Bigger tires will fit. P275/60R-15 will fit very nicely in the back with an 8" wide rim. http://www.v8buick.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=158600&d=1264095216
Ryan and Larry, thanks for the detailed explanation and links. I've been wondering this for a while and never seemed find the right explanation anywhere. My wife likes the look of slightly larger tires in the back, but I'm wary of adversely affecting the handling; we do a lot of driving on winding mountains roads (couple of hundred miles most weekends with nice weather). Would the P275/60R-15 tires also fit the front? If not, what would you recommend for the front? P245? I generally like keeping the same size tires all around so I can rotate them, but if there was a decent combination with larger in back that handled well I'd consider that as well. Hutch
I think, from reading here, that 245 is the widest you can go and still have full turning radius without rubbing. So 245 on all corners and you can still rotate as normal.
I run the P275's on the rear, and 255's on the front. My car handles awesome, no worry about that. P245's fit in the front no problem. My springs are fairly fresh. If your suspension is sagging at all, 255's may rub. The P275/60R-15 is 28" tall. Not for the front. The 275 in rear and 245 up front will give a nice stance. Lots of guys use that combo. If you want to use the same size all around, you can't go wrong with the 245's. There is also the P275/50R-15, but that is 26" tall, a bit shorter than the P245/60R-15 (26.6").
Ryan Your 15x7 rallys and BFG Ta's looks great! Here is what I have on my GS, I went a little old school, 215 70 15 front and 255 60 15 rear. George
I did about the same thing to my 68 GS400 that I bought last fall. It had 205/75-14 whitewalls on 14x6 wheels. I replaced them with 245/60-15 M/T white letters on 15x7 Buick wheels. I love the new look and it handles much better. My wife even said that now it really looks like a muscle car! Here are some before & after pictures:
I suspect it has more to do with your rear end gear ratio than your carb. I could certainly be wrong though...
I took this stock 350 and added the following things: 1. Carb rebuilt by Ken (Everyday Performance in the vendors section) 2. Re-curved timing to 12 initial, 34 degrees total and 9 degrees of vacuum advance on top of that. 3. Cut off the exhaust to let it breath http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy1cOuE4x4Q http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GljRr5PauLI
I took delivery of the wheels from Steve Caruso last Friday! They look great! Steve, I love the "Made in America" stickers on the inside and the info sheet that you sent along with them. My wife is all smiles with this belated Mother's Day present! Here's the link to some photos on Dropbox: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/4wgdtvcclfxxdmw/AACaaigBPGv-4PbtrkStwmL2a Thanks Steve! It was a genuine pleasure doing business with you and I learned a few things along the way. Hutch
