Just bought a 1970 GTO convertible, but it has after-market custom wheels on it. I want to put back on the original RALLYE II wheels, but I am not sure what size I'm supposed to use - they come in various 14", 15", and 17" sizes, and with different widths. HELP!

[EMAIL]harry.scuffos@komag.com

Just bought a 1970 GTO convertible, but it has after-market custom wheels on it. I want to put back on the original RALLYE II wheels, but I am not sure what size I'm supposed to use - they come in various 14", 15", and 17" sizes, and with different widths. HELP!

[EMAIL]harry.scuffos@komag.com

[Chiefpontiac]

The 1970 A-bodies were originally equipped with 14x6 wheels. You will find three sizes of original Rally II's that will fit your car: 14x6, 14x7 and 15x7. The 15x7 wheel was used on 1970-up Trans Ams and became available in 1971 on handling package equipped A-body cars. The 14x7 wheels were used on 1972 A-bodies, 1969-'72 GPs and 1970-up Firebirds. The big B-body cars came with 15x6 wheels that have a larger bolt pattern.

[darren]

The car would have come with 14-6's originaly if it was ordered with rally II's

Thanks for your input. Sounds like I should get the 14X6 wheels. Have you heard of a company called Wheel Vintiques? They sell the RALLYE II for $125. Also, how do I know if the original wheels came with the red PMD on black cap, or the black PMD on red cap? And do I need the trim rings?

Thanks for all of your help for a new GTO owner . . . . .

[78 GHOST]

Originally posted by HarryG:
Just bought a 1970 GTO convertible, but it has after-market custom wheels on it. I want to put back on the original RALLYE II wheels, but I am not sure what size I'm supposed to use - they come in various 14", 15", and 17" sizes, and with different widths. HELP!

[EMAIL]harry.scuffos@komag.com

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Harry, congratulations on your new GTO. My favorite year in fact. As to your wheel question, PMD has never produced a 17" Rallye II wheel. The only sizes were the 14" and 15" in varying widths. I've had a 400 powered 70 ragtop that came with 14" X 6" wheels. I now have a 70 455 coupe with 14" X 6" wheels.

Deciding upon which wheel to chose isn't a life-changing decision unless you intend to participate in the numbers matching concourse game. In that case, you should search out the correct date coded 14" wheels.

Otherwise, you fall into the category that most PY members are in: "It looks pretty stock, runs like a scalded ape, and is equipped with what I want" gang. If this is you, I'd take a look at a couple of factors, driving habits and personal taste.

FYI, most GTOs equipped with automatics had a 3.07:1 ratio "open" rear axle. 14" wheels shod with 70 series tires will help your tall gearing if mostly driven around town. Basically, you would be choosing a wheel/tire combo of slightly smaller diameter enhancing acceleration. Top end would suffer, and the wheel/tire won't fill the wheel well visually.

If your driving habits are more highway that light to light, or if acceleration isn't that big a deal, 15" wheels and a taller tire will enhance your highway and cruising RPMs and general drivability.

If your car is a 4-speed, chances are you have a 3.23:1 Posi rear end which is a gear suited to good low end acceleration. However, if you like to highway drive 15" wheels will avoid excessive RPMs.

Personally, I prefer the look of 15" wheels as I feel it "fills up" the wheel well a little better giving a more substantial appearance. BTW, I believe Wheel Vintiques actually cuts out the centers from old wheels and attaches remanufactured rims.

Good luck and post some pics and notes about your options as we're all interested. -Matt

[78 GHOST]

Harry, I think the colors of the center caps are indicative of when the car was made. IIRC, early cars were black and late cars were red. Again, this is up to you as to how correct you wish to be.

Trim rings were offered on all GTOs except Judges. No, they're not required if you don't want them.

-Matt

Thanks, 78 GHOST. My car has a 400 ci engine with a 400 turbo automatic.

If I go with a 15" wheel, there is a 7" width, an 8" width, and a 10" width. I probably will just cruise and drive lazily mostly around town on weekends, and I don't really care about racing or acceleration. The 8" and 10" widths seem pretty wide. Should I go with the 7" width?

Thanks again for the time you've taken to respond . . . .

HarryG

[72LeMConvt]

I use 15x7's all around on my '72 and have 235/60R15 tires. As was mentioned, I think they fill up with wheel wells nicely. The 8's and 10's might be too wide for the driving you mention, unless you really just want the look of the wider tires.

Just my two cents.

Kirk

[Casey Lipe]

I also have a 70 GTO convertible and just put 15x7 (HM code) Ralley IIs with Uniroyal Tiger Paw P235/70R15 tire. I am having clearance problems in the front. Especially on the passenger side. I don't know if this indicates spring problems on one side or what. I have just found a set of 14" (KM code) Ralley IIs in a junk yard. Anybody know the date and application for "KM" code?

['ol Pinion head]

KM was a 14" Rally II wheel first offered in '78 on A, G,& X series offerings. Believe it was just a '78-79-80 offering. By '81 Pontiac had sank to wirewheel covers for wheel offerings & the 14" Rally II was gone. Problem with substituting the KM wheel for earlier 14 x 6's is the different offset rim design, the wheel just does not look like the earlier wheels with or with out a trim ring. Will get out & measure a KM later tonight & possibly post some comparison pics.

With the right front springs, you should be able to run 15 x 7 Rally II's on even a heavy A-body convert. The 15 x 7 wheel with a G 60-15 (245-60-R15) tire could be ordered on certain '71 & '72 A-bodies. The "blockiness" of the polyglas tire & the reduced height in the shortened (or flat top) rear convt wheel well created clearance problems & thus the 15" wheel tire combo was not avail on '71-72 A-body converts. Today, with right springs, ought to be able to run 245-60-R15's on the front & 255-60-R15's on the rear.

[TinInjun]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by 78 GHOST:
most GTOs equipped with automatics had a 3.07:1 ratio "open" rear axle.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Matt you have too much 455 on the brain. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]
The 3.07 gear was available on the 455 cars only. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif[/img]

"Run wild with an Indian, not with the crowd in a Chevy"
"Have you driven your Pontiac over the Taliban lately?"

[ScottN]

I'm running 275/60-15 on the rear of my 70 with no clearance problems.

[thepontiacman]

I have a 72 Lemans and run 15x7 Rally II's with 235/60/15 TA Radials all around with no clearance problems. You can run a 8" Rally II on the rear to get more tire under the car. I have seen 295/50/15's under a 70 GTO.
1970-72 455 cars came with 12 bolt rears and 3.07 gears for auto with air, 3.31 for 4spd with air.

I run a 455 with TH400 and 3.31 gears.thepontiacman@yahoo.com [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img]

[thepontiacman]

I run 15x7 Rally II's with BFG TA's 235/60/15 all around. You can put 15x8's on the rear to get more tire under the car. I have seen 295/50/15 under a 70 GTO.thepontiacman@yahoo.com

[Leadpumper]

I JUST got new tires on my 70 goat, after restoring 15x8 Rallye II's. The trim rings make the wheel, and I went with Black center caps. BFGoodrich Radial T/A's all around. P275 60R/15 on the rear, somewhat large, but it gives the intimidating look. I'd have to go check what I put on the front, and that would wake my parents up [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img], so no-can-do right now, sorry.

[Leadpumper]

Oh yeah, almost forgot. I'm also running a 4-speed with 4.11 on the rear.