Quote:
Originally Posted by Colin70TA
blackbird, were these 18x9 and 275/40r18 all around? Did you notice them rub anywhere?
Think of purchasing a set as a need 18's not 17's like the YO variety.
Thanks, Colin
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Hi Colin,
It really all depends what model year your car is, and what suspension is on your ride. The wheels in the pic belong to B. Romero, and it took a bit of work to fit them on this Hotchkis TVS-equipped 77 Esprit. I massaged the seat belt humps with a BFH and the 275/40s just fit in back, but to be honest we'll need to do it a bit more so the tires won't rub in back. The small black Hotchkis springs are also too low for real-world driving (Brian lives in L.A. so he knows how rough the streets are there), so the front coils will also be swapped for taller ones at some point. We also need to cut and roll his wheelwell lips in back for added clearance.
My 72 Esprit was a whole other story- the 18 x 9 Bandits bolted on and fit nicely. I have old school H-O Racing 600 lb. springs up front, and I have excellent tire-wheel lip clearance in front. In back the tires fit perfectly, but the 70-73 wheel well humps aren't as large as later models- I had 3/4"-1" clearance, and could easily have fitted a wheel with a 5.75" backspace there, like a 18 x10. I also cut and rolled my fender lips in the back years ago, so I could even drop the rear 1-2" with no rubbing issues. My Bird also has Moroso solid body mounts, so the subframe deflection should be minimal- I still need to add SFCs. I've ordered a pair of wheels and tires now- once I get the full set on the car I can give a more detailed report on my Bird's response to the new rubber.
Geno