[speedshopmike]

the 81 in bodywork progress, showing the rather hilarious contrast tween 15 and 17 inchers.

[speedshopmike]

trying again - 1st time posting a pic:

[uneasyrider]

speedshopmike, is that dark blue like my car or black? Yep, that sure is a contrast with those 15's and 17's. Can't say which I like the best because I do like that traditional look of the 15's too. NICE CAR.

[speedshopmike]

dark blue, primer, dirt, grunge.
im not sure i like the 17 inch look yet either; gotta get the backs done still, then let it grow on me.
in the end, the 15's probly are most proportionate to the car; i've always hated the "big wheel" look.
i'll never ever own anything with 20's or suchlike on it.
have a nice day

[pro-tour79]

trying to up load pic but I can't figure out how to make it smaller, sorry better with a wrench than a computer...lol

[HWYSTR455]

Yeah, I did the ROHs too, only the ZSs, but am getting ready to go to 18s. I did 265-45 on the fronts which are 9s, and 295-40s on the back which are 11s (Ford bolt pattern). Almost went with the Snipers....

[pro-tour79]

well I thought of using the ZS for wider sizes available but they did not have any only in 5X5 bolt patern and I got a deal on the only set of sypers around and they had been returned because of a couple fish eyes in the clear coat so I got a 20% break,BTW I didn't think any one made 295's in a 17" I have 285"s on the rear?, your car looks great though

[uneasyrider]

Originally Posted by speedshopmike

dark blue, primer, dirt, grunge.
im not sure i like the 17 inch look yet either; gotta get the backs done still, then let it grow on me.
in the end, the 15's probly are most proportionate to the car; i've always hated the "big wheel" look.
i'll never ever own anything with 20's or suchlike on it.
have a nice day

Yep, that is about where I'm at with my wheels. I really like the look but it's pushing the "Wagon Wheel" thing that I just don't like. It will take a while before I'm totally comfortable with them. I wanted modern speed rated rubber on the car and it's hard to find it in 15's. BTW, my vote is to stick with the dark blue, my car is Admiralty Blue which is the original color, I sure get a lot of people that like the color. It's just different because you don't see it used a lot.

Dang, that looks GOOD HWYSTR455! I sure want to find a '70-'73.

[speedshopmike]

pro-tour:
if yer using win XP, right click on the pic u wanna send and select re-size, then large.
it needs to be less then 29xk size to upload to this forum.

hwys: what backspace did you use on those 9 and 11" wheels?

[Will]

HWYSTR455, I'm drooling over the pics of your ride, very nice. I love those wheels too. Can you tell me what you had to do to make them fit with the non-GM bolt pattern? Do you have a Ford 9" out back? I would LOVE to have 11" wide wheels in the back of my '73, and the 285/40s would fit better on a 9.5" wheel up front. I've thought about having my WS6 wheels widened but that's expensive, especially since I'd have to buy new adapters for the back wheels and I'd like to get away from using adapters altogether as it just adds weight & another potential point of failure. If I was rich I'd buy a set of Fikse FM5s, my all-time favorite wheel.

speedshopmike, nothing like a car in progress. You're a brave and dedicated man tackling all that sanding. How many quarts of bondo is that in the first picture? LOL! As if I'm one to talk. We had a really bad windstorm here a couple years back and a spare subframe I had leaning against the fence fell over onto my '73, crushing the top of the driver's side fender. The only replacement I had was very rusty and full of holes. I think I used a whole quart just on that one fender but at least it LOOKS straight, and black primer hides a lot too. There's plenty of bondo elsewhere in the car too, I'm afraid to start stripping it for fear of what I'm going to find.

[speedshopmike]

making wrong pattern wheels fit is simple with adapters, made by may folks.
topline makes a beefy one that is 1.25" thick and they're not outrageous $.
transdapts cast pieces are crap; avoid them.

will, less bondo then it looks like!
i find sanding mind numbing and therefore therapeutic, so lots goes on but not much gets left - the car is actually real straight; just door dings, etc.(thank god)
ok, im lying - sanding sucks; i'm just an amateur at bodywork.
all the different colors make me feel like something's actually getting done!

[transam_kahuna]

Hey SPEEDSHOPMIKE...who's the mfr of your 17's?...I like that look on the second gen car..also what is the backspace/width/size tire on the front/rear?....stock ride height in the front or lowered?...thanks...ED

[Scarebird]

I agree with Kahuna, it gives it the European coupe look they first had when they came out in 70. After this thread, my daughter's car will not get 15's or smaller...

[uneasyrider]

Originally Posted by Scarebird

I agree with Kahuna, it gives it the European coupe look they first had when they came out in 70...

Agree! The new rims really make these cars look like they could have been made "today". I'm not a big fan of the "monster" rims but the 16-18" are nice but the 15" have a traditional muscular look that's mean too.

[speedshopmike]

thanks guys - i wanted an early trans am racecar look, and always loved similiar wheels on shelby's.

they're made by coys, and are ripoffs of the discontinued edelbrock 454's, which knocked off halibrand, etc etc.
the fronts are 8" wide and BS'd at 4.25", though the vendor told me 4.5" - i was rather pissed, as the upcoming baer brakes will increase track a bit, though in reality they fit fine.
the rears are 9"; BS is something around 5.5" - i forgot, and tossed the boxes, though i dunno if they were wrong on them also.
in back, i installed long ARP studs and used a 7/16 spacer.
ws6 cars have less stud left then drum cars in back, and i wasn't happy with even extended tip lugnuts' thread engagement.
plan on trying a 5/16, but not w/out really throwing the car around first to see if they rub as the rear walks laterally.
so far, i haven't been able to make them rub.
the car has eibach front springs, full poly bushings, local replacement leafs dearched with longer shackles, and konis set tight; it has pretty much zero roll so i dont expect any interference to crop up.
once the car gets painted white, i'm gonna shoot the wheel centers charcoal.
tires are 255/50 and 275/50 nitto nt450's.
NOBODY but nitto makes this rear size.
i chose tire heights first for the look i wanted, then worked backwards.
i hate rubber band looking combos on old cars; it was mandatory for me to have enough sidewall height to look somewhat traditional.
in hindsight, i'd have gone with 9" up front with the same tires as noted; tons of room inside on the front; 9's would be effortless.

[speedshopmike]

i'll post a pic with all 4 installed asap

[pro-tour79]

ok I think I got it

[pro-tour79]

these are ROH snypers they look a bit like the late corvette wheels with big windows so nice brakes are a plus .

[uneasyrider]

speedshopmike, post any info you have on your Baer disc brakes because I want to do that next. I was going for that "70's" look but I wanted to get modern speed rated rubber on it. I sure like the way those rims look on yours. I'm half tempted to buy a set!

Pro-tour79, is that your TA? NICE RIDE!

I should post something for next summer and get anyone that can to come up here with their canyon carvers and take you guys out on some NICE roads and then do the Cool Desert Nights cars show and cruise. There are some nice roads up here. We don't get a real bad freeze thaw problem and there are a ton of paved back roads that make for real nice morning and evening drives during the summer.

[Beebe]

Heres a shot of my last 72 bird. 17 X 9 - 4.5 BS Rear , 17 x 8 - 4.5 BS Front .

In the future I would go with a 5" or 5.5" BS with a 9" rear rim. Depending on the type, style and size of tire .

The car needed a 1.5 - 2 " Drop witht the 26" Tall tires.