Chevelle, GTO, and Cutlass guys

[PARKERRS]

I need a little info. I'm a Camaro guy and that is what I know about. A friend of mine recently aquired a '69 442 which his father purchased new. The car is 100% original right down to the shifter. He wants to update the look without ruining the originality. The question is he wants to change the wheels to 17" like my Camaro, 8's in front and 9.5's in back. What are the optimum backspace and tire size for this body style? On the second gen. Camaro I'm using 4.5 bs with 245/45's on front and 5.5 bs with 275/40's on rear and he wants a similar combo, I just haven't worked with this body style to know if that will work for it also without issues. Stock suspension with very tired original springs presently, but give me a little while and I'll have him rebuilding it and pro-touring shortly. New ride and he wants some wheels on it for looks and play with it this summer before going further.

Thanks,
Tommy

[PT Goat]

Here's the link you need: http://www.oldsmobility.com/fitting-wheels.htm

As a ballpark starting point, 17x91/2-inch with 5-1/2-inch backspacing front, 17x11 with 5-1/2-inch backspacing rear. Use 275/40 front tires and 315/35 rear. This would be tight in the rear. That's about the biggest you could go. If it were me, I'd probably do 8" wide in the front and 9.5s out back.

[Goatman]

Yeah, the Olds' rear wheel wells are much bigger than the other A-bodies of that era. The rear quarter openings are cavernous!

I had a set of 15x10 wheels with fairly large ET Streets on them that barely fit on my old GTO, but when we put them on my buddies' 72 Cutlass, they fit with no problem what-so-ever.


I don't know about 9.5's in the front though.... I thought 8's were about the widest a 68-72 A-body could handle...

[PARKERRS]

Thanks guys, he went with 17x8 front on 245/45's with 4.5 bs and 17x9.5 on rear with 285/40's and 5.5 bs. Should have them on this weekend.

[USAZR1]

I don't know about 9.5's in the front though.... I thought 8's were about the widest a 68-72 A-body could handle...

A 68-72 Chevelle or El Camino can handle a 17x9.5 front wheel with 5.5" backspace and 275/40 tire. This is with the stock A-body spindle and A-arms. With tubular A-arms,more backspacing can be run.

[USAZR1]

Here's the link you need: http://www.oldsmobility.com/fitting-wheels.htm

As a ballpark starting point, 17x91/2-inch with 5-1/2-inch backspacing front, 17x11 with 5-1/2-inch backspacing rear. Use 275/40 front tires and 315/35 rear. This would be tight in the rear. That's about the biggest you could go. If it were me, I'd probably do 8" wide in the front and 9.5s out back.

A 68-72 Chevelle/El Camino can handle a 17x11 rear wheel w/335 tire but it will be snug. Backspacing will need to be between 6"-6.5",though. 5.5" isn't enough for that width.

[PT Goat]

A 68-72 Chevelle/El Camino can handle a 17x11 rear wheel w/335 tire but it will be snug. Backspacing will need to be between 6"-6.5",though. 5.5" isn't enough for that width.

I'm no expert, but in the link I posted, they tested the 17x11 and came up with the 5.5" backspacing number. It's not my number.