Feedback / Opinions - Comments Welcome

[LeighP]

OK.....so, being unable to work on my car due to the house moving going on (car is bricked up in a wall of carboard boxes), I'm playing "what if" in my head over my choice of wheels and tyres.

1st choice.....what I was going to run is 17" x 8" with 255/50x17 Nitto Invo tyres - front and rear. They are 27 inches tall, which matches the stock tyres pretty well spot on. Pluses are, no body mods required (rolled lips etc) and wheels could be rotated for wear. I also like the 50 profile height on the 17's....gives me some real sidewall to fill the wheel arch up.

2nd choice.....to run wider rear wheels and still run the Nitto Invo's that I want, I have to shift to 18" diameter wheels...the wider Invo's aren't made in 17". So I'd be running 18x8" front with 245/45x18 and 18x9" rear with 275/40x18. These tyres run aproximately 26.5" diameter...more "wheel" less "sidewall". The plus is I get more tyre on the road, minuses are that I require fender lip mods at the back and can't rotate my wheels.....and everything costs a little more.

Now I've driven my 77 T/A on the 50 profile 17" Nitto tyres and been very impressed....ride, handling, tracking etc were all well above the 15" BFGs I'd been running....very impressive. Modern cars I've ridden in with 19" and 20" wheels ride like they have solid rubber tyres on them...very harsh indeed...not what I'm looking for from my 71.
So.....from guys with the 17" and 18" wheels, what are your opinions on my options?

Thanks

[ProdigyCustoms]

18" wheels and 26" tall ries on frot and 19" wheels and 27" tall tire on rear are perfect for these cars and have plenty of rubber around the rim. a 255/40/18 front and 275/35/19 rear is a great fit.

I think 27" tall tires on 17" wheels will look really tall.

Here is a pic of one with 19s front and rear, the front wheels are most likely a bit tall for you, but I think you will like the 19" 27" tall rear wheel / tire combo. Forget how wide the rear tires are, this one is mini tub

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

[LeighP]

Thanks Frank....yeah, I know that car from the build links...been watching it with interest. I'm not minitubing mine, would you believe the authorities have decided mini tubs or tubs and now "dangerous" here and are "deregistering" cars that were previously approved with them?

[John Wright]

Neat snowflakes.

[ProdigyCustoms]

I am working with multiple Aussie's on project Planning and your planning review process is intense to say the least.

HOWEVER. I think the DSE tubs COULD be done and no one ever know they were not stock. That still won't get you around the "only 2" wider then stock tire" rule. But in those years they came with 60 series, so you can sneak 295s on anyway. Most of my guys have 335s at home and put them on right after inspection,LOL!

[OLDFLM]

FWIW my tires are 27" f and 27.3" rear with 255/45/18f and 295/40/18r on 18x8s/18x10s... I like more sidewall on a muscle car... and you need a taller tire to fill out those big round wheelwells on a Firebird IMHO!

[LeighP]

Ty...yours look great...Still on the fence, but I'm not pressed for a decision right now.
Frank, I've got a set of factory honeycombs that I'm fitting stock 225/70x15s on....thats my "inspection" ready set.