71 nova wheels 17/18?

[protouring71nova]

Dos anyone know If 18x9.5 Rear & 17 x 8.5 Front wheels will work on my 71 nova without front inner fenderwells, and rear shocks move inboard with stock leafs? I was looking at them on ebay, they are for a corvette. It look like i would need spacers to make the offset work.

[LowBuckX]

Yes they will work with no inner fenderwells and relocated shocks. BUT you will need correct adapters to do it I have 18x8 all the way around with 5 inch back space. With the clearance i have you may be able to get away with the 9.5 rears with out moving the shocks. It would be close on mine but no 2 cars are 100% alike..

[USAZR1]

I was on a Nova website yesterday and read where some guy had modified his shock mounts to run 17x10's.
Buy the wheels,figure out what you need for backspacing,and order you some billet adapters from Vette Brakes & Products. Whoila!

[MarkM66]

I'm building a Nova right now. I really don't see how you can fit a 9.5 -10" wheel on the back. I just went with 18x8. Going to try a 275/40 to see if that fits, if not I'm going to a 255/45. 18x8 with 5.5" backspacing.

Like a Camaro, moving the shock inboard doesn't give any additional clearance. The top of the shock mounts behind the inner wheel house, so that's the limiting factor, not the shock.

[Tony C.]

MarkM66,

I have a 72 Nova (on this website in the Novas gallery. I'm also on the 2QuickNovas.com website) that is running 17 X 9.5 on the rear with a 275/40/17 tire. It is a close fit, but it does fit. I moved the lower mounting shock hole up and inward to clear the rim when I lowered it an inch then cut off the extra material where the original hole was.

Tony C.

[LowBuckX]

Ok I have to recant some of my first post.

9.5 wheels will be real close but shold just make it. you will not need to move the shock at all because the rim is no where near it.

Mark66 I think I prommissed you some pics of the clearance with 255/45 18 on 18x8 rims. Here they are from passenger side which is the tightest side.
Notice shock location relitive to the rim.

rim to inner frame


rim to lip

[LowBuckX]

Here is another on of the bottom shock mount.. yes those shock mount/spring plate is home made and pretty heavy duty but the shock holes are in stock location.

[dhardison]

TonyC, what backspace are you running on the 17x9.5? I tried a pair of 17x9.5 TTIIs w/5" b.s. on my '70 and it was rubbing badly on the outside quarter (even with rolled fender lips). Are you running rear discs?

BTW, your pics in the pt.com Nova gallery are broken links. I'll try finding you on 2QuickNovas.com

Thanks,
Dan

[MarkM66]

TonyC, what backspace are you running on the 17x9.5? I tried a pair of 17x9.5 TTIIs w/5" b.s. on my '70 and it was rubbing badly on the outside quarter (even with rolled fender lips). Are you running rear discs?

BTW, your pics in the pt.com Nova gallery are broken links. I'll try finding you on 2QuickNovas.com

Thanks,
Dan

I'd like to know what you're bs is too.

I'll know how mine fits tomorrow. Hopefully.

[USAZR1]

MarkM66,
I have a 72 Nova (on this website in the Novas gallery. I'm also on the 2QuickNovas.com website) that is running 17 X 9.5 on the rear with a 275/40/17 tire. It is a close fit, but it does fit. I moved the lower mounting shock hole up and inward to clear the rim when I lowered it an inch then cut off the extra material where the original hole was.
Tony C.

I knew I wasn't dreaming that.

[Tony C.]

OK, who broke my links?? J/K. How do I get those links fixed?

MarkM66 and Dan, the bs on the rear rims are 5 1/2". I am running stock drums in the rear (for now). I am needing to find someone where I live who can roll the fender lips for me. When I change over to rear discs it will push the rims out a little bit, from what I am told. Give me a little time and I'll get some pictures uploaded today.

Tony C.

[LowBuckX]

bump for another member

[NvrDun71]

OK, who broke my links?? J/K. How do I get those links fixed?

MarkM66 and Dan, the bs on the rear rims are 5 1/2". I am running stock drums in the rear (for now). I am needing to find someone where I live who can roll the fender lips for me. When I change over to rear discs it will push the rims out a little bit, from what I am told. Give me a little time and I'll get some pictures uploaded today.

Tony C.

Scrollin thru some old posts and ran across this...... did you ever get any pics of your setup?

[JayR]

Are they C5 wheels? IMO, late model zero offset wheels do not look good on musclecars. They need some lip and dish or it looks like you have skinnies all the way around.

[USAZR1]

Are they C5 wheels? IMO, late model zero offset wheels do not look good on musclecars. They need some lip and dish or it looks like you have skinnies all the way around.

I think you mean positive offset,not zero.

[USAZR1]

To the top for Brads69:

[larknut]

I think alot of Nova people don't realize the correct backspacing depends on what rear end you have. (I found out hard way). I believe the '68-'69 3rd gen. cars came with a 8.2 ring gear and the '70-72 cars had the 8.5. The 8.5 rear is a bit wider than the 8.2. In my particular case 4.5" backspace works with my 8.2 rear, where as the same rims wouldnot work on my buddies car with the 8.5. On my 69' Nova I think an 4.75 backspace would be ideal and could probably fit a 275/45 tire eventhough the rim width is alittle small. If my info is not correct someone please correct me.

Alex

[MarkM66]

I think alot of Nova people don't realize the correct backspacing depends on what rear end you have. (I found out hard way). I believe the '68-'69 3rd gen. cars came with a 8.2 ring gear and the '70-72 cars had the 8.5. The 8.5 rear is a bit wider than the 8.2. In my particular case 4.5" backspace works with my 8.2 rear, where as the same rims wouldnot work on my buddies car with the 8.5. On my 69' Nova I think an 4.75 backspace would be ideal and could probably fit a 275/45 tire eventhough the rim width is alittle small. If my info is not correct someone please correct me.

Alex

Actually, the 8.2 was the same width as the 8.5.

http://www.novaresource.org/axle.htm

Just an update on mine.

I ran 18x7 with 4.75" bs, 235/40 18, and a 18x8 with 5.5" bs with a 275/40 18. My rear tire will rub slightly on the outer wheel house when the axle articulates quite a bit. But it's not bad. A very small spacer would fix that.

[larknut]

Actually, the 8.2 was the same width as the 8.5.

That's weird. I wonder why my friends 8.5 is wider. I also have an 8.5 in my garage that is wider than my 8.2. Thanks for the correction. Do you have any pictures of your car with the 18's?

[NvrDun71]

Actually, the 8.2 was the same width as the 8.5.

http://www.novaresource.org/axle.htm

Just an update on mine.

I ran 18x7 with 4.75" bs, 235/40 18, and a 18x8 with 5.5" bs with a 275/40 18. My rear tire will rub slightly on the outer wheel house when the axle articulates quite a bit. But it's not bad. A very small spacer would fix that.

Bring on the pics man !!! Would love to ck out the setup.......