69 camaro coupe/convertable rear back space difference?

[chevnut55]

My dad has been drooling over my 17x10 and 11;s on my camaro they fit fine with 5" b/s .
he came into a few bucks and told me to do up his 69 convertable ..he told me to do the suspension and wheels ,I ordered the wheels 17x10 w 5" b/s they are too tight front and back.
now he will not let me touch the stock original single leaf 10 bolt w/bad body mounts and no sway bar in the rear . I gave him a 12 bolt posi and new leaf springs and explaned 50 times the suspension is wiped and is off to the passengers side around 1"! the body mounts are not even there anymore,he says all his old guy freinds say you dont need all that racing stuff...( it has a supercharger!)



I know it needs the new leafs and polly bushings and some inner wheel well clearencing and outer lip trimming/rolling, but will the wheels fit?

to keep it simple whats the biggest 17" wheels that will fit a 69 camaro drop top?

[JayR]

I wouldn't suggest 10s on the front of any F-Body and 5" backspace isn't enough in back. We typically do 8s and 10s. I'm not saying they wouldn't EVER fit because they're 43 year old uni-body cars made on multiple assembly lines before Lexus-like precision was ever considered for mass-production so we've seen weird anomalies that take more and sometimes less wheel and tire than others but 10s up front is a lot.

As far as updating his suspension, As we all know here, these cars were not the height of cornering performance and a suspension update, new bushings and a decent ratio steering box will change his life unless he likes slowing down for corners and giving the wheel 5 turns to get around those corners once he's down to a safe speed.

[MonzaRacer]

I say borrow car for "ahem" tune up and such, then do it all ina weekend while he is gone and not tell him. Then let him drive it and he might just pay up AND give you a big hug!

[chevnut55]

belive it or not the fronts fit fine,just too tight in the rear. either the body is off 1" or the qtrs are on wrong. when I steel it do do the work (like overhauling..except real) I need to weld on multi leaf perches anyway so I can move the rear in the correct spot. but still worried the rims migt hit the outer fenders.
I dont know about a hug but he will stop complaing that I ruined his car if I can make it work. did I mention he doesnt drive any of his cars,the camaros 1/2 mine anyway and Im the onbly one who drives it . I havent driven it in 2 years because of the bad body mounts and weak suspension..and the steering box..I missed a turn and had to back up onto a highway because it would not turn enough!

[chevnut55]

After measuring a coupe and comparing it to my dads convertible there is a difference.
there is less clearence in the inner wheelwell , it takes away around 1"
I will not know if his new wheel will fit until I get the new rear.leafs and sway bar installed..if not Ill have 2 17x10's for sale.

[chevnut55]

Ok. stole it from him a few months ago and so far, I added a 10 bolt posi, hotchkis springs front and rear, all polly bushings,des subframe connectors,hotchkis front and rear sway bars.dse steering box, ssbs front and rear disc brake kit and tube a-arms. not to mention 2 new floors,new carpet, gauges, all new lines, fuel tank and gauge/sender..etc...I went way overbored...now Im broke!.
heres the problem still is the rear touq thrust 2 wheels. 17x9.5 fronts fit great but the 17x10.5 with 4.5" b/s dont. I trimed the wheelwells with no luck,they stick out about 1" too much,If I can afford new rear rims it looks like if I go in another 1/2 b/s they will hit the shocks. Im guessing I need 17x9.5 with 4 3/4 bs..am I correct?
i wish I could find someone to swap wheels I guess i need to save up and sell the non fitting wheels.
It looks like they fit in the befrore pict here..but after the rear disc swap they dont anymore...