Wheels to fit C5 brakes on a budget

[68lovebuzz]

Looking for at least 17" wheels to fit my C5 brakes. Looking especially for someone upgrading of course because I'm short on dough after all the LS stuff I bought...Anyways I would like to find TT2's or other american wheel (or something else that's cool). I will run a spacer if needed to clear. It is for a 68 camaro so 4.75BS by 8" wide on the fronts and on the back I would like to find something with a 4" BS due to a 1.5" per side shortened rear and 9-9.5 wide. I am looking for wheels and tires or just wheels. I am in the northwest. Thanks for your response.

[tb8125]

I have a set of c5 wheels for sale

[68lovebuzz]

I have a set of c5 wheels for sale

I wouldnt mind running C5 wheels but I believe the offsets would be incorrect and the back wheels would need such a huge spacer (even on a regular width rear end) with a factory rear wheel. Anyone with experience on this let me know. I am also looking at just getting some rollers to get the car off jack stands. Maybe newer camaro spare to fit big brakes.

[Fritz]

I'm gonna bump this 5 year old thread rather than start a new one with the same topic. I do not have a narrowed rear axle however.

Looking for budget wheels for my 69 firebird with c5 brakes. C5 wheels are an option but I see mixed opinions about running 2" spacers. Thought?
What about steel wheels? I like the d Windows in 17", would they fit?

[gator68428]

I'm gonna bump this 5 year old thread rather than start a new one with the same topic. I do not have a narrowed rear axle however.

Looking for budget wheels for my 69 firebird with c5 brakes. C5 wheels are an option but I see mixed opinions about running 2" spacers. Thought?
What about steel wheels? I like the d Windows in 17", would they fit?

I've been running 2" spacers since 2006. They are adapters with a separate set of studs for the wheel in case anyone is unfamiliar--the hub/axle studs bolt the adapter in place. In the case of Vette wheels the 5x4.75" bolt circle is the same. Taken this setup on dozens of AutoX and track days--over 135 mph. Now I'm running C5Z rear wheels all around with 1.75" spacers up front and 1" spacers in back. Just got 4th in hot lap at Optima USCA Nola in April.

I'm selling two of my C6 replicas 18x9.5 65mm offset. Already sold four others that were the original set--bought these two when i went to 275s up front--from 245 on 18x8.5.
https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/125626-C6-Corvette-Replica-Chrome-Rear-Wheels-18x9-5-65mm

[Fritz]

I found a set of c5 wheels that have been stored in a guys basement for last 15 years, $200 but it's a bit of a drive. I think I'll go for it.

[gator68428]

I found a set of c5 wheels that have been stored in a guys basement for last 15 years, $200 but it's a bit of a drive. I think I'll go for it.

Nice. Go for it. Z06 wheels or wagon wheels? (just curious--both are very light and solid high performance wheels) Def the way to go on a budget.

I'm also selling two 18x9.5 wagon wheels BTW but I kinda wanna keep them--I just raised my price on Ebay actually after they didn't sell for 30days. I'll keep em just in case my 315s are too big for super tight AutoX courses like good guys--leave the possibility to put 275 back up front if necessary.

[BlackHD]

I have a set of 2" adapters from Motorsport-tech.com if you're interested. Was going to use with z06 wheels but changed plans.

[Fritz]

They're wagon wheels.

[130fe]

I have a set of 17" Budnik Famosas that I am getting ready to sell, perfect BS for first gen Camaro. Fits C5 brakes just fine.

[hifi875]

would c5z fronts fit all around on a 69 w/correct spacers? Ive got c6z51 fr and rear brakes on my 69 and looking for a square setup and not break the bank. c5z fronts are pretty common and easy to find compared to the c5z rears

[gator68428]

would c5z fronts fit all around on a 69 w/correct spacers? Ive got c6z51 fr and rear brakes on my 69 and looking for a square setup and not break the bank. c5z fronts are pretty common and easy to find compared to the c5z rears

With a stock subframe, 9.5" wide up front may be a bit of a tight squeeze...

But if one were to try it I offer this advice....

I'm always a fan of pushing the limit--I recently squeezed 315s (on 18x10.5 wheel) up front with the TCI subframe and inner fender mods (and outer lip roll) on my 68 to the surprise of some. My turning radius is reduced some, but hasn't affected me on track and normal autoX courses--haven't tried a Good Guys course yet though...

When I had the stock subframe in place (and stock front everything--68 Firebird) I had 18x8.5 C6 replicas up front (55mm offset, ~6.94" BS) with 2" spacers, it was 4.94" backspace. Fit was great and may have been conservative, there may have been room for a wider on the outside before having fender issues.

If one were to go to a wider wheel, the safest thing would be to let the extra width go more towards the inside and sacrifice parking lot turning radius. To do that, one would add, the difference in outerlip rim width the backspace of the c5z-front. I measured both of these numbers--I had c5z fronts and measured them earlier this year.

c5z front specs are (from corvette forum):
17 x 9.5
Offset: +54mm
Tire Size: 265/40/17
Back Spacing: 7.38” (187.35mm)

The outer lip to outer lip of the wheels that I measured were:

c6rep18x8.5 - 9.56
c5zFront - 10.41

10.41-9.56 = 0.85 inches

Add 0.85 to 4.94 and you get a target BS of 5.79. Which if starting with 7.38" BS means would want a (7.38-5.79 = 1.59") 1.6" wide spacer.

I'd say it's safe to push the wheel out at least 0.15" and round that 1.6" to 1.75" or round down to 1.5" and add thin spacers to dial it in.

Long story short 1.75" spacers may work. This would add 0.15" outward and 0.7" inward of width from a standard 8.5" wide wheel fitment. Can fine tune from there with thin spacers.

[hifi875]

Well I have a 03z and some 1.75 spacers so I guess I will take the fronts off and see what happens. thanks for the advice

[Fritz]

I've hit a bit of a snag. I mounted my CPP arms upper and lower with thier big brake kit spindles that use the C5 hubs. I do not have the 2" spacers yet but eve-balling it it looks like the tie rod is gonna hit the front 17x8.5 wheel. The 18x9.5 rear wheels fit over the tie rod. So I need some 18's in front either corvette or otherwise, or I need to have a spindle which puts the tie rod in a different location.
Do Z28 short steering arms work with the Firebird steering?

[Fritz]

Finally got them mounted up with 2" spacers. The wheels hit both the upper a arm and the tie rod.

CPP A arms and spindles do not work with c5 wheels.

[Fritz]

Finally got them mounted up with 2" spacers. The wheels hit both the upper a arm and the tie rod.

CPP A arms and spindles do not work with c5 wheels.

Well I finally got to looking into this problem and I see that CCP doesn't list their camaro control arms as being compatible with a firebird. Now I'm starting to wonder so I look at summit and the qa1 camaro control arms aren't listed as being compatible with firebirds, and vice versa.

Are first gen camaro and firebird control arms interchangeable? It never crossed my mind that they wouldn't be but now I feel like an idiot.

[csouth]

I don't have an F Body, but logic tells me that the suspension parts from the same platform (1st Gen F Body) should be interchangeable across brands( Chevy Pontiac).

[Ben@SpeedTech]

FWIW I run 98-02 Camaro brakes (very similar to C5 2 piston calipers) on my G-Body spindles with a G-body rotor turned down to be the hub and drop off 12" Camaro rotors. I had race tires mounted on inexpensive 17x9.5 MB Old School wheels (similar to TTs) and had to run a 10mm spacer to clear the caliper as the spokes were flat on the backside. For street tires I picked up Black Rock 17x9 D window steel wheels and they'd clear without the spacers because the steel wheels had a concave face. The 17x9 steel wheels are HEAVY! I think they're like 40 lbs each, the MBs were like 22 or 24 I think.

My MBs were under $150 ea and came machined/clear coated lip with gray powder coated centers but I painted them black tomatch the car.

Sorry I don't have a pic with the steelies, I bought them from Summit for about $84 ea but I did a search and can't find them there anymore.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2017/09/94Xjurz-1.jpg

Black Rock D-window: https://www.blackrockwheels.com/wheels/wheelsdetails/series-942-type-d-steel

[ryeguy2006a]

Another option is to keep an eye out for BMW M Parallel wheels. I bought a set for my 1968 Camaro and they fit great. 18x8 front fit perfectly with no rub or spacers, 18x9.5 rear and I'm running a small 1" adapter in the rear. May swap out for a 1/2" spacer soon though. Overall fit is excellent, and I picked mine up for $675 on CL with tires.

I'm running the stock C5 brakes, but printed templates for Z51 brakes and they fit with tons of clearance. Also, the C6 Z06 brakes will fit height wise, but would need to have a small spacer to clear the caliper.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2018/01/38659372645_f384b63d0c_b-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2017/10/37462085841_c018910632_b-1.jpg