Fitting 275/40R18s on 18x9.5" wheels on all four corners of a '66 Chevelle?

[switchblade327]

(Reposting from Chevelles.com since I figure you guys have more experience with big, meaty tires)

I'm just about to order wheels for my '66 and I was resigned to 18x8s in the front and 18x10s in the rear, intended to run 245s in the front and 295s in the rear. I'd looked over so many pro-touring builds and 245s in the front seem like the most common "wide" tire, with a handful running 255s or 265s but some mention of rubbing on turns. But digging deeper, I've found a few 66-67 cars running 275s in the front!


Tom Farrington's '66 Chevelle
http://www.popularhotrodding.com/fea...evelle_malibu/


Car Craft '65 El Camino
http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles...r_and_toe.html


Tony/66 L78's '66 Convertible


Possibly the ridetech '66
http://www.ridetech.com/garage/1966-chevelle/?nggpage=2 (this page says 275/40s in the front but the Hot Rod article says 225/45s)


I'd prefer to have the front and rear tires square if I can without compromising my ability to hook up in a straight line too much. 18x9.5" wheels with 5.5" backspacing on 275/40s seem to be ideal for this. If they fit, of course.


Is this just a matter of getting the backspacing of a custom wheel just right? Or is there something else I'm missing that these cars have in common? Do they all have rolled fenders or other modifications? It seems strange that it's not more common if it's just a matter of getting the backspacing right. Or is this not done as much because 275s in the front might wander like crazy? Is square even that big a deal if the rears are just a little wider (295s) and I get an adjustable rear sway bar?

[shane38]

Just got my 275 tires for the front and waiting on the wheels to be made but a buddy has 275 on his 66 and they work great...

[switchblade327]

Cool. What size wheels did you order? Backspacing? What about your buddy's wheels?

[cactuss4]

yes please more info and there is another thread about this going on I think.

[switchblade327]

I posted in that one too, right above you Cactuss. I created this new one to vet my specific wheel and tire combination, front and rear with rim width, backspacing etc. I'm hopefully ordering the wheels custom next week and I really don't want to get stuck with cu$tom made rims that don't fit.

[sanman357]

Please post all the details. I have a 67, and am looking to do the same. Should be the same specs.

[switchblade327]

Some of the tidbits I've gathered from stalking other people's build threads:

From Tom Farrington's build thread:
"Nothing too fancy with our setup. ATS/AFX spindles, BAER (C-5) brakes and 18x9.5" wheels with 6.5" backspacing. We did end up with a 1/8" spacer to clear the brakes but other than that... We do rub a little tire on the ridetech musclebar swaybar, but the last swaybar we were rubbing rim. Blah!"

6.5" backspacing sounds massive and it sounds like YMMV with other, more affordable sway bars.

The Car Craft Elc is 17x9.5 wheels (6-inch back). The sway bar is a Global West.

I would really, really love to hear what the ridetech '66 is actually running since I also have Ridetech spindles. I PM'd Bret crossed my fingers.

[switchblade327]

Also, this thread was useful but didn't answer decisively:
http://www.chevelles.com/forums/show...st+wheel+front

Tony/1966 L78s car had 265s in the front it seems, not 275.

[Paul Huryk]

Square wheels and tires is a great idea on a front heavy RWD car like we all have. Plus you get the ability to rotate tires, more balanced braking, and also a certain "look".

For most of us, wider tires equate (usually) to better handling and braking, with some emphasis on straight line traction. Tire pattern and compound probably make just as much or even more difference in hooking up that the width.

[switchblade327]

Tony got back to me on Chevelles.com for the rest of you looking for this info
http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=491873

[Forgeline Wheels]

Not trying to open a can of worms (because I don't really know much about this build), but did you see that the latest Vintage Racing and Performance build from Scott Mock is a '66 Chevelle with a squared setup? 18x12 Forgeline ZX3 wheels with 7.375 inch backspacing and 335/30/18 Michelin Pilot Sports.

I saw it at his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vinta...50689008326452

[switchblade327]

That car is gorgeous and the wheels look great! Those are the Forgelines I would get. But from the Facebook pics, it looks like he's running a totally custom front clip and no inner fenders.

[Forgeline Wheels]

from the Facebook pics, it looks like he's running a totally custom front clip and no inner fenders.

Most likely.

[cactuss4]

Not trying to open a can of worms (because I don't really know much about this build), but did you see that the latest Vintage Racing and Performance build from Scott Mock is a '66 Chevelle with a squared setup? 18x12 Forgeline ZX3 wheels with 7.375 inch backspacing and 335/30/18 Michelin Pilot Sports.

I saw it at his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vinta...50689008326452

Don't do facebook, but that roll bar/cage is interesting, looks well done through the rear deck. Want to keep my backseats in play!

[switchblade327]

(Not sure if Facebook links will work)
Under the hood:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.n...24685874_n.jpg

Front clip:
https://sphotos-b-sjc.xx.fbcdn.net/h...84029412_n.jpg

I'm also curious about that roll bar! I want to see more of this car.

[cactuss4]

Ya thats a whole lot of custom!! Pictures show, thanks!
Tory

[Forgeline Wheels]

https://sphotos-b-sjc.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/941882_522415147820501_784029412_n.jpg[/url]

I had missed this one. That is awesome!

[switchblade327]

Little kids could roll down hills inside those giant rims!

[tommycomfort]

Just to clarify what we're running on our 66 now. We have the complete DSE front suspension with the forged spindle (1.5" taller with 2" drop). The wheels are 18x9.5" with 6.5" of back spacing. with the 1/2" spacer we are running now it equals 6" of back spacing. I'm not sure if we still needed that spacer to clear the calipers once we switched to the DSE stuff or not. I will check though. Keep in mind that alignment specs make a big difference in what rubs and what doesn't also. I am running the max positive caster that the DSE upper control arms allow and have also exceeded their recommendations on negative camber. After a few years of abusing the car we are just about rub free unless we go to full lock and at that point we can contact the DSE splined anti-roll bar. Hope that makes it slightly clearer than mud...

[switchblade327]

Thanks for the info, Tom! Is the DSE setup + your brakes much wider than stock? That's a lot of backspacing! The wheels I wound up getting are 9.5" wide with 5.5" of backspacing so hopefully that'll let me run the 275s (ridetech front suspension + Kore3 brakes).