Need advice on which size 18" wheels for a 71 Firebird

[RAFormula]

Hello,
I have a 71 Firebird Formula and will be installing a suspension package (GT package) from pro-touring f-body.com. I want to install 18" wheels and so I am looking at getting the Ridler Black 695 wheels but want to confirm the sizing.

For the front: 18x8 5/4.75 pattern with 4.5 backspacing
For the rear: 18x9.5 5/4.75 pattern with 5.5 backspacing



Will this combo/sizing work on an early Second Gen? Or do I need to make the rears same as the fronts (18x8s all around)? Is the backspacing correct?

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

[RAFormula]

Anyone?

Also, for tires I would go with 245/45/18 front and 275/40/18 rear.

[Project77]

I'm about to rock 18x9 with 5.25 backspacing on all four corners with 275/40/18 tires. I did a test fitting this past weekend and the tires fill the wells without popping out the fenders. You can see pics in my project update.

[72blackbird]

I'm about to rock 18x9 with 5.25 backspacing on all four corners with 275/40/18 tires. I did a test fitting this past weekend and the tires fill the wells without popping out the fenders. You can see pics in my project update.

Project77 (B. Romero) is a buddy of mine, so when he called me and told me his 18 x 9 Bandits and BFG Sport C2's had arrived, he got them mounted and was ready to test fit them I was naturally very excited. He came over, we put them on the car, and both agreed the Hotchkis TVS small block springs put the ride height too low for city driving- different springs would be needed to raise his front end. We decided to mount them on my 72 Esprit to compare ride heights and see how they look on a 70-73 Firebird.

My Bird is an "old-school" Pro Touring car- it has 600 lb. H-O Racing front springs, 1 3/8" H-O Racing front sway bar, WS6 reaf leafs. 3/4" sway bar and Moroso solid body mounts (I installed all of it back in the 90's). The wheel tire combo fits very nicely- no rubbing anywhere, except for the typical tire-swaybar contact at full lock up front. The tires in back don't even come close to the wheelwell humps, and should clear the rear wheelwell lips, even if they aren't rolled.

Geno