73 Challenger wheels

[Limecuda]

I'm running 17 x 9 with 5" backspacing on the rear with a 255/45/17 tire, front are 17 x 8 with 4 1/2" backspacing with a 235/45/17 tire. I went with the 255 in back to avoid any rubbing at all. I still have the chrome lip molding on my car, which stick in approx. 1". If your car does have the chrome lips at 275/40/17 will work fine with no trouble.

Got any pics? I have a stock suspension (71 Cuda)and want to run a 17x9.5 on the rear and 17x8 on the front. I am thinking 5" of bs on the rear with 275or285/40s and 4.5" bs on the front with 245/40s. I just want to make sure they fit before I order andthing and get stuck. If nothing else I guess I will have to us a 17x8 on the rear as well.

[Bigblue73]

I'm having the wheels mounted this week. I will post some pictures later this week. First thing I would recommend is doing a layout of the brake drum or disc to the leaf spring. Measure using a large 90 degree square or fab together some sheet metal strips perpendicular to each other. A local sheet metal shop should do this for nothing, if not they are crooks. Better yet, I'll make you one if you need it. On your tooling, make a mark 13 1/2 from the 90 degree end, this is your starting point. The 13 1/2" mark is the radius of the tire. I would imagine your tire O.D. won't be more than 27 inches. This also will allow you to take into consideration for the splayed layout of the spings. Keeping in mind that these cars were not welded together on the best tooling, your rear end may be shifted up to 1/2" to one side, so be prepared for some goofy dimensions. Mine was off by a quarter of an inch. From that layout your can determine your rear backspacing. By the way, on my car, the optimum backspacing from a 9 1/2 rim was 5.25 of backspacing. This centered the wheels within the wheel well and allow 7/8" on each side for tire clearance. The 275 wide tires would have 1/2" of clearance to the leaf sping and the stock chrome wheel well molding that I have my car.

Best of luck on your measuring. Let me know if you need some sheet metal fab'd up. All I would need is the shipping cost.