Buy wheels/tires early or late in project?

[First Bird]

Hi all,
I'm doing my first project, a 1968 Pontiac Firebird that I've owned since 1980. Seems obvious that you should wait till the car is almost done to buy wheels/tires. But are there advantages in buying them earlier? I intend to roll the fenders.

The 3,340 pound car will have a 425hp 455ci Pontiac engine, a 5-speed and a built 8.5" 10-bolt. Stock subframe has solid bushings and SFC's, Guldstrand and Herb Adams mods. VSE solid bushings in stock arms. Rear brakes are SSBC rear disc. Thinking C5 calipers/C4 rotors so I can keep my 15" RallyII's for the sleeper look, and be able to run 17" Billet Specialties Street Lites when I run the Silver State Classic open road race.

Guess I'm asking if anybody wished they would have realized a problem by having the wheels/tires they wanted earlier in their build.
Thanks,
Tom

[DriverzInc]

You just want to make sure that the wheel you've chosen can accomodate what your plans are for the car. For example, make sure the wheel you want has a enough caliper clearance built in to it to clear your brakes, or if it is a custom machined wheel, make sure the caliper clearances can be built into the wheel. Then, also make sure it comes in the width and diameter you desire. Backspace range is also a good thing to know.

For example, the Billet Spec. Street Lites come with a 5/8" caliper clearance, so you want to make sure your brakes will work with that much clearance. For a 68 Firebird, you are are most likely going with a 17x8 and 17x9.5 if stock tubs and stock length rear end and front end track width, and they are made in those sizes. Backspace on that wheel is custom, so no problems there either.

We have a special on the Street Lites right now with tires, check it out in this thread: https://www.pro-touring.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=69116