C5 Chrome Rims On An 80'???

[Macgyver]

Iam looking to get some rims and tires for my lady as soon as I sell my jeep. I started looking for rims and had been really leaning towards the Crager Torques. Then I looked at everyones pictures to get some ideas and figured out quite a few people have them becuase they look great. Ive seen quite a few pictures (Killer's too many times) and I want to get something that is unique and not ghetto. Then it dawned on me as I pulled up next to a C5, why not get those on my lady. One, they're Corvette rims so you keep it in the family. Two, they look freakin great. I always like to get a good look at them every time I pass some. And three, they look great. Ive never seen these on a C3 or any other year Corvette besides 98 and up so it would be unique. Maybe Im just in the wrong area and havent realized that 40% of the C3's owners already had this idea! Oh yeah dont steal my idea. jk

 

[patsnitrovette]

Actually there are afew guys that run the newer rims and a few with z06 rims,but youll need to run billet adapters from vette brake products to fit them.The have alot of backspace so the rim would be tucked in way too far and hit trailing arm,so you need the adapters.

 

[Macgyver]

COpy cats! just kiddn

These adapters, are they expensive? Would they make the edge of the tire stick out from the car a little?

 

[Macgyver]

Oh yeah, how do they look? IM thinking the 18'' Rear adn 17'' front.

 

[patsnitrovette]

You would have to contact vette brake products and tell them what rims your going with and then they could tell you how far they will stick out if any.Also yes there not cheap.I think the ones your looking at the thin spoke c5 rims look good,then you have the earlier models thick spoke(wagon wheels)zr-1 rims and also the c4 style sawblades too.

 

[Robin7TFour]

mac, the adapters from eckler's cost appx $300 ,but that's complete bolt on kit...


good luck

robin

 

[Macgyver]

hey thanks Robin. $1700 for rims and tires is gonna hurt!

 

[Glensgages]

hey thanks Robin. $1700 for rims and tires is gonna hurt!

Yup!
Now you know why I just had my original '82 aluminum N90 wheels chrome-plated for $600 & new 255/60R15 BFGs for $350...

But chromed ZR1 or ZO6 wheels woulda been cool.......

 

[patsnitrovette]

heres the z06 rims i chrome,i wish they made these deeper.

 

[Macgyver]

Whoa! thats hot. That paint job is really something as well. im looking to get her painted as well. Is that going to cost just as much. (white to black) I havent priced that yet and Im trying to decide if I can do them at the same time or if Ill have to do them seperate. Doing everything all at once will give me a new car though basically, exterior wise. i dont know if Im ready for that.

Im thinkn paint first though. Are anything bigger than 18's gonna give an uncomfortable ride? This is a daly driver. Has anyone ridden in a C5 w/ these on her. I imagine that the suspension on a 2001 Corvette is a little better than an 80' thats stock.

 

[lone73]

Be carefull with those adapters...

I was just looking at putting a set of 17" early C5 wagon wheels with a 7" backspace on my '73. I called a couple of places to get quotes on wheel adapters and I found them for $250 at http://www.adaptitusa.com . 317-856-1810. I needed a 3" to get the wheels to clear the trailing arms. They would not build anything wider than 2" due to wheel bearing failure problems. I scrapped the idea. I have enough rear wheel bearing problems as it is.

good luck

lone73

 

[Macgyver]

So why is backspacing neccessary. Are the C5 wheels too wide to fit under the C3 wheel well that you need to put something like the spacer in between the axle and the tire to push the rim further out???

Are you saying the rims that I want are too big to fit on an 80'? Or that IM just going to need a 3" spacer, Lone?

 

[patsnitrovette]

actually we run on our c3's about 4 inch to 4.5 of backspacing on our cars that will fit without hitting trailing arm. the c5's are running some where in the 6-7 inch range,what that does is move the center of the rim to the far outside of it .Thats why the c4 and c5 rims are flat on the outside no dish to it.So without the adapter or spacer it would never bolt on without hitting the trailing arm.

 

[lone73]

Wheel adapters...

well, I haven't tried it but it's my understanding that if you just try to bolt up the C5 wheel the inside surface of the tire/wheel will contact the trailing arm in the rear before the studs even poke thru the holes on the wheel. This is because the bolt surface on the wheel is so far out toward the outside face of the wheel.

The bolt surface on a stock rally is about centered in the wheel.
The C5 wagon wheels that I was going to buy would require a 3" wheel adapter to make the INSIDE plane of the wheel/tire reside in approximately the same plane as the stock rally wheel so that nothing would rub. I might have gotten away with 2.5 or so but the max thickness they would build for me was 2".

Now as you can see from above posts mounting a C5 wheel to a c3 is do-able. I am just letting you know that there could be wheel bearing problems if you do it. If your car rarely sees a lot of miles in a year it may not be an issue for you. My car will get 10K - 14K miles in one year barring serious breakdowns so for me, added wheelbearing wear just to have 17" wheels is not an option.

Another thing to consider is that the rotors and calipers on most cars, C5 included, are positioned close to the inside face of the wheel spokes. On wheel styles that allow a good view of everything behind it, like the wheels you're considering, it's kind of a nice thing to have something cool to look at as a backdrop to the wheel itself, like maybe some drilled and slotted rotors with a zinc coated center along with calipers powdercoated in red or black or whatever. Look at the car with those Z06 wheels. It's kinda' hard to see in that pic but the rotor is WAAAYYY away from the inner face of the wheel spokes. I have never seen a C5 wheel on a C3 in person but it seems that would look kinda' weird to me. No rotor there as a backdrop for the wheel. Just a big empty hole with a GREAT view of a $50 adapter.

I'm not tryin' to discourage you from buying C5 wheels. If you want to put those on your car and they make you happy - go for it. I'm just trying to point out a few issues that you may not have considered before you spend your money.

Sharing ideas... That's what this forum is for...

good luck bud.

lone73

 

[wichitacorvette]

just made the same post on another thread but here ya go again.......


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=42614&item=2441765392

 

[Macgyver]

Thank you for that link. That just made up my mind! Im going to keep looking for something else now. I drive a lot and that just doesnt look safe at all. I wouldnt want to take a chance on those things!

Thanks so much for all the advice and input guys! Reall yhelped me out here.

Steve'O