Question: C6 wheels on my '85

[85dougnash]

I need some input . . .
I have a chance to buy a set of staggered (17 front 18 rear) C6 wheels with tires (70% tread left) for $600.

So, $600 for a set of C6 wheels/tires like the ones below, how would it look on my 1985? The wheels are exactly like these.

 

[85dougnash]

Gonna gamble . . .

Okay, I going to go out on a limb here and suggest that a.) this will look beyond awesome on my car and b.) $600 is a sceaming deal.

Cool, all I needed was your approval to push me over the edge. I knew you guys would agree, thanks! Hope my wife will forgive me.

Foy
Las Vegas

 

[hotshotzny]

i cant say for 100% sure how i think they would look BUT fudge it.... if you like it and you are willing to sleep in the dog house for a couple days then do it.. it does seem like a pretty sweet deal to me considering i paid 6something for a set of wheels for my car (8 weeks ago i might add and i still havent seen them..... damn american racing and thier backorders) i spent a little bit of time in the dog house over that, but i have my own bunk in there now! seems anything i do pans out to costing me a lot of money.....

bowling... 4 or 5 hundred by the time i was done

golf.... thousands easily:ugh

fishing.... up to about 6 bills this summer already.. and i havent been out deep sea fishing yet this season

the vette....fuggetaboutit

the boat and the jetskis........;help

my insanely fast RC car.....i refuse to say! ....but it goes like 60mph!

the list goes on and on!

get your wheels!

if you dont want them i have a friend who does.........

 

[CSS996]

Backspacing will be off, I think. The rears may look like they are set in too far. You may need some kind of spacer/adapter.

I put C5 wheels on my '93 with no issues. I even used the same lug nuts and plastic caps. I think they changed the backspacing in '88 or '89.

 

[Tuna]

You might need spacers - might not.
84-87 C4 used an offset of 32-38 mm depending on the wheels while 88-96 C4s used an offset of 56 mm. Check the offset on the C6 wheels - it's on the back side of the wheels with the size 18x8.5x##.
I have a spare set of C6 wheels in my attic. I'll have to look at them to see what the offset is.

 

[85dougnash]

Thanks

Hotshotz, I hope you get your wheels soon and it sounds like you get in much more trouble (i.e. have more fun) with the wife than me. I like your style . . . better to ask forgiveness after than permission . . . blah, blah however it goes.

I understand about the rear offset - don't know if it will look too tucked in and it may need longer studs(?) with a spacer.

Foy
(soon to be in the dog-house) in Las Vegas

 

[hotshotzny]

its a morning ritual that im so gonna miss once they show up, i wake up and walk out to the garage to look and see if ups snuck in under my radar and dropped them off.. then i curse and walk back inside


and i know the saying well

id rather beg for forgiveness later than ask permission now

 

[RVN]

Sounds like a great deal! What brand tires?

Concerning the other half, "If you don't think you're going to like the answer, then don't ask the question". Then play the "see how long it takes before it gets noticed" contest ...we have separate bank accounts

 

[jrzvette]

I may be wrong but I thought C6 wheels were 18" fr/ 19" rear.

 

[85dougnash]

C6 wheels

I can't remember what tires they had. I am getting them tomarro - they are the tires that came on the '06 Corvette that they came from. They may even be run flats(?) I am putting spacers/adapters (whatever they are) on the back.

The problem now is that on the way to get the wheels/tires today, I blew a high pressure fuel line on the right side of the engine, so it's in the shop right now . . . I hope it is not too expensive but I think my boss is going to pay for it.

Foy
(fuel-line blown in) Las Vegas

oh and you are probably right jrzvette, I am new to all this - I thought I knew a lot about Corvettes but after owning one I now realize I don't know squat

 

[jrzvette]

oh and you are probably right jrzvette, I am new to all this - I thought I knew a lot about Corvettes but after owning one I now realize I don't know squat

Just be aware that you'll be going up 3" in diameter on the rear wheels (assuming you're running stock now). This is going to throw your speed WAY off. You won't be able to compensate with lower aspect tires.

 

[85dougnash]

I forgot . . .

I knew that about the speedometer but forgot cause I want the wheels real bad. No offense to anybody but the original wheels on my '85 are very ugly IMHO. The C-4 body is timeless and like (most) vettes, whatever the future is, no matter how much things change, the car will stay hot looking. The original wheels are dated and go a long way toward making it look like an old, used car. Also, when the clear finish starts coming off they just plain look bad. My left/rear wheel is bent and I don't want to spend money fixing/replacing something I don't like.

Foy
(bent) in Las Vegas

 

[Tuna]

One thing that came to mind on doing this swap which is not a factor on the '85 (no ABS), the C4 ABS system expects to have tires that are all about the same diameter front and rear. If they are significantly different, the ABS may assume that one end is locking up and release the brakes when it shouldn't. The stock C6 tires are more than an inch different in diameter 25.7 / 26.9. I'm not an expert on this but it could be a concern.

 

[jrzvette]

Just be aware that you'll be going up 3" in diameter on the rear wheels (assuming you're running stock now). This is going to throw your speed WAY off. You won't be able to compensate with lower aspect tires.

I forgot that the stock 85 tire is 255/50/16, while the C6 is (I think) 275/35/19. If that's true then (using the handy tire calculator in the Tool Box) the diameters are 26.04" and 26.6", an insignificant difference. Go for it. Just remember, if you need to use adaptors, not spacers.

And of course with that new open wheel design you'll have to upgrade your calipers and rotors and keep them real clean.

The fun never stops.

 

[85dougnash]

I was wrong . . .

I got my wheels/tires today and they are C-5 not C-6 as I said ealier. However, they look KILLER and changed my car big time. I took these lousy pics quick before the sun went down and they show a shamfully dirty Corvette. I think they came from an '04.

Tires are: front--> P245/45ZR17
and rear--> 275/40ZR18 Nitto NT555 (both front & rear)
I also included a pic with the original wheels.

 

[85dougnash]

your '69

jrzvette,
Are there pics here of your '69? I really dig 68-69 - I had a memorable experience in an extremely strong running '69 350 4 speed when I was 15. My best friend's older brother's friend took me for a ride in his convertible and it turned out to be something of a religious <sp> experience for me. The throttle response in that car defied all laws of nature. I simply could not believe a small block could pull that strong. The transmission whine in my Doug Nash reminds me of the sound his tranny made.

Foy
Las Vegas

 

[85dougnash]

expensive fuel line fix

Shop said GM stopped making the fuel line I needed 10 years ago. They said an experienced Corvette shop here in town (Las Vegas) showed the hose/tube company/fabricator (?) how to make a new braided steel line.

Cost? a cool $1,000.

But, I had to do it, I lost a half tank of gas driving 25 miles and it was pouring all over the pass side exhaust manifold.

Ahhhh, Corvette ownership.

Foy
(not wasting gas anymore) in Las Vegas

 

[CSS996]

Looks sharp! Sounds like the deal you got on the wheels was negated by that hose! SHEESH!

 

[85dougnash]

oh yeah

css996,
Very much so - it happened on the way to get the wheels but . . . the NEXT day was awesome. My very cool boss took care of the fuel line repair bill. I work for a classic/specialty car reseller and he sold me the car. He did not technically have to pay for it but he is a straight up guy. He just called yesterday and said, "go get your car." So, car is fixed with new wheels but now, of course, I have new problems.

When I got the car back from the fuel line repair the SES light comes on and goes off at idle(?) Also, the A/C now blows on my feet instead of out of the dash vents - very little comes out of the vents. Same cooling just comes out the bottom now.

Aint Corvette ownership a riot?

Foy
(almost happy) in Las Vegas

 

[85dougnash]

fixed the A/C

Okay, I fixed the A/C blowing out the bottom problem. A very small vacuum hose going to the servo(?) on the pass side just above the blower motor was pulled off during the repair. I put it back on and whala, A/C blows out the vents again.

But, while doing that I find this hose just laying on top of the blower motor. Any ideas what it is or where it goes? I looked around and could find nothing to suggest it's placement.

Foy
in (crooked hose) Nevada