New Wheels Pictures!!!

[Ludigdrums]

Hey all...just wanted to share my new rims and tires with everyone. They are Boyd Coddington F-08 Forged Polished 18X10" Rims w/255/40/18 Front and 285/40/18 Rear.

Lemme know what ya think!

- Jeremy

 

[bossvette]

Looks good how about a rear view so we can see how wide they are?

 

[slyone1000]

Very nice rims............was thinking about going with those myself, ..........(NOW) I am going to have to find something else....LOL........oh well, I like being original...................LOL

 

[BlackZ28Turbo]

What an awesome looking car.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Sweet

Nice choice. Did they balance up OK?

 

[Ludigdrums]

Thanks everyone...here's a rear view and another straight on side view.

I had to take them to 2 tire places, as the first one couldn't get the tire on the rim. The second place also had a hard time, but managed to do it. As far as the balancing, the guy was surprised how close they were...like maybe 1.25 off. He used the stick on weights on the inside of the rim, so you don't see them, and they balanced perfectly!

The tires are amazing...Dunlop S9000, rated 10 in dry and 10 in wet traction. These things grip! Got them from Tirerack.com as they had the best price...even better than a huge discount at Goodyear from knowing the district manager!

Oh yeah, the backspacing is 4" on all 4...I used offset trailing arms, although I didn't need to. Originally I was going to go wider in the rear, but they couldn't make the rims with the same type of lip as the fronts would be. So, I opted to stay witht the 10".

Also, my car has the Duntov Turbo body kit on it, so that's why my fenders are so wide, and why 10" rims w/4" backspacing fit's perfectly.

I put lowering bolts for the rear spring which helped bring the car down, but the front is sitll way high! The springs are relatively new, the previous owner had them installed in 2000, so I figure they must be settled by now. What kind of clearance do you guys have between the tire and the wheel well? From others I've seen it seems like no more than 2 in.

If anyone has any questions, please ask. I just finished doing the following...New Offset Trailing arm assemblies from Van Steel with new SS parking brake hardware and rotor, Half Shaft Rebuild w/new U Joints, Poly strut rod bushings, New front rotors and calipers, full pressure bleed/flush.

Finally after a long time, I can drive with confidence. I don't know if any of you know but, a while back I had posted stuff about my wheel almost falling off. It broke off 3 studs and was hanging on by 1 lug nut. That started a snowball effect of problems, that prompted me to want to get rid of those other wheels, which were using spacers and longer studs with unilug wheels. Anyway, that incident messed up my runout and caused my brakes to be bad.

Well, after a lot of time and $$$, things are great again, even better than before, and I'm thrilled. So, thanks for looking and tkaing the time to read (sorry so long).

- Jeremy

 

[Tom Bryant]

I asked because I have heard that sometimes these big diameters can be a bear to balance and out of round can be a problem too. Sounds like yours are spot on.

As for the spring situation something strange is going on there. My '81 has no air gap between the top of the tire and the wheel arch. If you stick a ruler straight in at the top of the wheel opening it lays on top of the tire. It's always been this way since new. I'm curious if the previous owner has used spacers to raise the car and possibly even taller than stock springs in the front. You still need to drop about 3 inches in the rear to get down to stock and at least 5-6 inches in front. Springs don't settle that much.

Look for a spacer or block beyween the rear spring and the mount on the carrier and also for spacers inside the front spring pockets.

With either 225/70 or 255/60 tires the specs are the same. Measure from the frame to the ground where it's parallel at the front under the side scoop and at the rear in front of the kick up. It should be roughly 8.5 inches at both locations. Just a hare more in the front. Mine is exactly 7.0 inches in both locations. Since it's the same on all 4 corners I suspect mine has been at this level since my wife bought it new.

With your custom wheels and tires yours will be a little different but not much. It depends on the outside diameter of the tire which will be close to the stock ones.

Tom

 

[Ludigdrums]

Hey Tom...thanks for the info...I know that the rear spring doesn't have any spacer, because I had it out when doing all the rear suspension stuff. The fronts I don't know and will have to check. One good thing is I know the shop that it was done at with the previous owner. Speaking to them, they told me, as far as the rear spring, that it's the one they normally use. I think it's a 9 leaf. Although, I thought in '81, the Auto's were supposed to have the fiberglass ones?

As for the front, I think I'll take em out and cut em.

Thanks again!

- Jeremy

 

[Stallion]

Maybe it's just the picture (or my eyes ), but does it seem like there is a lot of space above the front wheel (in between the fender and the tire)? Or is that just me?

 

[invinceablevett]

they look great.....so does the car!!!!

 

[Tom Bryant]

Our '81 (built in October '80) has the fiberglas spring although I have heard of a few without them. The nine leaf has a lot of arch to it but it shouldn't set any higher than a '80.

One thing about cutting the fronts is that the rate increases with the shortening of the wire. This results in a stiffer ride. They just have to be the wrong springs.

 

[Ludigdrums]

I was thinking wrong springs as well, however, they were installed by a place called Corvette's Unlimited in Babylon, NY, and I would assume that it's the same spring they use for all other's that are the same as mine. Unless of course the previous owner requested it to sit higher, but it doesn't indicate that on the paperwork I have.

The problem now is, there really isn't a good way to tell what springs I currently have, so that I can make a wise choice on new springs. Or is there? Because even taking them out, different springs will be different heights and have different coil sizes, etc.

- Jeremy

 

[Stallion]

I would say to just go with a stock spring. That definitely doesn't look stock on there right now. Why would the previous owner want to jack up the front?? Who does that?

 

[Twin_Turbo]

Someone either installed the springs incorrectly or you need to cut off 1/2 a coil or so. I like the wheels and the body kit,..but what's up with those lamps under the bumper?

 

[Stallion]

I don't think there's a body kit on it.

 

[Twin_Turbo]

there's definitely a body kit on it. I think it's a duntov turbo kit from ACI.

Ludigdrums, do you know what the kit is exactly?

 

[1slow78]

vette looks awesome, rims just make it look better!

 

[stangmata50l]

Nice looking car!!!! You definately need to get that nose down.

What's the deal with the lights on the rear bumper? If anything you need to get some CLR and clean out those lenses. That stuff can take the yellow out of any lights.

Have the cops ever hassled you about having the plate cover?

Later,

Ian

 

[Ludigdrums]

Thanks everyone!

TwinTurbo: Those are some very unfortunate reverse lights which the previous owner put on. Probably for inspection, because the regular reverse lights were removed. I happen to like the way the 2 red tailights look together, but can't figure a better way to get reverse lights. So, I think I'm just going to get a set of lenses for the reverse lights, so I can remove those hideous ones.

Yes, it is a body kit from ACI...Duntov Turbo, the whole side panels including doors are quite a bit larger. That's why my wheels at 18x10 w/4" backspacing line up with the wheel wells. I've tried to contact ACI regarding it (to get more info), but they never got back to me. I have this interesting cover for my mufflers, and wanted to know how to take it down. Anyway, I got it down, and inbeded in the fiberglass back, was an ACI label.

Also, when I got the car, in the paperwork he gave me, was an estimate for the car by an appraiser, who said all the parts were genuine Corvette parts (meaning the cutsom body panels), and valued it at 18 or 19k. That was done when the original owner had it, who I can't seem to contact. :-(

That's about all I know! I need to take out the springs to see what's going on. Can you use a regular coil spring compressor to take them down, or that special tool they show in the shop manual?

Thanks again!

- Jeremy

 

[Ludigdrums]

Ian - thankfully, I have not been stopped yet! My main car is an '87 Monte Carlo, and they love me in that thing, unfortunately!

Question, what's wrong with the plate cover? That's how the previous owner had it.

Thanks!

- Jeremy