I think 20's are way too big, and 19's are so so in my book, but ofcourse looks are all subjective. I want to get an 18x10.5 rim in the rear so i can fit 315's on it, but i can't seem to find any. The only rims that i have found that are 10.5 inches wide, are 17"s, and 17"s just seem a tad too small for the stang. Maybe getting 17x10.5 with a thick walled tire, and lowering the car an inch on Steeda Springs would make wheel gap dissapear? other wise i want 18"s with a thick walled tire and not have to lower the stang. Anyone know of any 18"s that come in 18x10.5?
I'm going with 20's. Putting on Armano Hampton style 20 X 8.5 with P255 35 series ZR Goodyears sized to match stock diamter. Then going with Eibach pro-kit to close up the wheelwell gap. Getting wheels/tires in put on in the morning, and Eibachs next week.
IMO, Hampton is a nice compromise between the old 5 spoke style and the current trend of larger chrome wheel and tire combo. I predict that over time, the larger wheels will be viewed as the way to go. Remember when 15" wheels were it? Now we think 17's are too small. Wont be long and 20's will be the norm on performance cars.
In the real world as a daily driver, the penalty associated with having to overcome a larger rotational inertia on the 20"diameter tire is not a big deal. Maybe a couple of tenths in the quarter. And for 0 to 60 sprints, hooking up the tires is a bigger problem than initially accelerating the mass associated with the wheels and tires. Mass of a 20" wheel only cuts into your accelation after you are fully hooked up. Unsprung weight will also affect suspension response, but again, is this a race car or daily driver? If a daily driver, I doubt if the effects are significant relative to what is encountered on a regular basis.
To me, as a daily driver, I am rating looks of a 20" over the performance penalty. Others may differ in opinion, but thats all part of what makes life interesting.
Sometimes you just can't tell how something is going to look. I have 20" American Racing "Palmettos" on a stock Windveil Blue GT premium, automatic. It is the perfect daily driver, it is import looking yet retro, extemely shiny, not too blingy.... but looks really rich, as in quality auto, the guys at the Lexus dealer drool over my Mustang. No it definitly takes away some of the muscle car look, but anyone who cares knows whats under the hood, every modified mustang on the road wants to take me on, must not be too blingy!
(Celticstanger your car is cool, like the wheels, and it does look muscle)
It does compromise the true performance....but for those who want to just kick around and play a bit with the power it is actually more fun to drive becaue you can feel the road, and hop around corners (not sure you can keep from hopping around corners), but that is on an automatic that hesitates slightly before the jet engine kicks in, those twentys could get annoying on a manual, don't know.
I bought a manual 5 speed just because i realized mine was fun but I was missing something. I'm definitly going with 18s in this car, 18x8.5 up front and 18x9.5 in the back.