Rim opinions wanted

[06cobra]

Well I'm thinking of doing something I said I'd never do... Run bigger rims on my 66.

I am thinking of doing 17s up front and 18s in the back.

Like the Year one stang. but mine is a Coupe, would this look dumb on it?
Now I know that the year one stang has 17x7s up front and 18x9s in the back (which I know are too wide for a non tub'd car, but still the you get the general idea)

 

[66mustangg]

Umm idk man im not really feeling those rims...

 

[06cobra]

lets say not those exact rims, but similar concept 18s rear 17s front on a coupe, any thoughts that way?

 

[iskwezm]

do it, i plan 18's and 20's someday

 

[limey66]

I don't see that these early cars can carry too much rim. 17 as a max.

My two pence...

 

[sixtynine Mach]

If you can get them to stay nicely tucked inside the fenders and with a good low stance, would probably look pretty sharp. Also, while the car may handle better, you might have to deal with bumpsteer and a harsher ride. But if you're going for looks, who cares?

 

[HHStang]

Go for it! The 18/17 combo looks awesome.

 

[dodgestang]

I dunno....I kinda like 17s all around

The main problem as I see it is that unless you really do plan to tub the car out, by stepping up in rim size without the ability to also increase width and/or height it becomes harder to get the sidewall profile to match from front to back. On the front for instance if you opt to run a 235 45 17 then in the rear...a 255 40 17 has approx an equivilant tire height and the side wall profile is visually the same.

To bump up to an 18 then...the overall diameter of the tire will go up in an attempt to keep the tire visual profiles the same front to back. Which of course means the need to lower the back more than the front to keep a leveled and lower look. Which of course means more clearance work in the wheel well as you put a larger tire diameter into on a lower and lower car.

It might be just a red herring when looking at 17 front and 18 back but when looking at things like 18 front and 20 back it becomes much more pronouced as a problem.

Just my $.02

 

[65up2d8]

I say go for it!! Once you've bought the wheels, you'll figure out what needs to be done to make them work, which will help me in the future if I want to use similar wheels!
All kidding aside, I think the Year One car has an awesome stance. In the words of Rob Schneider, 'you can do it!!"

 

[frost0100]

My friend has a 68 with 18x9 rims in the back (tuck perfectly) and has 18x9 (narrowed to 8") in the front. He used the FR500 rims...

His car is a coupe, and looks EXTREMLY MEAN!!! I know I know.. .worthless without pics right...

 

[iskwezm]

It might be just a red herring when looking at 17 front and 18 back but when looking at things like 18 front and 20 back it becomes much more pronouced as a problem.

Just my $.02

i have grown tired of the 17's.I had the first set of 16" TTII's when they came out in 92 and then I got the 1st set of 17's back in 94',so i've has them for so long they have bored me.I have seen the 18/20's and they fit pretty good,i just need to find out what size hammer they used

 

[latamud]

I'm sure theres someone out there running 20's all around their 65/66 Mustang.
I do know the guy in Thailand with the 66 coupe has 20's in the rear and 18 up front. Has some hand made steel flairs.

 

[MDinDestin]

it becomes harder to get the sidewall profile to match from front to back. On the front for instance if you opt to run a 235 45 17 then in the rear...a 255 40 17 has approx an equivilant tire height and the side wall profile is visually the same.

True, but by bumping up to a 255/40/18 in the rear in your example, he would have a slight rake to his stance that can look pretty mean on a restomod.

This is similar to what um....Chevrolet is doing from the factory on the Corvette.