TTII or Magnum 500 Prices?

I'm in the market for some new rims and tires. Money is an issue... Right now I have so 14 inch Magnum 500. I don't really want to throw money into 14 inch rims for new tires, I'd rather have something bigger. I can't seem to find any used 15 inch Magnum 500s either, and I figured if I found some they would cost too much and require too much work to make them look nice (new chrome and paint etc). I guess I just figured it would be just cheaper to buy some new ones in the long run.

Where can you get 15x8 Magnum 500s for the cheapest price?

Also, do all 15x8 Magnums have the same backspacing?

Does anyone else besides Wheel Vintiques make repo Magnum 500s?

Does anyone make a 16 inch Magnum 500 (I know they have a 17-inch)?

I'm also interested in TTIIs....but only if the price is right and a set of 500s don't seem like enough of a deal in comparisson.

Where can you get the cheapest set of 17x8 TTIIs???

Anyway, I though I would ask the experts for guidance....

DJ

Snail50 - Thanks for your help....your idea about calling local vendors listed on AR's website is great. So far the best deal I found was from Mustangs Plus, they have 17x8 TTII with the proper backspacing for $995.00. I've seen the 16x8 TTII in the Summit catalog for $209 each, but they don't list the 17x8, so I think their pricing would be comparable to Mustang Plus. I guess I could call and ask.

I appreciate your candor about your experience with parts stores. It really is amazing how dumb they think buyers actually are...or is it that so many people are. I've been learning a lot about how shops and parts stores make money (from my family members and experience this summer). They make money off knowing just a tiny bit more than the average buyer.

For example a tire shop will measure your car and select a rim with the proper backspacing and tire combo, and they charge $100 or more for their time. And the average car guy can figure out how to do it in about an hour. They try to make everything seem so difficult to comprehend, that you don't mind shelling out money for a job a kid could figure out.

I tried to see if I could have a shop help me measure backspacing, then let me go find rims elsewhere to save money off their price, and let me come back to mount and buy new tires. They obviously weren't having that because it would cut into their profit for an easy job....and they were going to mark up the rims by like $100 each off what I could find elsewhere. In other words they were going to make about $500 off of my laziness for an hours worth of work. Good thing I'm not lazy....and I have Stangnet to call for help and expose the Of course they didn't want to price match either...

I'll be measuring my own backspacing, researching and price shopping for rims, price shopping for tires, then going to a shop to mount the tires, and finally putting them on myself.... and saving tons of money....of course I might do the last three steps at one place with a good deal because they might warranty and insure the tires for road damage etc..

bswor - I've looked on e-bay quite a few times, but with no luck. It's tough to find Ford patterned 17x8 TTII with 4 3/4" backspacing. Same problem with the exact Magnumm 500s I want.

Thanks
DJ