Wheel backspacing on versailles rear

1Bad67

New Member
Apr 2, 2005
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I'm about to spend the big bucks on a set of PSE wheels for my '67 fastback. It has a Versailles rear. I'm currently running 275 40 17 tires and they fit with plenty of room to spare due to the narrower rear. I've done some measuring and I'm sure 285's will fit. Here is my problem. I will need to have a 4.75" backspace. Do you think they would look bad with the outer dish being 1.5" deeper than the front wheels? Or should I get them with the 5.5" backspacing and use a 3/4" spacer so the outside dish is closer in size to the front? Opinions appreciated.
 
Just use 4.75 backspacing front and back. If you use 5.5 back spacing in the rear, and a 3/4 spacer, it doesn't change the dish of the wheel. The spacer just makes the rear end wider. 5.5 backspacing would have less dish than a 4.75 of the same width.
 
Actually, it does change the dish of the outer wheel since the less backspacing moves the center further back. A 9.5" wheel with 4.75 backspacing would have a 1.5" deeper dish in front than a 8" wheel with 4.75 backspacing. If I use a 5.5" backspace on the 9.5" wide wheel the front dish would be closer in appearance to the front wheel. However, it would move the wheel back and would hit the leaf spring. Thus the need for a spacer. I'm just wondering if it would look good with the rear dish being deeper than the front if I use the 4.75 backspace.
 
Well, deeper dish is old school. I guess old school anyhow because you don't see as much of it anymore. Usually it requires a narrower rear axle, which racers have a lot of. Consider it more of a racer look than old school if O.S. is not the look you want.

I have a versaille rear also and look forward to deeper dish rear, looks less stock. I like a more agressive race type of look. Tasteful though, not completely raced or riced out IMHO. That small of addtional dish should look awesome. Could you measure your axle for me sometime? I am not sure if mine is stock width or shortened even more. I Think I need 3.75 B.S.

Can you post a pick or several of your car, I want to see the stance etc. Nice to finall have someone with the same car and rear components I can see.....

I need to figure out wheels and tires myself. Thanks a bunch, Tim
 
:D I thought the rear wheels ALWAYS needed the deeper dish to look right.:D If I could, I'd post the pics of my 89 Ranger with it's 15x10 aluminum slots on rear, 15x7 slots up front. I've never had anyone tell me it looked retarded. Nor the set on my 95 E150 conversion van.:D That one DID look retarded till I put it's slots on. The tires fill up the fender flares now. ( 15x8.5's front-15x10's rear)
 
1Bad67 said:
Actually, it does change the dish of the outer wheel since the less backspacing moves the center further back. A 9.5" wheel with 4.75 backspacing would have a 1.5" deeper dish in front than a 8" wheel with 4.75 backspacing. If I use a 5.5" backspace on the 9.5" wide wheel the front dish would be closer in appearance to the front wheel. However, it would move the wheel back and would hit the leaf spring. Thus the need for a spacer. I'm just wondering if it would look good with the rear dish being deeper than the front if I use the 4.75 backspace.
I see, you never mentioned you were running different width wheels.
 
Can't really take any pics right now. The car is on jack stands right now. I've been going completely through it this winter. Stripped it completely down. New TCP suspension and subframe connectors. Took the body down to bare metal. I'm just getting it back together and getting the body work done. I'm hoping to have it ready for paint by June. I sold my old rims and tires last week.
 
1Bad67 said:
Do you think they would look bad with the outer dish being 1.5" deeper than the front wheels? Or should I get them with the 5.5" backspacing and use a 3/4" spacer so the outside dish is closer in size to the front? Opinions appreciated.

I vote for going with the deep dish look. It's all the rage with the late model boys.

Check out the numerous e-bay auctions for 10.5 deep dish rear wheels with 9 inch front wheels.

MD