Wheels from Vintage Wheel Works US

[Merv and Sharon]

Is this an engineering check item or a QT one? Mine seem to be OK since the suspension has been aligned.

Merv

[sambo]

Merv, my concern relates to wheels rubbing on the wheel arches, more so on one side due to the body being slightly off centre (about 10mm). I suspect engineers wouldn't pass it like that either.

[macloft]

I had exactly the same issue with my Harrison (determining back space). I would ask people what back space they had, then look at their car and try to compare that to mine along with the tyre size I wanted.
Knowing I had one chance to get it right, as I was getting the wheels and tyres from the US caused me a few sleepless nights.
In the end I borrowed some wheels and had the whole thing wheel aligned by a reputable suspension place. Good thing I did as it altered the whole stance of the car. They had to add a number of shims to the LH front and the rear needed a fair amount of work also. This actually gave me more problems as I found the body was off, were as before I was trying to kid myself everything would be OK.
I think the money I spent on wheel aligning was one of the best value things I did. The guy actually let me leave it on the hoist and i fixed a few other things at the same time.
Then I went home and using a plumb bob hanging right through centre of axle I measured from the lip of the guard to the wheel hub and then spent a bloody long time ensuring the wheel manufacturer was absolutley clear with my wheel backspace. He supplied the drawing in fact.
Result bolted up the wheels and spot on.

Could extend the guards like Venom.

Bruce

[sambo]

Bruce, can I borrow your wheels??

Great idea though - get the suspension sorted before taking final measurements. Thanks for the tip.

[Merv and Sharon]

Yes Sambo, I went to Warwick's suspension guy and for $65.00 he did a great job with setting up the front and rear suspension with shims on the front. Final fettling from him after registration. I have raised my suspension to 110mm clearance for QT inspection but even at 85 mm I had no problems with the wheel arches rubbing under exuberant driving on private roads. I think you maybe right about the body being slightly off centre, but I had not problem going through engineering with what I now have.

Merv

[Aussie Mike]

Leeroy kindly loaned me his wheels when I was setting my car up. That let me get the offsets how I wanted them and determine if there was enough clearance for the 11" wide rears.

If you are trying to get your offsets spot on make sure you take into account clearances through the full suspension travel and lock to lock steering.

The bump steer on the rear of my car caused some problems with the 11" rears. The were OK on the road but when I was driving on the track I found they rubbed badly in a couple of spots. Tyre flex and growth with speed were a couple of factors I hadn't accounted for. This time when I built the new rear end I went to great effort to check clearance right through the travel.

You could gain more clearance with some fabricated front arms or possibly change the offset on your hubs (depending on how much clearance you have between the caliper and the back of the wheel or between the disc rotor and the ball joint.

Also the pin drive adaptor flange is usually about 10mm thick so if your running pin drives take that into account.

Cheers

[race-it]

Have you checked out Image Wheels? I have two sets. They have just about any backspsce you want. Image Wheels in England. Look on web under Image Wheels.

[Merv and Sharon]

Wow! And I thought 9.5 was a wide wheel!

Merv

[macloft]

Sambo
You can borrow the wheels.They are in a lock up in Brisbane. I will fly back from Texas and get them for you.
I actually borrowed some off a mates HSV for the front and the local wrecker lent me 2 of a falcon for the back.
You know I believe the wheels are one of those areas you have to get right. I think I spent more time on the wheels decision than anything else other than the paint which I can still not decide (my wife is also involved in this one). Actually wheels and tyres are a large investment and they are the foundation for what type of look you want. Cruiser, racer, bling bling, contemporary, really wide, billboards, 18" or 17" or 16" they also dictate the stance. Wires, spokes, solid, chrome, aluminium, cast, machined, billet, painted.
Then does it fit your budget and again, I thought stuff it spend the money here and bugger the flowed heads and stainless braided brake lines.
So no pressure and Good luck
Bruce

[sambo]

Yeah thanks Bruce! What's the PIN to that storage shed?

Already decided on 17" Hallibrand copies, just the offsets are what's niggling me.