Hey guys, I've found a set of Cragar soft 8 style wheels I really like for a good price on Summit racing. The most backspacing you can get is 5 inches though, would those wheels in a 17x9 size fit my 1969 Cutlass? Stock original O type rear with drum brakes in the back. I want to go to F body 98-02 disc brakes for the front but I don't believe that will affect track width significantly. I can go with 17x9 in the rear and 17x8 in the front if the track width will be wider on the front with the F body discs and cause issues. Chevelle guys seem to fit these wheels with that backspacing no problem but obviously a Chevelle's quarter panels are quite different so I'm guessing the clearance will be too. This is the specific wheel I'm talking about http://www.summitracing.com/parts/br...3450/overview/

 

5" backspacing on a 9" wide rim is just about zero offset, so that's what you want.

Of course, these WHEELS will fit fine. We can't help you with TIRE clearance until you tell us the size.

 

I have a pair of 275/40/R17's in my garage that are like new that I'd really like to run on the back if possible. I don't have anything else for a 17 inch wheel on hand though so I was planning on picking up something maybe a little narrower for the front if need-be.

 

This is the fundamental problem with large diameter wheels. The available tires are all very low profile and all are around 25" in diameter. Those 275/45-17s are only 25.6" in diameter. That's just about exactly the same OD as the 245/60-14s that some people run. Your call, but they will leave a lot of daylight between the tire and the wheel opening.

 

The car will be lowered, I'll be running circle track springs and adjusters which is a common thing guys do with pro-touring Chevelles. The reason for the 17 inch wheels is to clear brakes from a 98-02 LS1 Camaro/Trans Am. Everyone has an opinion, I understand that. I'm just here to know if I will have problems with the tire/wheel offset causing interference with the frame rails or wheel wells. Can I buy and run taller tires? Certainly. But these are brand new and came with a car that I later sold so they are free.

 

275/60-15s fit with zero offset wheels, so these should be no problem on the back. Of course, it depends on how much lowering, as the shorter sidewalls likely mean that the tread face on these is wider than on the much taller 60 series tires.

 

Okay cool. The car will not be obnoxiously low, maybe 2-3 inches lower than stock. Just to get the center of gravity a little lower and close the tire gap in the fenderwells. If the tires I have don't work out I will buy ones that do, so long as there are tires out there that will fit the car with a 17x9 wheel at 5 inches backspace because those are the wheels I'd like to run.