Can the front fender lips of a C2-Vette be damaged while strongly steering left/right if '68 rally wheels are installed? If I'm correct the '68 wheels are wider than the C2-wheels.
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Re: '68 rally wheel on a '65
I've been running the '68 production 7x15 wheels with the '63 production wheel covers on my SWC since 1968. I started out with a 205-15 Pirelli CN-72. This was an approximate 70 series tire though it predated the convention of placing the profile in the size designation. They quickly caused a small crack on the front wheel lip, so I ended up t******* the horizontal portion of the lip on both ends including the bonding strip up front. Of course, this does not change the visual profile of the fender well. I later installed a set of 225/70VR-15 CN-73s, which were a little tighter, but worked out okay.
The seven inch wheels not only give the car a much more aggressive look by pushing the wheels out to the very edge, but allow you to run better modern rubber including 225/60ZR-15 DOT legal racing tires, which, with a little suspension tuning, will give a C2 handling and performance qualities that are equal to or better than a modern sports car.
One other thing you should check are the track dimensions. Disk brake C2s appear visually to have slightly more track. I believe the wheel offset is the same as my '63, so I suspect the distance from centerline to the hub mounting flange is slightly greater. For reference the specified track dimensions from the AMA specifications for my drum brake '63 are front/rear 56.64"/57.00". Check your owner's manual for your '65 track dimensions. If then are slightly higher, you will have one-half the total difference less clearance on the outside.
So when my car is ultimately judged, I'll take the hit on points, even with production wheels and repro tires, but for me it's worth the it. I want the my car to perform!
DukeComment
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Re: '68 rally wheel on a '65
These wheels are prized by 'weekend warrior' racers for use on MY cars. It's not an issue of the wheel width as others have mentioned, it's an issue of rubber profile you pack around the wheel. You can put larger than stock (7.75x15) rubber on these wheels and safely work within the car's std wheel well. Knowing where the 'limits' are is the trick + do NOT assume each mfgr's version of a given tire size (say, P215-75 R15) is identical to some standard.
BW to go here is pull the Restorer article from a few years back that talked 'tire'. It did a superb job detailing 670x15 and up size specifics of the individual suppliers and gave guidance on geometry silhouettes one could live with for various car/body variations of Corvette.Comment
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