Very informative video thanks man. I’m currently ls swapping my 69 firebird and will be looking into getting new wheels very soon. Your savanna is a bute!
@@mannyterrones4388 I use the factory style 11” disc brakes at all 4 corners on my car. They use the single piston calipers on the front and what are commonly called the metric calipers on the back. These are more than adequate for performance street driving, parts are readily available and they aren’t increasingly expensive. I did a 4 wheel disc conversion from Right Stuff Detailing on my wife’s Chevelle and I’d recommend that as a one stop shop.
Such an excellent tutorial! Feel like I should have enrolled in your class - VERY good. The fact you did it non-stop in one shoot makes it even that more amazing.
Welcome to the 69 bird family! They are awesome cars, but have a lot of quirks since they are a single year vehicle. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions!
Mate, you are a champion. I have been trying to find information half as informative as this and you’ve pulled through like a boss. Great vid. Cheers from Australia.
I just finished a 1969 firebird. After moving the rear inner tubs to the frame rail we fitted on the rear 18x11 with tires 315/30r18 with a 5 inch back spacing. We did eliminate the rear leafs and installed a 4 link.
The best explanation I’ve come across. I’m very new to this and started my project on a 67 Camero/firebird. The information you gave is great. Thank you.
I run a deeper dish on the back and 0 offset on 68 firebird firebirds came out with deepish rallies , also am am a body man and can change things up , but people dont put seep dish on front
Great video, lots of excellent information, so happy I found it in perfect timing, as I am sending my '67 out to have a ford 9" rear-end built and installed, the shop was also going to build me a four link for it and mine too has drums all around, those will be converted to disc as well. I've been stressing over a wheel tire package and trying to figure out what will fit. I do not wanna cut the frame out or mini tub it, and at first I was thinking about 15's at first, and either stainless or chrome torque thrust 👍, but the guy at the shop got me onto going with 17's, he mentioned he actually got a set of 305's in the rear of a 1st gen with a 9" rear-end and using spacers in the back....they are a very popular shop up here and do lots of race and street muscle cars, but after watching your video I am definitely thinking of going the same size and package you are running, and am rethinking about the 4 link tho lol 😆, I was wondering in the front of your firebird when converting to disc did you go with a 2" drop spindle and did you change any stock front end parts like control arms and shock, and did you use any spacers or special offsets / backspace up front with 8" rims? I've had some comments on a firebird Facebook page I follow that 8" rims do some rubbing under tight turning. My firebird does have a 6 point cage in it but will be a 99% street car, with a few strip days for fun, I'm more leaning towards the pro touring and street driving performance. Thanks again and great video 👍👍
Thanks for the comment Mark. I do believe on a 67/68 a 305 tire would be possible if the backspacing is nailed. However it will likely run the wheel arch from time to time over bumps. In regard to my front setup, I use SPC upper and lower control arms with disc spindles. Like the rear, the fronts have a bit more offset to deal with the square wheel arches on the 69 cars. On a 67 you may be able to get away with a 0 offset 8” wide wheel. Yes the tire will kiss the frame at full lock. This is something you have to deal with when using the stock subframe unfortunately.
Your right alot of been done to them over the years. Lower it and well you wont get the same size as stock height or the old school rake with the big tire sticking out. Cars have been tubbed. Rear ends swapped etc
Absolutely true. I get this question so often and I hate simply giving out the information without context because it's going to cost the person a couple grand in wheels that just don't fit.
Great explanation! I really needed this! You have a new subscriber! You are sooo right about older muscle cars having so many variables, my 64 Comet had its trunk cut, but no new tubs put in…so I have a little more options…thank you sir!
I'm almost at this stage on my 68 RS Camaro!! So frustrating!! It sits on a Heidts Subframe with 4 link & 9in Ford rear end all Disc brakes..Mini tubbed also!! I was thinking a 315 11inch rear & 255 9inch front!! Thoughts? Great video!!
I think you’re on the right track! The 315 shouldn’t be an issue with the mini-tub as long as the wheel is centered well in the wheelhouse. I don’t know a ton about the heidts subframe so I can’t really comment on the 255 front tire. More than likely not an issue, just do your measurements.
Great video. More confused now what to do. Can you provide consulting services pls? Have a 68!camaro ridetech coilover and wilwoods. car came with 18 in 275/40/18 rear 245/40/18 front. want to upsize but will wheel shops let u shop while on the car
Your setup is about as reasonably large as you can go on a Camaro with factory wheel wells and stock overall height tire sizes. Most wheel shops are not going to allow you to show wheels and put them on the car without purchase upfront. This is why it's important to measure your specific car. I am in the process of setting up consultation services. $35.00 for half an hour $60.00 for an hour and I will do full build audits at $200.00. You can email me at pontiacontap@gmail.com if you're interested in any of these.
Very interesting and informative video indeed, thanks a lot! Awesome car you got there. I would like to know if you have unmodified wheelwells on your 'bird. I plan to set up my 1968 Camaro rs/ss with narrower rims & rubbers on 17 x 8s on the rear (4,5" backspace, Zero offset) with 255/45/17s and 17 x 7s on the front (4,0" backspace, Zero offset) with 235/45/17s as I want to avoid having to trim or otherwise modify the insides of the vehicle's wheelwells. Appreciate your opinion on this, thanks in advance!
Yes my bird’s wheel houses are 100% stock. They won’t be a direct comparison to a 68 car as the 69’s are wider front and rear. The 67/68 has rounded wheel wells however, which help you out unless the car is REALLY low. Your wheel and tire sizes should be no problem. I would however pay closer attention to the front end. Depending on the brake setup you may need a wheel with slightly more or less backspace. Definitely measure before you buy!
@@pontiacontap thanks for the advice, man! You're right, I will go back and measure again. Even though all my wheelwells are stock I have larger brake discs, tubular control arms and C5 spindles that lower the front end for about 1,75 inches. Rear end is 1" lower than stock. Surely the size of the front discs and calipers is a point for backspacing / offset measuring.
@@stevecanyon23 yup you’re on the right track. That disc change up front will have had an effect on your hub to hub distance, so best to measure. I still think with a 17x7 and a 235 tire you’ll be okay at zero offset however.
I inherited a 69 camaro ss rs with 295/50r15. It had air ride shocks but they leaked and ride quality was garbage. So I'm attempting to revert back to regular rear suspension but rear tires rubs. I'm more used to trucks which can be fixed with some blocks. So I was told get a lift with leaf springs I just don't know what kind to get.
Curse of the air shocks. I had them as well and ran into the same issues. Because the leaf spring rides under the axle on an F-Body, you can't raise the rear end with blocks like you can on a truck with leaf springs. Instead you need to use longer rear shackles. You can get these at almost any speed house like Summit Racing, Jegs etc. The problem that you might run into however is that while hitting a bump, or with people loaded in the rear, you may still rub the tire on the top of the wheel well. The proper solution is to get a wheel and tire package in the car that has proper backspacing.
I’m sure there are some out there. Fortunately this type of information is pretty universal. And as I’m sure you already know the x-body and first gen f-body are quite similar.
The shop that finished the paint did this while it was there. However, there's a number of different ways to go about this. What I recommend is using a flap disc and grinding down areas that you need to. If the 1/4's are done correctly, you'll have stacked metal in this area where the 1/4 panel is typically welded to the inner wheel well. Going through this much metal with a cutoff disc becomes hard to control, especially if you're doing it on your back. Use the flap disc instead and make sure that if the 1/4 has paint on it already to both protect it with some tape and heat it to keep it from chipping and flaking. You can also roll the inner lip, however because it has two pinched pieces of metal, this becomes harder to accomplish. If you rush right into it with something like the eastwood tool, there's enough strength there that you could inadvertently bend the 1/4 panel itself. Again some heat and careful application of pressure is your friend here. If your fender's are not mated physically to the inner wheel house (this can be common in some replacement scenarios, then you'd only have a single piece of metal you're going through. Rolling becomes easier at that point.
Learning the skills need to measure your own car is so important! Forums are full of a bunch of dudes talking about different cars with potentially serious different fitment potential! Also.. 275s on the rear are sick
Absolutely! There are far too many variables with these older cars specifically to guess. Especially if you're trying to stuff as much tire as you can between the fenders. If you want to roll around on 7" wide wheels with 225-235 tires all around, by all means, pick up the 0 offset wheel of your choice. But for anything seriously wider, definitely have to measure!
Sup Pontiacontap, I have a 69’ Camaro with With a Checkered Racing Pro-touring subframe QA1’s adjustable control arms Disc brakes all around with 2” drop all around. No mini tub Im waiting to run an 18” what do you recommend
Hey there Lopez Fam! I had to look up that subframe as I had not heard of it before. They are claiming you can fit a 275 width tire up to a 35 series on a 19 inch wheel. That is about a 27" tall tire. They call for a 6" backspace. I would trust but verify on that by measuring yourself. 1st gen's even with aftermarket subs, like as much tire up front as you can fit. That said if you can fit a 275 up front, I'd recommend doing it if this car is being built for auto-x or road racing. Where you'll end up having some confusion is that you can also fit a 275 section width tire on the rear, but not with equal backspacing. You still won't be able to rotate the wheels. As long as you can keep the fronts and rears separate, that's not typically a big deal. The rears you should be able to fit a 275 section width tire on a 17-19" wheel up to a 27" total tire height of 275/35/19. Your backspacing is going to be around the 5.5 to 5.75" range depending on the type of brakes and rear-end you are running. Again, you have to verify that by measuring your specific car. If you want a set of wheels that should fit fine and have the ability to be rotated, I would look at wheels with a 9" width around 5" backspace and a 255 section width tire.
I want your exact setup with my bone stock 69 Camaro Z28. I have not upgraded suspension or brakes. What are your thoughts on brakes and suspension to get this look
Do you want just the look, or are you also after the performance? My recommendations would be wildly different for the two different scenarios. How important is ride quality for you?
A 28" tall tire starts to complicate things on first gen's. The wheel houses just aren't really that deep to support such a tall tire. You can do it easier with a standard height car in a 67-68. The round wheel well lips help you out. That said with such a tire, on a zero offest wheel, you'll likely have situations where the car's 1/4 panels hit the top of the tires on larger bumps or undulations in the road. If the car is lowered at all, you'd likely need a wheel with more backspace to pull the package inside the sheet metal. The problem there is you start running into interference at the lower shock mounts on the inboard side. To cure that you would need to relocate the shocks inboard. You'll find it's easier to fit a 275 series tire in a 28" tall configuration if you use a 17" wheel. That allows the lower shock mounts to slip inside the wheel hoop and gives you more inboard space. Bottom line, when pushing tire height and width on the rear of a first gen, a 17" or larger wheel is your best friend. It solves a lot of issues with space that otherwise have to be dealt with by further modifications, like a shock relocation. With a 28" tire on a 17" wheel you still have a lot of sidewall if you like that look and you need a bit of softness to help with a drag launch. If you can't move the shocks or dislike a 17" wheel I'd recommend a 255/60/15 tire instead. On a zero offset wheel it's going to be mostly inside the wheel house and you're gaining clearance between the wheel well lip and top of the tire since it's a 27" package.
i actually have this size on my rear tires, they barely fit. if i floor it with a passenger in the car or i go around a corner hard enough they rub the wheel wells. this is with new springs
I know this is late but your dead on. I have a 67 bird 9" ford stock width with 15x9 rc comps with mickey thomson p275/60 et streets and perfectly centered in wheelwell they rub inside on sharp turns and on bumps just catch on outside fender lip. so a 255/60 r15 is max on back .@@pontiacontap
Without having a wheel on hand or at least the tire you expect to run, this is actually pretty hard to do. The Firebird's front fenders curve up and in at the fender lip which really helps clearance for turning. What I did was simply try not to go too big up front and I measured for more room from the fender lip. If you wanted to push the envelope, I would start by buying the tire you want to run, then renting or buying a wheel fitment tool. This allows you to mount the tire without the wheel and you can run the front tire through it's sweep at that point. It's best to have the springs out so you can see droop and bump travel through full swing.
I had these wheels done through American Racing’s custom shop. Several of their wheel lines, including the torque thrust are offered through that service. It includes things like different color availability, custom offsets etc.
Thank you for the kind words. I purchased my wheels through Discount Tire. They are the American Racing VN515 from American Racing's Custom Shop. I opted for the satin black finish as well as the customized backspacing required for my application. The VN515 isn't 100% customizable for backspacing, but you can typically get very close based on the wheel barrels and center sections they use. Mine are only 1mm off from where they really want to be. You don't have to go through Discount Tire for these wheels, any American Racing vendor would be able to order wheels out of the custom shop.
@@pontiacontap I have my car on FB. I will be posting something on RUclips shortly. What looks like scratches on the paint are just reflections or some dirt. The video I'm posting is a preliminary Chassis Dyno test after I turned my 350 into a Stroker.
What wheel diameter? That lower shock mount gets in the way of the tire which caries its width in the sidewall. 15 and 16" wheel diameter you can go a little wider since the shock mount will be at the rim of the wheel. When you go to a 17" wheel you gain a lot of inboard space. Like I said, there's a lot of variables to consider. Even from the factory the wheels carried different backspacing from the camaro counterpart because the pontiac axle is wider hub to hub. If you're buying off the shelf 0 offset wheels, this matters if you're trying to maximize wheel and tire size. In a 15" zero offset wheel, 225 section width on a 7" wheel is pretty much a guaranteed fit. 235 on an 8 inch will starts getting into 1/4 panel lip issues on some cars. if you want to go with a 17" and an off the shelf 0 offset wheel, shoot for a 8 or 9" width wheel with a 245 section width tire on an 8 or 255 section width tire on a 9" variant. Beyond those, without careful attention to measuring, it's a roll of the dice.
I hope everyone enjoys the upload. If you have any specific questions on my wheel and tire setup, or anything I didn't cover here, drop a comment!
Very informative video thanks man. I’m currently ls swapping my 69 firebird and will be looking into getting new wheels very soon. Your savanna is a bute!
@@mariopena3248 appreciate the kind words! Good luck with your project!
What disc brakes of any car can I adapt too a 1968 firebird I ain’t tryna buy like a willwood kit and stuff like that
@@mannyterrones4388 I use the factory style 11” disc brakes at all 4 corners on my car. They use the single piston calipers on the front and what are commonly called the metric calipers on the back. These are more than adequate for performance street driving, parts are readily available and they aren’t increasingly expensive. I did a 4 wheel disc conversion from Right Stuff Detailing on my wife’s Chevelle and I’d recommend that as a one stop shop.
Such an excellent tutorial! Feel like I should have enrolled in your class - VERY good. The fact you did it non-stop in one shoot makes it even that more amazing.
I'm glad this was helpful for you!
So huge for me to hear this. I have a 1969 Firebird now. I bought it yesterday and know very little about them. Thank you for sharing.
Welcome to the 69 bird family! They are awesome cars, but have a lot of quirks since they are a single year vehicle. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions!
Mate, you are a champion. I have been trying to find information half as informative as this and you’ve pulled through like a boss. Great vid.
Cheers from Australia.
Thanks for the kind words! I’m glad to hear it was helpful for you.
I just finished a 1969 firebird. After moving the rear inner tubs to the frame rail we fitted on the rear 18x11 with tires 315/30r18 with a 5 inch back spacing. We did eliminate the rear leafs and installed a 4 link.
Great information. I figured you could probably gain a bit by doing a “mini” mini-tub.
@@pontiacontap thank you we are now doing a 1967 firebird.
The best explanation I’ve come across. I’m very new to this and started my project on a 67 Camero/firebird. The information you gave is great. Thank you.
I’m glad you found it helpful! Thanks for the comment!
Thank you for this video. Just getting started on my first project (67 Firebird) wish me luck my brotha.
Awesome, glad you found it helpful. Good luck with your project!
I had a 69 formula 400 firebird when I was 17 my first hot rod Yours is beautiful
Thanks for the kind words!
I run a deeper dish on the back and 0 offset on 68 firebird firebirds came out with deepish rallies , also am am a body man and can change things up , but people dont put seep dish on front
Great video, lots of excellent information, so happy I found it in perfect timing, as I am sending my '67 out to have a ford 9" rear-end built and installed, the shop was also going to build me a four link for it and mine too has drums all around, those will be converted to disc as well. I've been stressing over a wheel tire package and trying to figure out what will fit. I do not wanna cut the frame out or mini tub it, and at first I was thinking about 15's at first, and either stainless or chrome torque thrust 👍, but the guy at the shop got me onto going with 17's, he mentioned he actually got a set of 305's in the rear of a 1st gen with a 9" rear-end and using spacers in the back....they are a very popular shop up here and do lots of race and street muscle cars, but after watching your video I am definitely thinking of going the same size and package you are running, and am rethinking about the 4 link tho lol 😆, I was wondering in the front of your firebird when converting to disc did you go with a 2" drop spindle and did you change any stock front end parts like control arms and shock, and did you use any spacers or special offsets / backspace up front with 8" rims? I've had some comments on a firebird Facebook page I follow that 8" rims do some rubbing under tight turning. My firebird does have a 6 point cage in it but will be a 99% street car, with a few strip days for fun, I'm more leaning towards the pro touring and street driving performance. Thanks again and great video 👍👍
Thanks for the comment Mark. I do believe on a 67/68 a 305 tire would be possible if the backspacing is nailed. However it will likely run the wheel arch from time to time over bumps. In regard to my front setup, I use SPC upper and lower control arms with disc spindles. Like the rear, the fronts have a bit more offset to deal with the square wheel arches on the 69 cars. On a 67 you may be able to get away with a 0 offset 8” wide wheel. Yes the tire will kiss the frame at full lock. This is something you have to deal with when using the stock subframe unfortunately.
Luved all the information you provided, looks like I have some research to do.
I'm glad you found the information helpful!
Your right alot of been done to them over the years. Lower it and well you wont get the same size as stock height or the old school rake with the big tire sticking out. Cars have been tubbed. Rear ends swapped etc
Absolutely true. I get this question so often and I hate simply giving out the information without context because it's going to cost the person a couple grand in wheels that just don't fit.
Great explanation! I really needed this! You have a new subscriber! You are sooo right about older muscle cars having so many variables, my 64 Comet had its trunk cut, but no new tubs put in…so I have a little more options…thank you sir!
Glad it was helpful for you! Thanks for the comment.
I'm almost at this stage on my 68 RS Camaro!! So frustrating!! It sits on a Heidts Subframe with 4 link & 9in Ford rear end all Disc brakes..Mini tubbed also!! I was thinking a 315 11inch rear & 255 9inch front!! Thoughts? Great video!!
I think you’re on the right track! The 315 shouldn’t be an issue with the mini-tub as long as the wheel is centered well in the wheelhouse. I don’t know a ton about the heidts subframe so I can’t really comment on the 255 front tire. More than likely not an issue, just do your measurements.
20 inches front and back 305 front 315 back 1974 dodge dart sport 392 he I 3rd gen 8 speed transmission.
Great video. More confused now what to do. Can you provide consulting services pls? Have a 68!camaro ridetech coilover and wilwoods. car came with 18 in 275/40/18 rear 245/40/18 front. want to upsize but will wheel shops let u shop while on the car
Your setup is about as reasonably large as you can go on a Camaro with factory wheel wells and stock overall height tire sizes. Most wheel shops are not going to allow you to show wheels and put them on the car without purchase upfront. This is why it's important to measure your specific car. I am in the process of setting up consultation services. $35.00 for half an hour $60.00 for an hour and I will do full build audits at $200.00. You can email me at pontiacontap@gmail.com if you're interested in any of these.
Very interesting and informative video indeed, thanks a lot! Awesome car you got there.
I would like to know if you have unmodified wheelwells on your 'bird. I plan to set up my 1968 Camaro rs/ss with narrower rims & rubbers on 17 x 8s on the rear (4,5" backspace, Zero offset) with 255/45/17s and 17 x 7s on the front (4,0" backspace, Zero offset) with 235/45/17s as I want to avoid having to trim or otherwise modify the insides of the vehicle's wheelwells.
Appreciate your opinion on this, thanks in advance!
Yes my bird’s wheel houses are 100% stock. They won’t be a direct comparison to a 68 car as the 69’s are wider front and rear. The 67/68 has rounded wheel wells however, which help you out unless the car is REALLY low. Your wheel and tire sizes should be no problem. I would however pay closer attention to the front end. Depending on the brake setup you may need a wheel with slightly more or less backspace. Definitely measure before you buy!
@@pontiacontap thanks for the advice, man! You're right, I will go back and measure again. Even though all my wheelwells are stock I have larger brake discs, tubular control arms and C5 spindles that lower the front end for about 1,75 inches. Rear end is 1" lower than stock.
Surely the size of the front discs and calipers is a point for backspacing / offset measuring.
@@stevecanyon23 yup you’re on the right track. That disc change up front will have had an effect on your hub to hub distance, so best to measure. I still think with a 17x7 and a 235 tire you’ll be okay at zero offset however.
I inherited a 69 camaro ss rs with 295/50r15. It had air ride shocks but they leaked and ride quality was garbage. So I'm attempting to revert back to regular rear suspension but rear tires rubs. I'm more used to trucks which can be fixed with some blocks. So I was told get a lift with leaf springs I just don't know what kind to get.
Curse of the air shocks. I had them as well and ran into the same issues. Because the leaf spring rides under the axle on an F-Body, you can't raise the rear end with blocks like you can on a truck with leaf springs. Instead you need to use longer rear shackles. You can get these at almost any speed house like Summit Racing, Jegs etc. The problem that you might run into however is that while hitting a bump, or with people loaded in the rear, you may still rub the tire on the top of the wheel well. The proper solution is to get a wheel and tire package in the car that has proper backspacing.
just got a 68 camaro. thanks for this ! subbed!
Thanks for the sub! I'm glad you found this helpful.
@@pontiacontap do you have an instagram or something where I can DM you , I’d like to pick your brain .
I wish nova owners were this informative
I’m sure there are some out there. Fortunately this type of information is pretty universal. And as I’m sure you already know the x-body and first gen f-body are quite similar.
@@pontiacontap yes they are. There is this individual who developed a device to measure wheel fitment and it attached right to the wheel studs.
How did cut your rear will wells cut off wheel,die grinder, a wheel roller and how much I also have the chrome trim thanks?
The shop that finished the paint did this while it was there. However, there's a number of different ways to go about this. What I recommend is using a flap disc and grinding down areas that you need to. If the 1/4's are done correctly, you'll have stacked metal in this area where the 1/4 panel is typically welded to the inner wheel well. Going through this much metal with a cutoff disc becomes hard to control, especially if you're doing it on your back. Use the flap disc instead and make sure that if the 1/4 has paint on it already to both protect it with some tape and heat it to keep it from chipping and flaking. You can also roll the inner lip, however because it has two pinched pieces of metal, this becomes harder to accomplish. If you rush right into it with something like the eastwood tool, there's enough strength there that you could inadvertently bend the 1/4 panel itself. Again some heat and careful application of pressure is your friend here.
If your fender's are not mated physically to the inner wheel house (this can be common in some replacement scenarios, then you'd only have a single piece of metal you're going through. Rolling becomes easier at that point.
Learning the skills need to measure your own car is so important! Forums are full of a bunch of dudes talking about different cars with potentially serious different fitment potential!
Also.. 275s on the rear are sick
Absolutely! There are far too many variables with these older cars specifically to guess. Especially if you're trying to stuff as much tire as you can between the fenders. If you want to roll around on 7" wide wheels with 225-235 tires all around, by all means, pick up the 0 offset wheel of your choice. But for anything seriously wider, definitely have to measure!
@@pontiacontap nothing worse than looking at 235s wishing they were 275s!
Sup Pontiacontap, I have a 69’ Camaro with With a Checkered Racing Pro-touring subframe QA1’s adjustable control arms Disc brakes all around with 2” drop all around. No mini tub Im waiting to run an 18” what do you recommend
Hey there Lopez Fam! I had to look up that subframe as I had not heard of it before. They are claiming you can fit a 275 width tire up to a 35 series on a 19 inch wheel. That is about a 27" tall tire. They call for a 6" backspace. I would trust but verify on that by measuring yourself. 1st gen's even with aftermarket subs, like as much tire up front as you can fit. That said if you can fit a 275 up front, I'd recommend doing it if this car is being built for auto-x or road racing. Where you'll end up having some confusion is that you can also fit a 275 section width tire on the rear, but not with equal backspacing. You still won't be able to rotate the wheels. As long as you can keep the fronts and rears separate, that's not typically a big deal. The rears you should be able to fit a 275 section width tire on a 17-19" wheel up to a 27" total tire height of 275/35/19. Your backspacing is going to be around the 5.5 to 5.75" range depending on the type of brakes and rear-end you are running. Again, you have to verify that by measuring your specific car. If you want a set of wheels that should fit fine and have the ability to be rotated, I would look at wheels with a 9" width around 5" backspace and a 255 section width tire.
My 2017 jeep grand Cherokee trail hawk 20 inch wheels ridge grapplers....if you know then you know.
Good info but man i get motion sickness trying to watch it.
Thanks for the feedback Chuck, constructive criticism like this helps me improve in future videos.
Great information, thank you.
I'm glad you found it helpful!
I want your exact setup with my bone stock 69 Camaro Z28. I have not upgraded suspension or brakes. What are your thoughts on brakes and suspension to get this look
Do you want just the look, or are you also after the performance? My recommendations would be wildly different for the two different scenarios. How important is ride quality for you?
Nice video. Very informative.
What brand of wheels on the Firebird?
The wheels in this video are American Racing Torq Thrust II's.
I have a 68 bird I’m thinking about a 275/60R15 on a 15-8 wheels on the back with drums ,, what do you think?
A 28" tall tire starts to complicate things on first gen's. The wheel houses just aren't really that deep to support such a tall tire. You can do it easier with a standard height car in a 67-68. The round wheel well lips help you out. That said with such a tire, on a zero offest wheel, you'll likely have situations where the car's 1/4 panels hit the top of the tires on larger bumps or undulations in the road. If the car is lowered at all, you'd likely need a wheel with more backspace to pull the package inside the sheet metal. The problem there is you start running into interference at the lower shock mounts on the inboard side. To cure that you would need to relocate the shocks inboard. You'll find it's easier to fit a 275 series tire in a 28" tall configuration if you use a 17" wheel. That allows the lower shock mounts to slip inside the wheel hoop and gives you more inboard space. Bottom line, when pushing tire height and width on the rear of a first gen, a 17" or larger wheel is your best friend. It solves a lot of issues with space that otherwise have to be dealt with by further modifications, like a shock relocation. With a 28" tire on a 17" wheel you still have a lot of sidewall if you like that look and you need a bit of softness to help with a drag launch. If you can't move the shocks or dislike a 17" wheel I'd recommend a 255/60/15 tire instead. On a zero offset wheel it's going to be mostly inside the wheel house and you're gaining clearance between the wheel well lip and top of the tire since it's a 27" package.
@@pontiacontap thanks for the help
i actually have this size on my rear tires, they barely fit. if i floor it with a passenger in the car or i go around a corner hard enough they rub the wheel wells. this is with new springs
I know this is late but your dead on. I have a 67 bird 9" ford stock width with 15x9 rc comps with mickey thomson p275/60 et streets and perfectly centered in wheelwell they rub inside on sharp turns and on bumps just catch on outside fender lip. so a 255/60 r15 is max on back .@@pontiacontap
How did you account for turning clearance when measuring for your front wheel offset?
Without having a wheel on hand or at least the tire you expect to run, this is actually pretty hard to do. The Firebird's front fenders curve up and in at the fender lip which really helps clearance for turning. What I did was simply try not to go too big up front and I measured for more room from the fender lip. If you wanted to push the envelope, I would start by buying the tire you want to run, then renting or buying a wheel fitment tool. This allows you to mount the tire without the wheel and you can run the front tire through it's sweep at that point. It's best to have the springs out so you can see droop and bump travel through full swing.
Awesome. Thanks for the reply. With your front wheel offset do you have any rubbing on the frame at full lock?
@@freihabujaber2096 A very small amount. Not enough to feel or hear. Just enough to put a shiny spot in the frame.
Did you get your wheels powder coated or buy them that way.
I had these wheels done through American Racing’s custom shop. Several of their wheel lines, including the torque thrust are offered through that service. It includes things like different color availability, custom offsets etc.
You have a very nice looking car. My question is, where did you buy your wheels? Also did you paint them or was that the original color?
Thank you for the kind words. I purchased my wheels through Discount Tire. They are the American Racing VN515 from American Racing's Custom Shop. I opted for the satin black finish as well as the customized backspacing required for my application. The VN515 isn't 100% customizable for backspacing, but you can typically get very close based on the wheel barrels and center sections they use. Mine are only 1mm off from where they really want to be. You don't have to go through Discount Tire for these wheels, any American Racing vendor would be able to order wheels out of the custom shop.
@@pontiacontap Thank you very much. I have a 68 Firebird and it is restored, buy not as nice as your 69 Bird is.
@@garygreer1854 Thanks you. I checked your channel and didn’t see anything with your bird. Any pictures online anywhere?
@@pontiacontap I have my car on FB. I will be posting something on RUclips shortly. What looks like scratches on the paint are just reflections or some dirt. The video I'm posting is a preliminary Chassis Dyno test after I turned my 350 into a Stroker.
@@garygreer1854 great looking car. Sounds good as well. Did I see that correct, about 315 to the tire? Definitely a healthy P350!
How much you lowered your car?
Approximately 2.25" in the front and 3" in the rear.
Too many variables? Ok so let’s just start with stock.
What wheel diameter? That lower shock mount gets in the way of the tire which caries its width in the sidewall. 15 and 16" wheel diameter you can go a little wider since the shock mount will be at the rim of the wheel. When you go to a 17" wheel you gain a lot of inboard space. Like I said, there's a lot of variables to consider. Even from the factory the wheels carried different backspacing from the camaro counterpart because the pontiac axle is wider hub to hub. If you're buying off the shelf 0 offset wheels, this matters if you're trying to maximize wheel and tire size. In a 15" zero offset wheel, 225 section width on a 7" wheel is pretty much a guaranteed fit. 235 on an 8 inch will starts getting into 1/4 panel lip issues on some cars. if you want to go with a 17" and an off the shelf 0 offset wheel, shoot for a 8 or 9" width wheel with a 245 section width tire on an 8 or 255 section width tire on a 9" variant. Beyond those, without careful attention to measuring, it's a roll of the dice.
Great vid, but damn keep the camera still. Stop moving around. Put yur car out for better viewing. And preview your vids . 😂😂