New Wheels! Before and After Pics

[86euro]

So I finally got a new set of wheels for the 2door Celeb, they came off of my brother's '97 Grand Prix GTP. He gave them to me after he got a set of 17's for his car, and I tossed on a set of 205/55/16's that I already had.
When I got them mounted, I noticed two things:
1. My front cradle is definitely shifted to the passenger side to it's fullest extent. I had previously thought just the motor/transaxle was shifted on the cradle. This can be seen in the last two pics- the driver side wheel is tucked farther into the wheel well than the passenger side.
2. Second gen W-body wheels have a lot more offset than the earlier models. The wheels are tucked more to the inside of the car than the stock wheels were, by about .50-.75 inch. It is enough that the center caps won't fit on the front because they don't clear the front axle stubs, which are overly long on a JA2 a-body. Looks like a set of spacers are in order;)
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e278/86blackiroc/DSC_0070.jpg
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e278/86blackiroc/DSC_0071.jpg
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e278/86blackiroc/DSC_0087.jpg
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e278/86blackiroc/DSC_0088.jpg
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e278/86blackiroc/DSC_0089.jpg

[86euro]

Oh yeah, has anyone actually installed the U-van front brakes yet? That is next on my list now that there is clearance.

[dcjredline]

I like em!! A+ for that!!! :D

[notsoslimshady76]

haha I'm surprised they fit at all. Second Gen W body wheels don't even fit first gen in the front without spacers. Funny about the right and left side too lol. Looks awesome though

[ochy38]

look pretty good

[mickstan_VR]

That looks sweet. A black 2-door to boot. Ya know, I had never seen a pic of your car. Thats nice! dude you did a good job! The original wheels looked fine, but the new ones are killer.
Send me some pics and a story I'll work on getting it on the VR site.
You should add a + sign to the Z26 logo! :cool:

[mickstan_VR]

and whats up with the old Impala?....is that a '70?

[86euro]

haha I'm surprised they fit at all. Second Gen W body wheels don't even fit first gen in the front without spacers. Funny about the right and left side too lol. Looks awesome though
Amazingly, there is not one bit of rubbing, even at full lock. I'll still get spacers though, I like having four center caps, lol.


That looks sweet. A black 2-door to boot. Ya know, I had never seen a pic of your car. Thats nice! dude you did a good job! The original wheels looked fine, but the new ones are killer.
Send me some pics and a story I'll work on getting it on the VR site.
You should add a + sign to the Z26 logo! :cool:
Thanks, it's a driving work-in-progress, still far from being complete. I'd be happy to send you some pics and info though:D


and whats up with the old Impala?....is that a '70?
It's a '69 four door hardtop and it was my first car. It's all original except for some bodywork in a few places and a rebuilt/hopped up 327. Unfortunately, it pretty much needs a full resto now, but a set of rust-free fenders and decent quality quarter skins (yet to be produced) will get that ball rolling.

[a1veedubber]

Looks good! Sooo, interested in parting with your old JA2 14''s??

[86euro]

Looks good! Sooo, interested in parting with your old JA2 14''s??
Nah, they're too nice to get rid of, they will probably wind up mounted on one of the other cars anyway;)

[Duke George V]

Z26, eh? Anyone do an RS yet?

[86euro]

Z26, eh? Anyone do an RS yet?

It's funny you ask that. After I primed the car, the sides looked a little plain and I had two options to experiment with. One was a pair of somewhat large "RS" badges from '88 or so Cavalier, and the other was a set of custom made Z26 decals (I bought them for a friend's car, but he later sold it). I chose the later simply because I had 35 bucks invested in them and didn't want them to go to waste.:rolleyes: The "FI V6" on the fenders started out as "3100 SFI V6":D

[Duke George V]

What's up with that Suburban? That's lookin' awfully clean, and I like a clean Suburban. Scottsdale or Silverado?

[Zaloryan]

Styling purdy dang good!

[86euro]

It's an '88 Silverado with most all options... and they all work! The truck came from Texas a few years ago and is just now starting to develop rust.

[george]

you should put the stocks back on and get some 215/60-14 tires plus they will lower the car. Big rims look odd on our cars. By putting on different rims the car becomes a mutt. sorry! I just think that the x rims are the best wheels ever made matched up with some low pro tires and you can't go wrong. white letters out.

[Tonglebeak]

Lowering a car with rims=BAD IDEA.

There goes your speedo, and you just might introduce severe issues with your suspension.

[86euro]

you should put the stocks back on and get some 215/60-14 tires plus they will lower the car. Big rims look odd on our cars. By putting on different rims the car becomes a mutt. sorry! I just think that the x rims are the best wheels ever made matched up with some low pro tires and you can't go wrong. white letters out.

I actually was running a 215/60 (white letters turned around) on the stock wheels. I can't stand the stock 70 series tire size. For driving feel, I'll take the 16's any day:)

Wow, old pics are fun! I forgot how low my Suburban used to be:lol:

[Techfizzle]

What advantage does 13" tires have (thats what I have)

[dagr8tim]

What advantage does 13" tires have (thats what I have)

You can get off the line quicker, and have a lower top speed. ;-)

[Techfizzle]

14"'s made my car look too big

[87Cutlass Ciera]

14"'s made my car look too big

14s are factory, how did they make your car look to big?

[dagr8tim]

14s are factory, how did they make your car look to big?

Techie's Mexican?

[CamoDeafie]

Remembered something from the previous board;
Almost ALL the aftermarket wheels in 5x115 bolt patterns, whether in 14x7 or 15x7 sizes, have greater offsets than the W-bodies wheels, meaning that all the extra width is to the INSIDE, not to the outside.... IF I can score a set of T-Type alloys for cheap, or 2, I'll consider selling 1 set to the board members somehow, and send the other set to a custom wheel shop to be fitted with 7" wide rims with the offsets and backspacing staying the same from stock (increase the width to the OUTSIDE) and running 225s on them if I can find 225s with either 55 or 60 ratios, not sure, would like to keep similar diameter, but have greater footprint for traction around here

[george]

Sorry bout my ego yesterday. If I had a set of those wheels I would have mounted them. You have a nice car. Diffently don't see 86 coupes anymore. I work in a tire shop and wanted to get 16's (icw) but didn't have 900 dollars laying around so I just made my 14's look cool with some 21560 hoosiers. About the axle sticking out have you considerd cutting off the excess.

[dcjredline]

About the axle sticking out have you considerd cutting off the excess.


WHATTTTTT? What the hell do you mean about that!

[Techfizzle]

13s give my car a slimer look. the 14s make it look gheto monster truck I might put 14s in the fron and 13 in the back

[notsoslimshady76]

Tech I think you should exam what tire size is on those wheels. Cieras look natural with 14 or 15inch wheels. If you want a 16 inch wheel, you get a tire that accommodates for that. If your car looks like a monster truck with 14s, it probably doesn't have the right tire size. If your car looks slimmer with 13s, it again probably doesn't have the right tire size.

[ochy38]

13s give my car a slimer look. the 14s make it look gheto monster truck I might put 14s in the fron and 13 in the back


You know what would be super awesome tech? gettin some big ole'22's for the front and some 12's for the back. that would be freakin sweet. Get RIGHT on that.

[86euro]

WHATTTTTT? What the hell do you mean about that!

The ends that are sticking out past the wheel hub. They are excessively long on the JA2 cars to provide a mounting point for the optional wire wheel covers. Those stubs, combined with the high-offset 2nd gen W-body wheels, prevent the centercaps from fitting on the front wheels. I actually have though about cutting them shorter If I don't find a deal on a good set of wheel spacers.
I may just get a custom set of wheels in the spring, maybe even something in a 17.

[86euro]

Sorry bout my ego yesterday. If I had a set of those wheels I would have mounted them. You have a nice car. Diffently don't see 86 coupes anymore. I work in a tire shop and wanted to get 16's (icw) but didn't have 900 dollars laying around so I just made my 14's look cool with some 21560 hoosiers. About the axle sticking out have you considerd cutting off the excess.

No need to apologize, everyone has a right to their own opinion:cheers: Thanks for the compliment too:)

[CieraSL92]

You know what would be super awesome tech? gettin some big ole'22's for the front and some 12's for the back. that would be freakin sweet. Get RIGHT on that.
haha! qoute of the day man!

[cutlassburnin]

I had a set of 18s on mine at one point..well I test fit em. they looked sort of cool, made it look a little donk though. They were 5 spoke adr's..i think they were 8.5 wide, and the offset was entirely wrong. I didnt want to risk anything with spacers so I sold em.

[The Mad Hatter]

Z26, eh? Anyone do an RS yet?

Hey! I"m doing an RS. Well, sorta. I'm using some cavalier RS badges, but unless i find a VR kit somewhere, my car won't look like the RS concept.

86euro, your car is freakin sweet. I love the 86 bodystyle. Keep up the good work, man!

[bubblebob88]

I liked the original rims better, both are nice. I really cant wait to get 16 inch rims, 18's just are to big and I want more tire!

[cutlassburnin]

I agree, the origional rims had a bit more character in my opinion , ya know if there just sittin around you can always send em my way.lol

[86euro]

Hey! I"m doing an RS. Well, sorta. I'm using some cavalier RS badges, but unless i find a VR kit somewhere, my car won't look like the RS concept.

86euro, your car is freakin sweet. I love the 86 bodystyle. Keep up the good work, man!

I had thought about doing the RS concept thing at one point too, I still have the "RS" portion of some cavi badges around here somewhere. Thanks for the kind words too, it's cool when I get compliments even though it's not painted yet.


I had a set of 18s on mine at one point..well I test fit em. they looked sort of cool, made it look a little donk though. They were 5 spoke adr's..i think they were 8.5 wide, and the offset was entirely wrong. I didnt want to risk anything with spacers so I sold em.

I know what you mean about looking too big. 17" is about the limit, and there are really no handling benefits beyond that point anyway.


I agree, the origional rims had a bit more character in my opinion , ya know if there just sittin around you can always send em my way.lol

Nah, I'll hang on to the originals:)