68 camaro wheel questions

[brgable]

I'm restoring my 68 camaro and while at a car show I saw another 68 that had 18x11 wheels on the back. I've heard of people fitting 10" wheels without having to minitub the rear but this guy said he didn't minitub his car and the wheels had 6 3/4" back spacing. I'm looking at going with forgeline DS3 wheels 18x8.5 in the front and 18x10 or 11 on the rear if i can get them to fit with that back spacing without minitubing the rear. My question is has anyone ever used a wheel that large with that back spacing or something similar and did not have to minitub the rear? Thanks for the help.

[Formula43 Wheel]

The largest I've managed to fit on the rear is a 10.5X18 with a 295 tire on 69. I believe a 68 and 67 are a tighter fit because the cars are 1.5" narrower on each side.

You'll most likely need to roll the outer fender as much as you can for clearance.

[JMitch19]

I'm restoring my 68 camaro and while at a car show I saw another 68 that had 18x11 wheels on the back. I've heard of people fitting 10" wheels without having to minitub the rear but this guy said he didn't minitub his car and the wheels had 6 3/4" back spacing. I'm looking at going with forgeline DS3 wheels 18x8.5 in the front and 18x10 or 11 on the rear if i can get them to fit with that back spacing without minitubing the rear. My question is has anyone ever used a wheel that large with that back spacing or something similar and did not have to minitub the rear? Thanks for the help.


My 68 Camaro with 5.5" of backspacing would rub the inner wheel housing from time to time. Not bad but it did rub. With the stock width rear and 5.5" of backspacing I had less than 1/2" of clearance from the bulge of the tire to the inner wheel house in some spots. There is no way you can get 6.75" of backspacing to fit useless your rear is 2" wider than stock.

[Swain]

You will need to mini tub to fit 11" wide. 69's u can barley fit 10's on a good day

[brgable]

man this isn't sounding very good...lol. most 67's and 68's I've seen have 9.5" but I have seen some with 10" on there without a minitub I just didn't get the wheel dimensions from them. the 67 I saw with 11" wheels with that size backspacing were 17" wheels how much of a difference is that from an 18? the wheels i have on it now are 15x8 with 275/60/15 tires with a 1" spacer and the 11" wheels i saw looked to sit in the same spot in the fender well as the wheels on my car now. I will not be lowering the car because I like the car to have some space between the tired and fender plus I am running super comp hooker headers that already hang low enough with stock height springs under the car. my car has the stock 5 leaf springs on the rear to give you and idea of the ride height now. sorry to ask so many questions or sound repetitive but it really helps hearing from people in the know before I go out and spend a lot of money on wheels and tires that don't fit well at all. again, thanks for the help guys!

[JMitch19]

man this isn't sounding very good...lol. most 67's and 68's I've seen have 9.5" but I have seen some with 10" on there without a minitub I just didn't get the wheel dimensions from them. the 67 I saw with 11" wheels with that size backspacing were 17" wheels how much of a difference is that from an 18? the wheels i have on it now are 15x8 with 275/60/15 tires with a 1" spacer and the 11" wheels i saw looked to sit in the same spot in the fender well as the wheels on my car now. I will not be lowering the car because I like the car to have some space between the tired and fender plus I am running super comp hooker headers that already hang low enough with stock height springs under the car. my car has the stock 5 leaf springs on the rear to give you and idea of the ride height now. sorry to ask so many questions or sound repetitive but it really helps hearing from people in the know before I go out and spend a lot of money on wheels and tires that don't fit well at all. again, thanks for the help guys!

Assuming your going to run the same height and width tire on an 17 or 18" rim(ie 275/40/17 or 275/35/18) the 17" rims would allow for slightly less clearance. Likely the sidewalls on the 17" tires would have a little more bulge to them.

What size tires was the guy that said he had 11" wide rims running? I'm guessing the guy was either mistaken about the size of his rims or the tires he was running were really not wide enough for an 11" wide wheel. Also there is no way you can fit 6.75" of backspacing with a stock width rear end. DSE's minitubs move the tub 2.75" inboard. Most minitubbed, stock width rear end guys are right around 8" of backspacing. Not sure how he could fit only 1.25" less backspacing in a space that is 2.75" smaller? If his rear end was 2" wider than stock he MIGHT be able to fit a 10" wide wheel with 6.75" of backspacing.

[brgable]

Assuming your going to run the same height and width tire on an 17 or 18" rim(ie 275/40/17 or 275/35/18) the 17" rims would allow for slightly less clearance. Likely the sidewalls on the 17" tires would have a little more bulge to them.

What size tires was the guy that said he had 11" wide rims running? I'm guessing the guy was either mistaken about the size of his rims or the tires he was running were really not wide enough for an 11" wide wheel. Also there is no way you can fit 6.75" of backspacing with a stock width rear end. DSE's minitubs move the tub 2.75" inboard. Most minitubbed, stock width rear end guys are right around 8" of backspacing. Not sure how he could fit only 1.25" less backspacing in a space that is 2.75" smaller? If his rear end was 2" wider than stock he MIGHT be able to fit a 10" wide wheel with 6.75" of backspacing.

Jason he has a video on youtube of his 67 I'll put the link on here if you want to take a look. I appreciate your feedback and help I'm new to the pro touring scene for camaro's here's the youtube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONZrEutChdE
he said they are front 17/7 billet specialties w/ 225 / 40/17 tires rear 17x11 w/ 6 3/4 " back spacing 315/35/17 2" lowering block on rear mono leafs, front springs cut to desired ride height.

[TheJDMan]

Jasons is correct. After looking at the video, you can clearly see those wheels are not tucked inside the fender wells and if he were to give viewers a good rear shot they would probably look like Dumbo ears sticking out.

[JMitch19]

Jasons is correct. After looking at the video, you can clearly see those wheels are not tucked inside the fender wells and if he were to give viewers a good rear shot they would probably look like Dumbo ears sticking out.

I agree they don't tuck. I guess you could fit 18x20 if you don't mind 10" of tire sticking out. My point is even if you could find an 18x20, a tire to fit it, and your okay with them sticking out you still will only do so with a max of 5.75" of backspacing. This is assuming he it's using a stock width rear which he may not be, and in that case maybe he is using 6.75" of backspacing.

I just don't want to see someone order wheels thinking these specs would work and then be very disappointed when they have to run 1-1.25" spacer/adapter.

[Chad-1stGen]

11" isn't gonna happen as other have already said.

However, a 10" wheel will tuck inside of a 68 fender if you roll the fender lips really well. I ran a 10" wheel on my car for a while. When I switched wheels I really regretted lettting the sales guy talk me into a 9" rim...

[JustinB]

Done tons and tons of wheels on 67-68's. Some 67-68's can squeeze a 10" if you roll the fenders and you get lucky. I have a 68 now, measured and measured, it will not take a 10. The 18x9.5 with a 275 is going to take a bunch of work to get to fit without rubbing and the backspace is spot on. Wish I could have got the 9" to help pull the tire in a little more and it would fit the car. I have a 69 as well, should easily take a 10" according to all the forum jockeys right? Nope. Rubbed all over the place at the ride height I wanted. Built a set if 19x9 for the rears. Fit like a glove with the exact same amount of "wheel lip" as the 19x10 and more than I could get out of the Rushforth 18x10's. Basically at the end of the day, you are going to be running a 275/40/18 tire. Does it really matter if its in on a 18x9 or 18x10?

[brgable]

Done tons and tons of wheels on 67-68's. Some 67-68's can squeeze a 10" if you roll the fenders and you get lucky. I have a 68 now, measured and measured, it will not take a 10. The 18x9.5 with a 275 is going to take a bunch of work to get to fit without rubbing and the backspace is spot on. Wish I could have got the 9" to help pull the tire in a little more and it would fit the car. I have a 69 as well, should easily take a 10" according to all the forum jockeys right? Nope. Rubbed all over the place at the ride height I wanted. Built a set if 19x9 for the rears. Fit like a glove with the exact same amount of "wheel lip" as the 19x10 and more than I could get out of the Rushforth 18x10's. Basically at the end of the day, you are going to be running a 275/40/18 tire. Does it really matter if its in on a 18x9 or 18x10?

what back spacing would you recommend for an 18x10? also, the tire I was considering running was a 245/50/18 I saw a 68 with those on 18x9.5 and they looked great. I'm not so much trying to go with the "tucked" look for my car. my car will be purely a driver and very very little track time so I kind of prefer the stock or near stock ride height with the suspension. my car is an original big block rs/ss so cutting on the car is out of the question, I've just put my original parts (engine, trans, brakes) in storage so I will have them when I decide to go back original. can't thank you guys enough for your input this website is awesome!

[JMitch19]

If you only want a 245 why fight with a rim that won't fit?

Look at the Rim Width Range for the tire size you said you would like to run.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Kumho&tireModel=Ecsta+SPT&partnum=45WR8KU31&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes&tab=Specs

[JustinB]

Most 1st gen apps with 18x10's run around a 5.5" BS. With that tire size, I would not run a 10" wheel. A 245/50/18 has a section width of 10". A 10" wheel actually measures 11" wide. By the numbers your tires would be pulled in .5" on each side. Given you would run the typical 18x8 with a 245/40/18 (~9.7" width) up front, you would have around .3 to .4" sidewall bulge up front and -.5" out back. I will look goofy. If you want that 245/50 out back run a 18x8. Or......safe yourself hours of homework and run a 18x8 w/ a 245/40/18 up front and a 18x9 in the rear with a 275/40/18. Depending on your brakes and the wheels brand you go with, you can play with the rear pad lengths to give yourself more wheel lip to make up for the 9" rear wheel hoop. Give Jon at Driverz Inc a call and he will dial it in for you.

[brgable]

Jason/Justin thanks for your input this is why I came to this forum b/c it's pretty obvious my knowledge in this area is minimal at best. The reason why I said the 245/50/18 is that I saw some on a 68 at a car show Summit Racing had this fall I'll try to attach the picture to show you the car. It had 18x9.5 chip foose wheels with that tire. Basically I'm trying to get a tire that has some sidewall meat to it, I don't want a thin sidewall if that makes any sense?

[JMitch19]

As long as you like what you get and you are happy with it that is all that matters. What Justin didn't tell you was he use to work for a site sponsor who sells lots of wheels and tires on this site. They helped me out a bunch with size and fitment. I ended up changing my mind twice before going with these.

http://i470.photobucket.com/albums/rr65/jrmitch19/1968%20Camaro/photobucket-3404-1323200907734.jpg

Now for some self advertising I think these would look great on your car. http://www.lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php4?t=31778&highlight=budnik+hammers