Whats your thoughts on larger rims on Muscle Cars?

[Roadcuda]

It is really no different than when the Pro Street thing was hot, and everybody tubed them and had a blower sticking through their hoods, or the 80's teal green and Pink paint phase. lol I like the cars original too, but if they were all mint originals it would become a little boring. Imagine if all Model T's were left stock. Just want to mix it up a little. Maybe I am just in the wrong place.

Naw...
You're in the right place... These cars ain't gonna grace the garages of us "old guys" (speaking for myself, of course) forever. Sooner or later a new generation of enthusiasts will be sitting behind the wheel. My only hope is that the appreciation for how they once were remains strong. The era of American Muscle Cars is very precious to us... it is a time that we simply can't get back. As stewards of these amazing automobiles, we must never forget the look, the sound, the smell...you get my drift.

:soap: :cheers:

I think you summed it up very well Craig!

 

[railrider]

I am almost 40 and although that may be considered young, I started doing cars as daily drivers as soon as I was on my own. I did nothing else for years but build Mopars, and drive them. This does not make me an expert or anything but I have done a lot of Dog Dish and 15" Cragar SS wheels lol

I would never modify a classic beyond a point of no return. However my car was a turd to start with with non matching numbers, and no fender tag. I already upgraded it to a nice 1968 440, converting it to a 4 speed, and Dana 60 rear. So the car is already modified. I also just parted out a pretty nice 69 Sport Satellite and will be using much of the Saddle interior trim parts for my car as most are still nice. This brought me to change my color choice to the Bronze/Copper color Mopar used. This color really screams Resto Mod to me. I am going to get rid of the woodgrain inside the car and change that to brushed aluminum, but everything else will be stock inside. Exterior the car will sit at stock ride height, but will have a set of 18 x 10 Cragar SS wheels on the rear and 17 x 7" on the front. No mods to the body or suspension to make them fit either. So that all being said the car can easy have a set of Police wheels tossed on it at any time if I feel the mood shifting, lol

I don't expect many of you to agree with me on my choices, or back me if you don't like the looks I can live with that. Just makes for good debate and discussions. After all I am sure the first time somebody said 14" was too small a wheel and went to 15" there were guys saying no leave it stock.

My opinion of this whole larger wheel thing is that I don't want the car to look like it is from the housing projects, but a nice offset with the right wheel and a good stance really makes them look as if they are moving while sitting still.

I knew when I posted there would be a backlash because Resto Mods are not as widely accepted in the Mopar crowd as they are in the Mustangs and other crowds. I agree to an extent they should not be modified if they are a rare car. It makes me sick to see a 440 six pack car all chopped up. Then cars like the one on ebay right now that just look retarded with plush interior ect..

I don;t want to be in the wrong place with my post and get everyone fighting, but good debate gets peoples posting too. lol :soap:

 

[Roadcuda]

You're post is in the right place! And there won't be any fighting, just a lot of discussion. We've had these discussions before about the stock look and making modifications on these cars. And while most of us are set in our ways on what we do or don't like, we all agree that, "you own the car to do with as you please." One important thing is that whatever is done, that it is done well and it looks good. And if you're happy with the results, and not really concerned with what others think, then that is really the most important thing.

 

[railrider]

You're post is in the right place! And there won't be any fighting, just a lot of discussion. We've had these discussions before about the stock look and making modifications on these cars. And while most of us are set in our ways on what we do or don't like, we all agree that, "you own the car to do with as you please." One important thing is that whatever is done, that it is done well and it looks good. And if you're happy with the results, and not really concerned with what others think, then that is really the most important thing.

OK, cool! I do value everyones opinion but if I cared what people thought I would have never drove a 1965 Plymouth Station Wagon with Max Wedge Scoop, and Police Wheels, lol

 

[railrider]

Here is another car I feel has a nice look to it. The right offsets and fit. I like the over all feel of this car! :drool:
18 x 10 rears 17 x 8 front

 

[moparchris]

I am almost 40 and although that may be considered young, I started doing cars as daily drivers as soon as I was on my own. I did nothing else for years but build Mopars, and drive them. This does not make me an expert or anything but I have done a lot of Dog Dish and 15" Cragar SS wheels lol

I would never modify a classic beyond a point of no return. However my car was a turd to start with with non matching numbers, and no fender tag. I already upgraded it to a nice 1968 440, converting it to a 4 speed, and Dana 60 rear. So the car is already modified. I also just parted out a pretty nice 69 Sport Satellite and will be using much of the Saddle interior trim parts for my car as most are still nice. This brought me to change my color choice to the Bronze/Copper color Mopar used. This color really screams Resto Mod to me. I am going to get rid of the woodgrain inside the car and change that to brushed aluminum, but everything else will be stock inside. Exterior the car will sit at stock ride height, but will have a set of 18 x 10 Cragar SS wheels on the rear and 17 x 7" on the front. No mods to the body or suspension to make them fit either. So that all being said the car can easy have a set of Police wheels tossed on it at any time if I feel the mood shifting, lol

I don't expect many of you to agree with me on my choices, or back me if you don't like the looks I can live with that. Just makes for good debate and discussions. After all I am sure the first time somebody said 14" was too small a wheel and went to 15" there were guys saying no leave it stock.

My opinion of this whole larger wheel thing is that I don't want the car to look like it is from the housing projects, but a nice offset with the right wheel and a good stance really makes them look as if they are moving while sitting still.

I knew when I posted there would be a backlash because Resto Mods are not as widely accepted in the Mopar crowd as they are in the Mustangs and other crowds. I agree to an extent they should not be modified if they are a rare car. It makes me sick to see a 440 six pack car all chopped up. Then cars like the one on ebay right now that just look retarded with plush interior ect..

I don;t want to be in the wrong place with my post and get everyone fighting, but good debate gets peoples posting too. lol :soap:

Everyone has an opinion, good or bad, but its just that an opinion. It is your car and do what you like with it. I have to say that an old car with some 17s on it can look pretty hot. After all it is just a wheel and tire choice. I guess what blows me away is that people take these old cars and put modern drivetrains, GPS, mega sound systems, modern seats, different (and poorly engineered) suspension systems, and extensive body mods all to make it a new car. The problem I have with that is that you can go out and buy a new car that does everything better than that old car thats been modified incorrectly. The reason I drive and own old muscle cars is the feeling of nostalgia and the mechanical nature of them. The sights, feel, and smell of old cars is what I want. I know that people look at the pro street movement as the same thing yet its not. Pro street still is along the intensions of what these cars were to begin with. Obviously the pastel lame magazine cars dont count, but the tubbed Hemi Road Runner with a tunnel ram and big tires doing wheelies at the track running 10s is just what the cars were meant for. So in summary your car will be great and no one will knock you for putting wheels on it and modifying it to your tastes. Your right about if they were all stock it would be very boring. But its great to see Day 2 cars and stockers as well. It just stings to see non enthusiasts go out and pay to have a street rod built from a cool Mopar because its en vogue.

 

[moparstuart]

Here is another car I feel has a nice look to it. The right offsets and fit. I like the over all feel of this car! :drool:
18 x 10 rears 17 x 8 front

:drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: of course its a 70 :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool:

 

[railrider]

Here is another car I feel has a nice look to it. The right offsets and fit. I like the over all feel of this car! :drool:
18 x 10 rears 17 x 8 front

:drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: of course its a 70 :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool:

To be honest I never normally look at the 1970 Model Plymouths much other than the Super Birds. I have always lover the 1968 and 1969's so much more. This car was in Mopar Muscle and caught my eye, and now I have it as my screen saver on my computer. lol

 

[Basketcase]

we pretty much all agree here.
your car
your $$
do what makes YOU happy
just like we joust about what color ls best (Green of course)
we have our wheel preferences. steelies Cragars SS (my favorlte)
and some even like the rare garden hose wheels

 

[mannye]

aHEM....

 

[ACME A12]

I think you guys have pretty much nailed it down. The one recurring theme that resonates loudest is "Your Car - Do What YOU Want". Can't get any simpler than that and there will always be differing opinions. As for my personal opinion - I like Muscle Cars with some sidewall, and this is especially true on our RRs, so I like 15" wheels. I'm not completely militant about 16"-18" wheels, but once you hit the donk wheel realm (20" and beyond) then Steve's puking smilie response pretty much captures my sentiment on that subject...

Having stated all of that, I will also fess up to having put a set of 18" wheels on a car of that era that I am building. But it is also a car I plan to sell, and I thought that by going a bit larger than stock it might create some appeal to a broader market. I tried to bridge the gap between traditional hot rod wheels (American Torq Thrust II) and newer technology & what's currently trendy (larger diameter). I don't hate the look, but I'm not crazy about it either... Just not enough sidewall to make me happy... :cents:

 

[moparstuart]

I think you guys have pretty much nailed it down. The one recurring theme that resonates loudest is "Your Car - Do What YOU Want". Can't get any simpler than that and there will always be differing opinions. As for my personal opinion - I like Muscle Cars with some sidewall, and this is especially true on our RRs, so I like 15" wheels. I'm not completely militant about 16"-18" wheels, but once you hit the donk wheel realm (20" and beyond) then Steve's puking smilie response pretty much captures my sentiment on that subject...

Having stated all of that, I will also fess up to having put a set of 18" wheels on a car of that era that I am building. But it is also a car I plan to sell, and I thought that by going a bit larger than stock it might create some appeal to a broader market. I tried to bridge the gap between traditional hot rod wheels (American Torq Thrust II) and newer technology & what's currently trendy (larger diameter). I don't hate the look, but I'm not crazy about it either... Just not enough sidewall to make me happy... :cents:

quick someone photo shop in a TV on the quarter panel :acme: :acme: :acme:

 

[ACME A12]

quick someone photo shop in a TV on the quarter panel :acme: :acme: :acme:

Look in the background. TV still up on the wall. This was taken before that fateful day... :bricks: