Hi folks, I want to upgrade my '71 GS back end with fat wheels and tires (actual 15x7 with 255/60R15). I was thinking of 15x8 Rally wheels with BFG 275/60R15, a combination a lot of you guys apparently are doing, but what about 15x10? Coker Tire offers apparently 15x10 Buick rallys for example with BFG 295/50R15 (I can't see any 295/60R15 available). Any experience? Recommendations are highly appreciated. Stephan
Without fender lip "work" a 10" rim will require you to raise the rear of the car regardless of BS. That's why most don't go beyond the 8" rim. Of course if you can tolerate the bumping and rubbing while street driving they do look "racy".
Mine fit good and the tires never touched anywhere. I have however modified my wheel well lips. This was done years ago as this car was meant to be a street/strip car when I first built it. If I had to do it over, it would take a lot of thought before I'd get up the nerve to "trim" again. But being a true "gear head" at heart, I'm sure I'd do it the same way! lol
Many thanks for your feedback! Since the car sees more street than strip time over here in Switzerland, I tend to go for the 8'.
I run 15x10 wheels on my car. It can be done and does not involve any hacking of the car to do. Here are your options. You will need 5.5" to 5.75" of backspacing to center the wheel in the car. These cars are not built to exacting standards and do vary as much as 1/4" in the rear area. I personally got 5-5/8" and that centered my wheel. You can go to the 5.75" and get spacers from Summit Racing to push it back out up to 1/4". Tires. If you run the 295 tires, you will need to do nothing. If you run a tire like mine, a 325/50R15, you will probably have to trim the top of the fender well to assure good clearance. If you look up there, you'll see the pinch welds that connect the outer and inner fenders. Try not to do past them. Also, it will help greatly to put airbags in the rear springs. This will keep the rear of the car from bouncing so much and potentially letting the tire rub up in the inner fender. It only happens on a big bump or whoop-tee-doo on the highway at higher speeds. I run only about 5-7 lbs. of air pressure and that solved the problem. So good luck. Here's a link with pics of my car with the 325's on the back. Posts 41-44 on page 2. http://v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=15046&page=2 Summit Racing also sells both size tires and the wheel spacers.
I have 15x8 Buick rims with 275x60x15 tires on the rear of my GSX tribute car - they fit great with no rubbing at all.
I'm running 17x10 on the rear and 17x7 on the front. Go with a 5.75" backspacing on the rear and they will fit very nicely.
We are running 15x8's with 12.5x28 M/T pro's. Inside and outside was pounded a little to get them to fit. Our car likes to go in a straight line mostly, but is driven daily too.
i have 15x10 with 53/4 backspace its tight if u r not into racing i would go 8 wide they look good with the bf 295's on them but 4 racing 10's all the way
Joining just recently this community, many thanks again to everyone for providing such great feedback and links. Well, 275s on 15x8 look sharp, indeed, but I think I am getting closer to those 15x10 with 295s or even 325s. Any preferred shop you would recommend to order those wheels and tires?
Go big or go home ! ! ! I've had about 4-5 different sizes of tires on the back of my car. No one can believe that those tires fit in the stock fender wells when I go up to the local car shows. I just tell 'em "They had to in Buicks because of all the torque."
What backspacing are you running on the fronts with the 17X7, and your rubber size all around? thanks Gord
I like that u r not taking the easy way bigger looks meaner just make sure your backspace will work 4 u
I've got Greg Welds for my 71. 15x10 with 5.5 backspace. They fit perfect, with 28 x 10.50 Micky ET drags, "true to that actual size". I get very minor rub on the driver side molding, just minor trimming necessary. And the car looks mean with that big of a wheel back there!
I'm still planning on going this route...just wish another memeber did it with a 71-72 due to the wider 8.5 axle
My car has a corporate 8.5 rearend in it. Only the early 8.2 rearends were shorter. I think those were from 65-67 or so.
