Does big rims look stupid?

Discussion in 'The Bench' started by 84 LeSabre, Aug 12, 2009.

  1. lemmy-67

    lemmy-67 Platinum Level Contributor

    You're forgetting about the weight of the vehicle. The bigger wheels with the increased surface area contact to the road also lessen the downward pressure of the tire to the road surface. Traction, in turn, will actually decrease, not increase. A thinner tire is spec'ed at the factory to provide the optimum traction and handling for that particular vehicle, with thousands of hours of testing behind it.

    In wet weather, these donks hydroplane like nobody's business, and any impact to those thin alloy wheels will make them explode and send pieces flying to take somebody's head off.
     
  2. blyons79

    blyons79 Well-Known Member

    I saw the he was from NJ and had an "Ah hah" Our roads are great down here...come on down!

    Yea...not into raising vehicles. Not a fan of Donks...that's a "Hood Rich" culture thing. If it doesn't enhance performance then I'm not for it.

    Again....Donks are one thing and serve no performance gain...a bit extreme. This would be the exception:

    Donk.jpg

    LoL!

    But when was the last time you saw a LeMans car run 15 in wheels with 60 series tires; or any "Super Car" for tha matter. Putting 18" wheels on my car was the most dramtic handling performance upgarde I've made so far. Even after the cotrol arm and coilovers...it didn't all come torgether until after the larger diameter wheels.
     
  3. buicks

    buicks Well-Known Member

  4. HotRodRivi

    HotRodRivi Tomahawks sighted overseas

    If you had 22 in rims with out rubberband tires, and if you could get 22in rim with stock sidewall white letter TA RADIAL BF GOODWRENCH that would be awsome.
     
  5. nekkidhillbilly

    nekkidhillbilly jeffreyrigged youtube channel owner

    thats perfection imo. its when you cant lower or have to lift a car that kills it for me. i want a car to preform better not worse.
     
  6. BUICKRAT

    BUICKRAT Got any treats?

  7. qdub24

    qdub24 Well-Known Member

    Same here. The 26's on my '90 Caprice Classic required no lift whatsoever, and I can still lower it more should I choose to do so.
     
  8. buicks

    buicks Well-Known Member

    How do those 26 not get dented on potholes? Just very carefully?
     
  9. tufbuick

    tufbuick RIP

    Down here in SC "Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiims" bees da rage.

    They can take a perfect classic and make it look like a POS !!!

    Just my 2 cents.

    donks4.jpg
     
  10. lemmy-67

    lemmy-67 Platinum Level Contributor

    That *was* your father's oldsmobile...
     
  11. DeeVeeEight

    DeeVeeEight Well-Known Member

    [​IMG]

    Now all you need is a big orange plastic race track to send it on it's way. Can you say Hot Wheels?

    I like the paint, I like the interior too. The Lambo style doors are "Meh" IMO and the wheels are way too much, at least for me...

    Now is it a real convertible? I don't think so.
     
  12. Hubert713

    Hubert713 Member

    Looking to buy some chrome rims for my 72 Skylark. Anyone have any 15 inch wheels for sale?
     
  13. BellGS

    BellGS Well-Known Member

    Have fun replacing the tranny every 25 miles. Rims over 22" are ridicoulous. Newer cars can pull off 20's and 21's such as the new Bentleys have 21's and you would never notice they where that huge.
     
  14. JHutch

    JHutch Well-Known Member

    Answering the original question: Yes. Big rims DO look ridiculous and remind me of a child screaming for attention since he/she can get it no other way. Not saying that's the situation in this particular case; it's just what it reminds me of.
     
  15. blyons79

    blyons79 Well-Known Member

    What are we considering as "Big Rims"? Anything larger than stock? Larger than 18"? It's my opinion that 18 are perfect. 20" looks nice too. I don't care for anything larger on an A-body. My car came with 14x6....those look horrible!! Can't believe cars care with such puny wheels back then. Nothing changes the attitude of a car more than bigger wheels and a lower stance.
     
  16. snucks

    snucks Well-Known Member

    My original plan was to use these wheels (boss 338's) and paint my Electra this color but keep the black vinyl top. buuuuuuuuuut I see way too many older cars using these rims nowadays and if I wanted to look just like everyone else I would have bought a good ol chevellamaro nomsayin?

    I'm still going to paint my car like this but have decided to just get some wider 15x8 steel wheels so I can still use my semi restored wheel covers.
    Pontiac_Grand Prix_with_18in_Boss 338_Wheels_2725b.jpg KC1209-87498_4.jpg
     
  17. SteeveeDee

    SteeveeDee Orange Acres

    I have a set of 15" X 7" chrome ralleys with billet center caps. I just put 8" wide wheels on my Skylark today. One of the 15" X 7" is bent a little, but the other three are fine. The new 8" wide wheels put the rest of the 245 tires on the ground.
     
    Last edited: May 9, 2014
  18. blyons79

    blyons79 Well-Known Member

    15x8 spokes & white walls or Vogues look great on the more "luxurious" cars. The sportier A & G bodies look better with the larger diameter wheels IMO.
     
  19. snucks

    snucks Well-Known Member

    I never said 18's don't look good on cars. I think they do look good but every other classic car I see wears these wheels. It's a tired look. I remember when every swingin dink wanted centerlines and air shocks....................meh
    Looking like everyone else is a bit of a pet peeve of mine. If I had a nickel for every dang girl I come across with that one stupid nail painted a different color than the rest I could probably get my engine rebuilt.
     
  20. blyons79

    blyons79 Well-Known Member

    The problem is there aren't very many options when it comes to 18" & below wheel sizes for our cars. There are only a handful of manufacturers that make wheels with the correct backspacing & lug pattern. I looked at about a dozen places before I settled for the Riddlers. (Just like the Boss 338 & Torque Thrust II) I had the same dilemma (wanting to be different). I'm glad I did though...That style wheels just suits that era car best.
     

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