My '76 restoration (long post)

[MYBAD79]

Keep in mind that with the stock lower strut rod angle your camber goes negative during suspensionn travel.
You're right it is difficult to say just by looking at pictures.... But I'd make sure before I start cutting..... Maybe you only need to grind the fender lip a bit.....

 

[denpo]

Keep in mind that with the stock lower strut rod angle your camber goes negative during suspensionn travel.
You're right it is difficult to say just by looking at pictures.... But I'd make sure before I start cutting..... Maybe you only need to grind the fender lip a bit.....

Good call Kastern, I'm gonna try to take more pics.

 

[MYBAD79]

Maybe put a jack under the frame to barely lift the car, then disconnect the leaf spring and push the trailing arm upwards..... I'd hate to cut a perfectly good fender if it's not necessary....

 

[denpo]

Maybe put a jack under the frame to barely lift the car, then disconnect the leaf spring and push the trailing arm upwards..... I'd hate to cut a perfectly good fender if it's not necessary....

Good idea, will do that.
But what if my lower rod are not correctly adjusted?

More pics:

 

[MYBAD79]

Now on these photos you can really see that the camber is off. Get the alignment better before you cut and flare so you know how wide you have to go.... What size tire is this?

You can adjust the strut rods and trailing arm shims for camber and toe, you can eyeball it to get it at least close... Right now you really way off....

 

[denpo]

Now on these photos you can really see that the camber is off. Get the alignment better before you cut and flare so you know how wide you have to go.... What size tire is this?

You can adjust the strut rods and trailing arm shims for camber and toe, you can eyeball it to get it at least close... Right now you really way off....

Tires are 275 on, if i measured correctly, 10.5" rims.
Front are 245 on 8", staggered setup.
I'm gonna try to get them perpendicular to the ground, I already did a ballpark adjustment of the toe.
From the pic I think I probably can't get away from a flare job.

 

[MYBAD79]

Best thing you can do is to get the alignment somewhat close, then see if the tires hit the fender or if they don't.....
If the tires don't rub they don't rub..... As long as you find out before bodywork and paint it's all good

 

[denpo]

Camber roughly aligned, got enough to get wheels perpendicular to the ground.
Now it get obvious.








I'm not yet a the desired ride height, but obviously the lower I'll get the wider the the tires will stick out.
So I'm aiming for a 1.5" enlargement at the top of the lip.
Thank you so much Karsten for pointing this out.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

or you can just jack up the back with some air shocks :mullet:

 

[7t9l82]

what backspace do you have on your wheel.?

 

[MYBAD79]

Wow, now it really looks like it's sticking out a little


Is a 275/60 tire still available? Might want to look into what sizes are available - i think 295/50 is a good choice for a 10" rim (rims are measured inboard the lip where the tire sits, that's why you measure 10.5 outboard).

A 325/50 might fit a 10" rim , that would be some massive "meat" back there..... Nah, the 295 is probably enough..... Lol....

 

[denpo]

or you can just jack up the back with some air shocks :mullet:

And what doing it Donk style, 22" rim :bonkers::amused:

what backspace do you have on your wheel.?

Good question, never measured it.
All I can say it that in the current state tire are close enough from the TA (non offset) to make me want relocate the parking brake bracket.

Wow, now it really looks like it's sticking out a little


Is a 275/60 tire still available? Might want to look into what sizes are available - i think 295/50 is a good choice for a 10" rim (rims are measured inboard the lip where the tire sits, that's why you measure 10.5 outboard).

A 325/50 might fit a 10" rim , that would be some massive "meat" back there..... Nah, the 295 is probably enough..... Lol....

Yes they are still available, at least as much as 295/50 are.
On the TireRack website, both come in BF Radial flavor and.... that's it.
I understand the outside diameters will be pretty similar, but do you know what I should expect for the width?
I'm all for ridiculously meaty tires. I mean, If I was really was aiming for performance I'd go 17". Right now it's all about emphasizing the turbine wheel awesomeness.
One day I'll be rich and have 17" turbine wheel replica custom made. Can't understand why no one never came with the idea.
Or maybe I'll find this bmw series 6/7 staggered rims set that look like vector wheels at fair price.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I'm all for ridiculously meaty tires. I mean, If I was really was aiming for performance I'd go 17". Right now it's all about emphasizing the turbine wheel awesomeness.
One day I'll be rich and have 17" turbine wheel replica custom made. Can't understand why no one never came with the idea.

the only reason I can think of "why not" is because they're breathtakingly ugly.

 

[MYBAD79]

:lol:

I kinda like the wheels :tomato::tomato:

 

[denpo]

I'm all for ridiculously meaty tires. I mean, If I was really was aiming for performance I'd go 17". Right now it's all about emphasizing the turbine wheel awesomeness.
One day I'll be rich and have 17" turbine wheel replica custom made. Can't understand why no one never came with the idea.

the only reason I can think of "why not" is because they're breathtakingly ugly.

Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder I guess.
I see lot of people drooling over those 17" torq thrust, and I'm just all meh about them.
Any rational for the hate? A-team van? Duke of hazard?
From an non american it seems groundless.

 

[MYBAD79]

I think these are pretty cool, on a black car I could even picture these in a flat gold powdercoat ..... Many will say 'eeuww' .... Good thing we all have different things we like otherwise all our cars would look the same ...lol

 

[denpo]

I think these are pretty cool, on a black car I could even picture these in a flat gold powdercoat ..... Many will say 'eeuww' .... Good thing we all have different things we like otherwise all our cars would look the same ...lol

Absolutely.
This rim design have a definitive exotic flavor to me, as european, and reminds me of some car I liked when I was teen.
If I understand Aaron's joke correctly they have a redneck connotation, General Lee syndrome I presume.
It's all cool, my love for those goes way over reason.:loveletter::bonkers:

 

[denpo]

what backspace do you have on your wheel.?

Update
I took some "eyeballed" (tire on car) measurement tonight.
The 4" backspace is deduced from the other measurements.

Edit: and the closest the tire get to the TA is 1".

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I'm all for ridiculously meaty tires. I mean, If I was really was aiming for performance I'd go 17". Right now it's all about emphasizing the turbine wheel awesomeness.
One day I'll be rich and have 17" turbine wheel replica custom made. Can't understand why no one never came with the idea.

the only reason I can think of "why not" is because they're breathtakingly ugly.

Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder I guess.
I see lot of people drooling over those 17" torq thrust, and I'm just all meh about them.
Any rational for the hate? A-team van? Duke of hazard?
From an non american it seems groundless.

They were on my dad's 76 El Camino. He bought the wheels new, then modified that boat by putting in a 5.7L diesel motor. That was what I got to drive for my driving test when I was 16.... but no, I've no idea why I hate them so much (did I ever mention I call el camino mullet cars? business in the front, party in the back... probably not relevant, but then again, it could be).

 

[denpo]

They were on my dad's 76 El Camino. He bought the wheels new, then modified that boat by putting in a 5.7L diesel motor. That was what I got to drive for my driving test when I was 16.... but no, I've no idea why I hate them so much (did I ever mention I call el camino mullet cars? business in the front, party in the back... probably not relevant, but then again, it could be).

Thanks Aaron for the input.
I guess if my dad did bought a set of those I wouldn't find they that exotic indeed.