Wheels are done...

[sman]

Absolutely beautiful!

[cobalt camaro]

looks great, i think those wheels look freakin amaizing on green cars especially if there is a gold stripe on the car. anyways looks great great buy.

[TSTONE]

Maybe I should tell the whole story...this has been an interesting 7 month exercise.

The third gen GTA crosslace wheels have a different offset from "fronts" to "rears".

The fronts have a true "zero" offset.

The rears have a +16mm offset (i.e. it moves the tire further INBOARD toward centerline of car by 16mm).

But it doesn't stop there.

The Borg Warner rear end has a shorter track by design than what dimension is spec'd for the front track.

If you take a scale, in a plan view, the front tire is line to line with the front edge of wheel lip opening.

The rear tire is 1.25 inches (31mm) from edge of tire to edge of wheel lip opening in a plan view using a 245 tire.

So, even if you run fronts all the way around, the rear wheels will still be sitting 15mm inboard of the fronts. To even both tracks up, you need to run "fronts" on all four corners, and run a half inch spacer on the rears (assuming you keep 245s all the way around).

However, in theory, if you could find a 275/45R16 tire, you could run that in the rear and a 245/50R16 up front and not have a spacer...but the only tire I've found in a 275/45 is the Hoosier C6 Competition Drag Radial...it'll be tight, and I need to confirm when tires get mounted, but it should fit.

Sooooo...the jury is still out on what's going to happen. But I think I'll investigate the half inch spacer, either 245 or 255, and see how it looks...probably 245 as 255 would be outside the wheel well in the front.

The real work begins now...lol...

Awright awright awright, you impatient mothers....

I originally asked for them to sodium-strip the wheels, powder coat the centers a GM code 55 Aztec Gold, machine the lips (not polish), and then powdercoat clear over the top.

Their reply was that code 55 was a water based paint from 1976 (this is true), and no powdercoat exists to duplicate it due to the variety of the water based paint used at the time. They said they could mix me a special batch of powdercoat, but it would be expensive.

I chose to go with a modern day paint-matched code 55 gold, and then powdercoat clear over the top.











I actually like the last pic with the gold in the valve stem hole, even though it wasn't factory...but then again, none of the rest of this exercise is, and the valve stem will likely cover it anyway.

Overall, a very good job...a 9 out of 10...I have found 2 flaws, one minor (dirt not cleaned up before powdercoating the clear) and one moderate where the gold flaked off over a 4 x 2mm area on one wheel. I think I'm just going to let it go as I didn't pay for a concourse job, but came close to getting one.

In the end, I'm glad I didn't polish them...would have been too over the top.

All four wheels...$520...with no tax charged.

Yes, I can be anal retentive...

Ouch...lol...I guess I'll just have to suffer...

OMG - you are sooooooooooooooo anal retentive


congrats can't wait to see the final product

[FireBirdGirl02]

Wow! I am really looking forward to seeing them on the car!!

[Orange Terror]

Very very nice

[WMCC Gary]

They're not on the car yet?

[81DaytonaPaceCar]

Soon...getting tires today...

[TSTONE]

what tires did you go with?

[BP_Z28]

look good..now get them on!

[92conv]

Look awesome!! Can't wait to see your car, Jeff!! You are bringing it to the Meet & Greet right???

[81DaytonaPaceCar]

what tires did you go with?

Got a deal on a set of BFG G-Force Sports for $105 apiece...place over by work matched TireRack's price.

Look awesome!! Can't wait to see your car, Jeff!! You are bringing it to the Meet & Greet right???

Oh yeah...you bringing the 89?

[TSTONE]

what size are they?

[81DaytonaPaceCar]

what tires did you go with?

Went with the stock 245/50 R16.

Realized that if I went larger to 255, the fronts would then stick outside the wheelwell by 5 mils...not desireable at all.

Might be able to squeeze a 7/16th spacer on the rear...that would almost get me where I want to be...have to check the lug lengths...might not have enough threads.

Getting closer though.

[92conv]

Oh yeah...you bringing the 89?

No, We'll be bringing the 94..... Unfortunately the 89 won't get driven much this year, if at all. (To many toys not enough money to use them all!!)

[TSTONE]

WOW - you got an awesome deal