[FerrariT]

'72 nova

What is the widest tire that you can run up front stock ?

I'm unsure if it will be worth the money [breaking bank] to upgrade front-ends to:

1.) DSE Hydraformed

or

2.) Art morrison

(or) possibly use the stock clip with ATS spindles? [chicane-lm]

Not certain on R&P, manual, power either.

All my cars had power steering [firebirds 3rd gens up and grand prix's 90s]
The only car I ever drove with "loose" steering was 77 Ford LTD w/ 351W = Fun! lol.

I was thinking of 10" in the front but ....

I'm an aggressive driver, would love to have decent handling going into curves and what have you.

I have an idea for the rear-end = lds, dse, or CA.

swapping in an Chev. Ls1

 

[SLEEPER]

You will definately need a aftermarket sub to fit a 10. 8 is about the max with the stock sub depending on how low you go. Im also interested to see what others post on rim/tire sizes with a stock sub

 

[tnblkc230wz]

A 235/45-17 or a 245/40-17 on an 8 inch rim will fit a stock 3rd gen. Remove the wheel well and a 255/45-17 might be doable.

 

[FerrariT]

I see.
I want 19" rims.
I was going to put 10" out back as well.
anybody have any pics of a cars stance / profile with 8's front 10's rear 18" or 19" rims?

Just curious.

No offense to the guys who hate those rim sizes.
I do like some of the smaller tires, but as I'm out to chase skirts, I know what girls like.

Just want some opinions / advice.

I'm pondering lots of things I even thought of skipping the ls1 and putting in a BBC !!!

 

[tnblkc230wz]

I see.
I want 19" rims.
I was going to put 10" out back as well.
anybody have any pics of a cars stance / profile with 8's front 10's rear 18" or 19" rims?

Just curious.

No offense to the guys who hate those rim sizes.
I do like some of the smaller tires, but as I'm out to chase skirts, I know what girls like.

Just want some opinions / advice.

I'm pondering lots of things I even thought of skipping the ls1 and putting in a BBC !!!

A 235/35-19 should fit. Take carefull measurements on the back. A 265/35-19 or 275 on a 9.5 rim may fit. The rears of these are all a little different, so you have to measure your car.

 

[FerrariT]

A 235/35-19 should fit. Take carefull measurements on the back. A 265/35-19 or 275 on a 9.5 rim may fit. The rears of these are all a little different, so you have to measure your car.

thank you

 

[pumpkin72]

good info! i also would like to see what would fit and what size tires maybe even tire sizes for a 20, what would fit up there with no fenderwells in the front and tubbed accordingly in the rear


and like the op said lets see some pics

 

[FerrariT]

So essentially you can not run:

225/35-18s up front
nor
305/30-19s out back.

without an aftermarket front clip, and mini tubbing the rear wheel wells?

 

[tnblkc230wz]

On a 3rd gen, a 225/35-18 should be a piece of cake. I'm running a 235/45-17 without rubbing. A 255/45-17 rubs the back of the wheel well. Remove the wheel well and I think it would fit. Removing the opens up the space at the lower back of the wheel well for a larger (diameter and width) tire. It is generally agreed that a 275 is the widest rear tire without tubbing. Each car is a little different, so you have to measure your car.

 

[MANGOPUPPY]

I'm pondering lots of things I even thought of skipping the ls1 and putting in a BBC !!!

That's always a good choice

no offense to you small block guys.

 

[FerrariT]

On a 3rd gen, a 225/35-18 should be a piece of cake. I'm running a 235/45-17 without rubbing. A 255/45-17 rubs the back of the wheel well. Remove the wheel well and I think it would fit. Removing the opens up the space at the lower back of the wheel well for a larger (diameter and width) tire. It is generally agreed that a 275 is the widest rear tire without tubbing. Each car is a little different, so you have to measure your car.

the 225/35/18 is a 18 x 9
whats the width of your tires?

I think I will mini-tub the back as I have to do a bit of wheel well work anyways lol

That's always a good choice

no offense to you small block guys.

I like the fuel economy of the LSx
I like the sound of the BBC

Really I just need to know how much HP/Torque I'm going to need to pin you back in your seat without super high RPMs?

LOL, I'm just trying to wow some girls. If I spank a few mustangs along the way thats okay too.

 

[71SS454]

If you're only buildig this car to impress girls, yuo're building it for the wrong reasons. You'll never enjoy it because just when you finish it, they'll move onto the next thing and you'll be left with a car that you only think is "ok". A fancy car only impresses the materialistic girls. Now the girls that like real muscle cars and understand what the parts you have on it are for and wheat they do, now that's a woman worth keeping. Find a woman who likes you ,and just so happens to like your car, then you'll be much happier.

And BTW, no offense, anything larger than a 15" wheel only belongs on cars made after like 1980. IMO.

Good luck.

But to provide some kind of answer to your question, a 275 in the rear, and a 225/235 in the front with stock wheel wells. Stay around 26" tall in the front and 27" tall in the rear and you should be fine. An 8 inch wheel with around 4.5-5" back spacing and a 9" rear wheel with 5.5" back spacing would fit my 71 with a low profile typw tire that dosen't have alot of sidewall buldge. But you have to measure your particular car. See if someone has a couple wheels you can borrow and try.

Also, post some pics. People here are like picture addicts. We may have to start a 12 step program for picture addicts:devil:

 

[69LT1Nova]

And BTW, no offense, anything larger than a 15" wheel only belongs on cars made after like 1980. IMO.

No offense taken gramps. :stir:

 

[FerrariT]

If you're only buildig this car to impress girls, yuo're building it for the wrong reasons. You'll never enjoy it because just when you finish it, they'll move onto the next thing and you'll be left with a car that you only think is "ok". A fancy car only impresses the materialistic girls. Now the girls that like real muscle cars and understand what the parts you have on it are for and wheat they do, now that's a woman worth keeping. Find a woman who likes you ,and just so happens to like your car, then you'll be much happier.

And BTW, no offense, anything larger than a 15" wheel only belongs on cars made after like 1980. IMO.

Good luck.

But to provide some kind of answer to your question, a 275 in the rear, and a 225/235 in the front with stock wheel wells. Stay around 26" tall in the front and 27" tall in the rear and you should be fine. An 8 inch wheel with around 4.5-5" back spacing and a 9" rear wheel with 5.5" back spacing would fit my 71 with a low profile typw tire that dosen't have alot of sidewall buldge. But you have to measure your particular car. See if someone has a couple wheels you can borrow and try.

Also, post some pics. People here are like picture addicts. We may have to start a 12 step program for picture addicts:devil:

Hold your horses buddy. PUMP those drums ....
lol

Why in the world? would I spend lots of $$$$ and time to build a car just to simply impress a girl?

my DD is a pontiac from '95 I have no problems getting girls/ladies/young women. whatever. Older women too. sometimes too many beers at the bar equal drunken flirty wives and pissed off husbands. :yes:

To have the HP/Torque to pin you in your seat like a jet fighter, what could be better?

I have no plans to go to a drag track.

now all of that aside.

The wheel thing I know some of you true-and true muscle heads love smaller wheels.

I'm more into the pro-touring, "donk" <--- LMAO, look it fits me.

I do respect and can damn well appreciate monster muscles that are set up with drag slicks, etc.

simply I'm a younger guy.

I'll post some pictures when I make further progress.
I had a thread up but got flamed for buying a rust bucket. so I deleted it.




Thanks!

 

[hookemdevils22]

Go LSx, T56 or 4L60e, big rims, and a good system. You get the look of a sick musclecar with the performance and driveability of a modern machine. Best of both worlds. I've seen some novas with 17s/18s that look like they belong on there. I'd love to toss some bigger wheels on my '71, but the Auto Drags are good for now, plus I'm shoving all my $$$ into my LQ4/4L80e build. I think it's a younger guy thing...

 

[scherp69]

If you want some ideas...check out my build thread. I have a Speed Tech subframe (they're cheaper than going with DSE or AME and still a very good product). I'll be running 315's in the back (yes it's been mini tubbed) and will have 255's in the front. The Speed Tech subframe will allow me to run a 10" rim with a 275 if I wanted to. Right now I have 18" but am selling them to a guy I work with. I am leaning towards 17's now and will run 11's in the back and 8 or 9's in the front. Mine is going to be a pro-touring car.

 

[scherp69]

Oh....and hopefully in the next few months I'll be getting GM's new 376/480hp LS3 so will be doing that conversion as well.

 

[71SS454]

Hold your horses buddy. PUMP those drums ....
lol

Why in the world? would I spend lots of $$$$ and time to build a car just to simply impress a girl?

Um, because in two of oyur posts you state that you just want to impress some girls. You can't get upset when someone calls you out on something that you yourself posted.

Don't worry about starting with a rust backet, you should see what many here have fixed, or are fixing.

Now, as for pinning you back in your seat, that's torque, plain and simple. Put a big block in there and you're ready to go, but for handling, a small block wins hands down.I'd get a World Products 454 small block if I had the cash. Pro-touring is great, as long as the car performs like it looks like it shoudl. Alot of the pro-touring cars I see have so-so stock brakes, are underpowered with crate engines, and are just nice paint jobs with big wheels. In other words, useless, in fact most of them don't even get driven. by all means, build a car that you like, in the style you like, but make it functional in your design. IE: if it looks like a protourer, it needs big brakes, a great suspension, and a torque monster of an engine. And then drive the pee out of it! IMO.

And as for the "gramps", well I guess at 35, some of you youngins may think that:devil:

 

[FerrariT]

Um, because in two of oyur posts you state that you just want to impress some girls. You can't get upset when someone calls you out on something that you yourself posted.

Don't worry about starting with a rust backet, you should see what many here have fixed, or are fixing.

Now, as for pinning you back in your seat, that's torque, plain and simple. Put a big block in there and you're ready to go, but for handling, a small block wins hands down.I'd get a World Products 454 small block if I had the cash. Pro-touring is great, as long as the car performs like it looks like it shoudl. Alot of the pro-touring cars I see have so-so stock brakes, are underpowered with crate engines, and are just nice paint jobs with big wheels. In other words, useless, in fact most of them don't even get driven. by all means, build a car that you like, in the style you like, but make it functional in your design. IE: if it looks like a protourer, it needs big brakes, a great suspension, and a torque monster of an engine. And then drive the pee out of it! IMO.

And as for the "gramps", well I guess at 35, some of you youngins may think that:devil:

I know what I said and I will state it again.
I want to impress some girls. yea. scare a few too.
thats the torque, planting your *** into that seat.

But your taking my words and using them for your own means.

because me and you both know instead of restoring an older car. I could invest into something newer ... benz nvm the series. put some rims on it.
pick up the phone and call it a day?

and note:
I didn't say I was going to impress girls a few times.
I made comments about too seperate issues, although they both spoke of women.
I see how you could be mislead.

no, indeed my first post where I mention girls was a cheap jab at you guys with your love for small wheels and hate for bigger rims. [i.e. I know what girls like.]

I'm under 30 and single.
I listen to the popular music.
I know how to enjoy myself.
I know what those around me like, because I like similar things.

Flash always attracted women since the dawn of time.
Chrome rims on a car are flash.
I like flashy things too although I dont have to be the flashiest.
I like to be stylish not trendy.

obvious it isn't just a trend if pro-touring guys and "donk" guys are adopting larger rims for their builds.

times are a changing lol

As far as everything else you stated goes.
I agree, I'm not in a rush to cut corners.
I've been reading for close to a year and planning.
All along slowly stripping her down.
"All show and no go?"
naw, not my cup of tea sir!

 

[FerrariT]

Oh....and hopefully in the next few months I'll be getting GM's new 376/480hp LS3 so will be doing that conversion as well.

That is the same motor as the L92 right?