This seems like something that may have been covered in another topic, but if it is I cant find it and apologize.

I am wondering if anyone has found an aftermarked vendor selling 4th gen style firebird 5 spokes with a 3rd gen offset for a decent price. I am not really keen about using 2" spacers but love the 4th gen 5 spoke style. It seems to me i came across 1 company that sold them but i think they were like $250 per rim. Otherwise any suggestions for very similar styles of rims would be appreciated. Ive spent hours searching and havent come up with anything (affordable) that I like as much as the 4th gen 5 spokes.

I dont want my wheels to stick out either by the way

 

Basically no. There is noone that has a similar wheel with the correct backspacing.

 

define "decent price" and "affordable". you're not going to find too many good rims for less than $250 a wheel.

 

There is nothing wrong with running the spacers on the car.
You can pick up a set of 4th gen 16" wheels for about $200-500 set (depends on if there are tires on the wheels and the brand and wear), then grab a set of spacers for a couple hundred and be done with it.

 

or swap in a 4th gen rear and you won't have to worry about spacers for the back.

 

SLP was making 3rd gen fit 4th gen rims a while back. I remember seeing them in a what I think were ZR1 rims rims, and I believe SS rims. Don't quote me on that, just peep their site .

 

Here we go...

http://www.slponline.com/browse_list.asp


They are camaro rims, but as you know with anything aftermarket, theirs an order of succession

Chevy Aftermarket motor parts - Plentiful
l
3rd gen aftermarket parts - Barely existant
l
3rd gen Camaro aftermarket parts - We all know we have seen them, but know one knows where they got them from, and the one guy who has it, wrecked his car and totalled the part
l
3rd gen Firebird - Isn't the knight rider kitt enough ?


So in essence.. don't be surprised if its slim pickins. Your better off getting some spacers from Andris Skulte http://skulte.com

If the tires stick out at all, its to be accepted as the price one pays for individuality and customization.

 

wow perfect! thanks for the SLP link! That set of ZR-1 style rims fitted for f-bodies are exactly what I was looking for. Hopefully they stay at that sale price for a while, since that breaks down to $150 per rim for 17x8s.

Thanks again

By the way Zephyr, you have changed my mind about the spacers after seeing your formula. Those dont look bad at all. If I find it to be more cost effective I will just go that route after all.

 

hey zepher... did you notice any sort of handling changes when you put the spacers and 4th gen wheels on your car?

seems to me like an extra 4 inches of girth grabbing the road would make the car a bit more stable...

 

I didnt like my car when i ran spacers u could feel them flexing

 

The only thing I noticed was improved handling from the extra width of the tires.

The wheels are pretty much in the same place as thirdgen wheels, it's not like they stick out an extra 4 inches.

I do have a set of 16x9.5 87 Corvette offset wheels that stick out a bit, but it's hard to compare the handling to my 17's since I have competition tires on the 17's and street tires on the 16's.

Here is what the 16x9.5" wheels look like,






and a video showing the car in motion with the 16's,
http://www.transamws6.com/video/Manny_Desantos.wmv

and the 17's
http://www.transamws6.com/video/race.wmv
http://www.transamws6.com/video/auto-x-hq.wmv

 

remember,adapters and spacers are not the same

 

i would go with the slp zr1 knock offs for third gens. i think that they are 17 x 8 for 599.

 

i'd go with the third gen offset ZR1's.

 

I second that statement ( or third, fourht ect..).
I used 3" adapters on my M.C. SS to fit ZR1 wheels under it and NEVER had a problem. Thats with daily driving and hitting the drag strip atleast 3 times a month without ever having something loosening up. Remember simple spacers just "sandwich" between your hub and wheel, where adapters bolt to the hub then the wheel bolts to them.

 

Well my car is stuck in storage for another 6 months until I get back to the US. After that I have to wear down the fairly new white-lettered firehawks ive got on it. Once I've got those worn down I'll be looking at getting new wheels.