Hello All,

I am in the process of building my toy, and I wanted some opinions if I should or do i need to change the wheels/tire size for performance reasons, or does it not matter??

I am putting in a 383 Stroker, approx 470 HP and approx 525 lbs torque. Basically revamped the entire suspension thru UMI Performance, today i'm picking up a Tremec TKO-600, upgraded to the kevlar rings, and a RAM Double Disc Clutch.

Like I said, I just want to know if I need to change wheel/tire size for performance reasons or not? This will be a street car.

Thanks for your help-

Lou

 

Personally, I would run the stock wheels if you are not going to run the car at the track. JMO

 

3rd gens are like most cars, they like wider tires for better handling, braking, and straight line traction.

Keep in mind there are very few tire options in the 245-50-16 stock size now, although you can still buy Nitto drag radials - which is what you should get with a 470hp street car. You also have the option of going up to 275-40-17 sized tires on a 17" x 9.5" wheel for better all around performance - plus there are many more tire options.

 

That depends on what you are going to run in their place. A lot of aftermarket wheels are heavy and will hurt overall performance unless you equip other areas (brakes) properly. Also, IMO not many wheels out there look better on our cars than the stock IROC wheels. I just think a lot of these modern wheels are too complex for such a simple body design..

You could always have the factory rears widened and go with a drag radial. I'd do that if my car came with the stock wheels. Instead i got ugly, heavy cragars. I can't wait to get rid of those wheels.

 

I like the stock IROC wheels on my IROC. To me its part of what makes an IROC and IROC.

So far as the better performance with wider wheels goes - yes thats very true. The stock 16x8 inch wheels and 245/50/16 tires were huge when they came out - keep in mind that the IROC came out in 1985 so thats been almost 30 years ago.

Stock IROC wheels were huge compaired to many of the 13'' and 14'' wheels that many cars were running at that time in the 1980's. Those tires were not nearly as wide as the factory 15''x7'' Z28 wheels let alone the factory 16''x8'' IROC wheels.

I just got rid of my old 1991 Toyota Corolla last year after it wouldn't pass smog anymore. After 20 years of service and 230,000 miles on the original drivetrain that was understandible. This body style came out in 1988 so its a fair 1980's standard vehicle comparison. I forgot the exact size but the wheels on my old Corolla were something like 175/70/13 - they were really small.

Having said that stock IROC's were pulling 0.9g's on the skid pad at that time and that is still a very good skidpad number for a performance car even by todays standards - all this was done without all the computer aids that modern cars have to reach those same numbers.

With wider tires and the suspesion upgrades that you have made your IROC should be able to pull at least 1g on a skidpad now and embarass a lot of other more expensive cars in the process.

My vote goes for having the stock IROC wheels may wider. Mr. IROC-Z is a member on here and he has 18'' aftermarket IROC wheels on his 1990 IROC convertible. This car is all custom and is very well done. I saw this car in person during a Northern California thirdgen.org meet up in June this year and this car is amazing! The car also has a functional vent IROC style hood made from carbon fiber, ZZ383 drivetrain with a T-56 transmission, and 3.73 geared 10bolt rear.

On the front he is running 18''x8'' wheels an on the rear he is running 18''x11'' wheels.

Check out the links below to see his car.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/auto...tm-winner.html

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/whee...eels-saga.html

These rims for the rear got widened from the stock 8'' to 11'' and were mounted on 295/40/18 size tires. The rear fenders had to be tucked and rolled to get them to fit (along with some work done to the stock wheels wells) but the results look really good.

 

Some more close up pics of how the wheels fit.

 

Mr. IROC-Z's post about the modified wheel wells:

Finally, here are the pictures of the modified wheel wells.
The pictures below are of the Driver side wheel well.
As you can see, the areas outlined with red were modified.
The lower portion of the wheel well was actually cut out and re-welded to allow more room for the tire.
As well, the fender lips were rolled out a bit to allow more room.
I have no doubts that I can now easily fit 315's there. The current 295's have alot of room to move in there!

 

This is by far the best looking car I've ever seen. The things id do to her in the garage

 

AMEN.. Cleanest Third-Gen ive seen.

 

Beautiful car!

The question is - would many people want to cut and re-weld the rear well on a third gen (that didn't have rot) for just wider rear tires? I'm thinking no for 95% of us out there.

While I'm a big fan of the IROC wheel look, I'm not fond of the cheap (typically) non DOT tested Chinese knockoffs that one will typically find in most 18" offerings.

 

I say keep the stock IROC wheels-I have always loved them and like was said they are part of what makes an IROC an IROC.

 

The best looking wheel on a 3rd gen is a iroc wheel and I am very interested in how or who widened yours. It would be nice not to have wheel spacers and have everything bolt on like it is supposed to. Please give us a seminar on your wheel mods and how much beating is required on the inner fender wells. I was going to get 95 zr1 wheels since they are the second best looking wheel and they will fit around bigger brakes (future upgrade). I have a 92 z vert that will look similar to yours when I am finished. The way you solved your wheel problem is evident in the look of your whole car. No half %%^&ing any of it. Of course chrome and black is the best color combo of all time and when those irocs are chromed you will be done. I agree that your car is about the best looking 3rd gen I have ever seen also.

 

That car looks good but is it missing the front lip on one of those pictures?

Keep the stock rims since you like them but maybe get a drag radial or a summer tire if you will drive it hard.

 

Keep the wheels, their just too Badass.

 

Keep the wheels, car looks great

 

Keep the wheels, they make the car. I regret my wheels if it wasn't for the tires width i would trade you.

 

have the stock ones widened

 

Do NOT widen the stock wheels. Finding rubber for a 16 inch wheel that wont fit on a 16x8 is hard. Try to find some 275/45/16's. There is just nothing out there that's wider. You can do a 16x11 and you're just gonna end up running 255/50/16s on it if you can even find those.

That said I agree with the others, keep the IROCs on it except for the track. VERY few wheels look better on these cars than factory IROCs (including the ugly chrome ones). All those blingy chrome wheels look awful in comparison.

 

I love that iroc. One of the best looking camaros around. But I have one question, where can I buy 18x8 iroc with the same finish? I can only find them in chrome.

 

biglou87z28 ,

If your going to keep the body looking stock then stock wheels would look OK, but if your planning on giving it some rake and a aftermarket hood like a cowl than your setting it up to look a little towards a 1/4 mile car than I don't believe stock wheels are the answer.
A photo of your car would be nice. Also you may want go to "USER CP" then to "EDIT DETAILS" and fill in the last 4 questions. That way we can see what your driving and that helps us help you on this site.

 

I say get different rims third gens look much nicer to me at least with wider wheels. I have 18x11 in the back of mines wrapped in 315s but i dont have the stock rear end.

 

Agreed - wider wheels and tires add a very prominent "intimidation factor" to any 3rd gen, not to mention better handling, braking, and acceleration.