I'm coming from a decade long run with another brand of 90s model 2 door coupe haha and new to the 3rd Gen family. All the years I spent obsessing over backspacing and offset fitments on the other brand leaves me being clueless on the 3rd gen specs. So I am basically wanting to run a staggered setup or squared on a stock 3rd gen 1992 with stock brakes and rear end. What I am hoping to run:

18x8.5 or 18x9 front with a 245/40/18 or 265/40 in the front
18x9.5 or 18x10 or 18x10.5 or 18x11 rear with a 275/40 or 295/40

I found a set of wheels I want but not sure if I should risk the purchase. They are 18x9.5 front and 18x11 rear but they both have a +22 offset so I am assuming they won't work.
I'd prefer to not run any spacers if possible. I will swap to larger brakes and rear disc in the future so I know the specs will change.
Thanks!

 

Welcome to TGO. The stock set up for most thirdgens is "0" zero offset on all four corners. The 16" wheel cars came with 16mm offset out back, but a lot of guys will run four fronts to keep a "0"mm offset on all four corners. ...and all the aftermarket wheels for our cars are sold with 0mm on all four corners, soooo... to run no spacers, that's what you'll need. Looking at the tire widths you posted, they should all fit without issue, except maybe a 295 out back. My guess would be that it'd fit with no issues, and many have.....but, I think a few guys have had to massage the inner wheel well a little.

 

The front and rear were both 16x8 but with different offsets correct?

 

That's correct. 16x8 'front' wheels have 0 offset, 16x8 'rear' wheels have +16 offset. 'Rear' wheels won't fit the front, but 'front' wheels work well on the rear.

Before bigger brakes, when I still used factory wheels, I had 'front' wheels all around. Not only is it more practical from a maintenance standpoint, but also the stance looks better, more aggressive.

So when planning for new wheels, achieving a finished offset of 0 serves as a good point of reference for both, front and rear, depending upon width and diameter, of course. Rear wheel well and suspension clearances can support tucking wider wheels, whereas front clearances are tighter.

 

I can tell you I have corvette rims on the back 18 x 10.5 with 275 40 tires and a 2" spacer.. the tires stick out .. when I hit a bump the wheelhouse hits my tire and shredds the sidewall ..