So I am at a point with my project car that I need to figure out what wheels/tires to go with. I need new tires and with the low selection of 16" tires, this has me wondering do I stay with the factory wheels or upgrade to Hawks 17". My factory wheels have seen better days, the clear coat is coming off and the aluminum is pretty rough. To have them redone locally will be in the $700 range. There is a much wider selection of 275/40/17 than 245/50/16s. What is the general consensus/thoughts? I know a lot will come down to personal preference, but I am torn between keeping it stock looking, but also making it different.

 

Keep your becoming collectible car stock. Go to a "Vintage" Clothing Store, get yourself a 70's "Disco Three Piece Suit" (preferably white) and ****** Wig. THEN you will look "Different" driving around!

 

What? Mu llet is a censored word, on thirdgen.org?

 

I love this song! Third Gen F bodies are COOL!

 

Go with 17s. People have a really over-estimated idea of the value of a stock thirdgen F-body (unless it's a limited edition such as a TTA or something like that). Additionaly; wheels are a bolt-on item, so just save the old wheels so the option of easily returning to stock is always available...

 

Do whatever you want. If you find a set of aftermarket wheels that you like better than stockers then that's all that matters. According to your bio it already has a 383 and a t-56, neither of which is a stock option so I wouldn't get hung up on the stock wheels IMHO.

 

I am changing my opinion, given the scarcity of tires available, for 16" wheels. consider QUALITY forged aluminum wheels, with steel inserts for "cone" shaped lug nuts. maybe a modern version of OE wheels, if you like that style.

 

Don't worry about it being stock. You can always simply change out wheels. I can't speak to the weight of the 17" GTA's, but the stock 16" Irocs are about 21Lbs., the Hawks 17"s are 29Lbs. That's a LOT of extra unsprung weight! ...if it matters to you. Probably doesn't, and that's totally fine. Wider tires still LOOK cool though, and they ARE more readily available for sure. .....and I know the stock GTA's limit big brake choices too, more so than the stock IROCs, so bigger will likely allow bigger brakes, which on any thirdgen other than a stocker, I'd consider mandatory. Still.....I love the look/profile of a 16" wheel with a 245/50/16. ....it's really up to you.

 

You really cannot go wrong with the Hawks 17". As already stated, better tire selection, and IMO they look better. Down the road if you want to look 100% stock. Have your OEM wheels re-finished and throw them on.

 

That's one of the reasons I struggle with buying the Hawk's 17" wheels. It's quite the disadvantage. Going from a forged factory wheel to a cast replacement is just not moving in the right direction.

Supporting the Chinese Communist Party is another disadvantage. Lastly, for my car, they would HAVE TO BE red. So now I get to absorb the expense of painting brand new wheels. With tires added in, it becomes quite unreasonable.

I'm glad Hawk's makes them. But I'm thinking they are not the right answer for me.

 

On Hawks website it says this about the 17x9 GTA style wheels.

"Each wheel weights 21lbs 6oz (9.68 kg) without the center cap."

It says this about the 17x9 IROC-Z style wheels.

"Each wheel has a weight of 28.4 pounds (12.88KG)"

I also didn't think that the factory 16x8 GTA wheels were forged. I thought they were cast.

 

I've always liked keeping the stock appearance of my car. I guess it depends on if you really value keeping that original appearance, which may be important if you like showing your car at competitions where being close to 100% original may help.

I think the original GTA wheels on my car are beautiful wheels. IMO, wheel design overall was always a GM weakpoint, but they got these right. But if you don't care about stock appearance, bigger wheels make sense. You'll have smaller gaps in your wells (to me, one of the few design weak points of a 3rd gen) and a far wider selection of tires.