I really want to go with the oldschool look like the radial T/A's, but everywhere I look online everyone says "Oh no, be careful third gens are so picky" so I want to make sure I'm not going to waste time and money on something that doesn't fit. Does anyone know of some that are decently priced and not out of stock? Thanks! Also this is my first post so if I broke any rules please let me know. I'm about to go pickup a firebird in a month that has been sitting since 2008 and has dry rotted tires. Doing it vice grip garage style with all my tools to try and make it 800 miles home and film it on my youtube channel.

 

Your going to be limited by tire selection these days. The 16" offerings for these car's size are dwindled down. I can only imagine how few to choose from for 15". But there will be some decent ones. In the 245 50 16 General Gmax RS is probably gonna be the best for a sporty summer road tire.

 

Cooper Cobra, mounted black sidewall out. You're not gonna be driving the car at 150mph...

 

So you seem pretty knowledgeable on the rims and stuff. What would be a good oldschool muscle car look rim that I could go for? Im just trying to find a very very nice muscle car rim and tire. I'll keep the stocks for winter tires.

 

It is no secret here that everyone knows the stock wheels and tire size for the OP 89 formula. These cars came with 3 different size wheel diameters from the factory, from the early years with 14s up to 16s. My thought on if you are looking for the "old" school muscle car look is that you cant go wrong with the classic 5 spoke, Cragar SS wheels are still expensive unless you can find a set used that are not flaky or rusted. If you want to get new for a decent price you can get Riddler brand wheels or even American racing. Any wheel and tire site will have a filter to put your car in and give you a selection of wheels to pick from. If you want to try market place pretty much any GM car including 82 and up 2wd s-series trucks with rear wheel drive would fit without any modifications. The exception to that would be the C4 and up corvette, and 4th gens. My personal preference on these 3rd gens for size, looks and tire availability would be a 17' wheels with 275-40-17 tires on whatever wheel you choose.

 

https://www.tirerack.com/wheels/resu...5&autoModClar=

Here's an idea on some rims, Tirerack. Jegs, Summit, and others will have offerings too. Gives some ideas, like Scotty posted above.

 

They're wheels. Wheels HAVE rims (the part of the wheel that the tire mounts on).
Cragar SS are butt-UGLY, and is a 1970s wheel. Why would you put a '70s wheel on a late '80s car??...

 

Only suggested the Cragars becaus the OP asked for the classic muscle car look. Besides the American Racing wheels or slot mags you cant get more classic muscle car than a set of cragars regarless of how you feel about them. Saying cragars are really 70s technology is the same thing as telling someone a 350 carb swap 3rd gen is really 70s technology also.

 

Wasn't referring to technology. I was talking about styling...

 

Everyone has their own personal styling and tastes. No wrong or right, everyone mods in their own eyes.

 

Woah guys come on lets calm down. Thank you for all your options, suprisingly everytime I input the car it kept giving me like 14inch 15inch options and not the 16's that I knew were on it. I guess I'm mainly worried about fitment more than anything. I love the factory rims too, but i'd love to have some oldschool muscle car rims and give the car some front rake in the future. I don't know if you've looked at the prices of firebirds recently or not, but these ARE the "Oldschool muscle cars" of my generation. Hardly anyone knows of firebirds anymore. Im 23 and when I had the car my freshman year at 15 I had the kids come and gawk at it in the garage and listen to the engine fire up and rev. Sadly, my mother sold it out from under me before I was 16. My point is, these cars are our generation's old school muscle. 70s hell even 80s muscle cars are untouchable at this point atleast in my area. We're talking 4-5k for a no engine and trans and no title car. Not to mention the rust. Thanks for the advice guys!

 

They're wheels...

 

Hey bub. I'll give you my 2 cents. I'm 27, younger than some of the old heads on here who are grilling you. I get where you're coming from, old car prices are going up more as people realize 80s cars are cool too. I picked up my 89 formula 350 for a song in 2021 compared to current prices of cars in WORSE shape than mine was.

That being said, whatever wheels you decide to put on the Formula, make sure you keep the originals; they're one year only specific to 89 if yours has the things that look like an offroad tire's beadlocks. They are worth some coin.

As far as wheels I know will fit, and look good, you might try to source a set of 70s/80s WS6 snowflakes; the Bandit wheels. these were made for firebirds and they will be a direct fit. It gets you that backdated look you want, with no mods. The offset on your STOCK front and rear wheels, are different, so you can't rotate wheels/tires; remember that. Google is also your friend, just look up "3rd gen F body wheels" under image search, and you will no doubt find the wheels that speak to you mounted on an F-body; no question of fitment.
good luck with your project

 

Man you have to give it up. It is a simple mistake in word choice and in some places rims and wheels are interchangeable words. Clearly this guy is younger and just looking for some advice and guidance which is what I thought we were all here for. We should embrace the younger guys that still want to own, drive and care for the cars we all love. regardless of what he wants to do to it or with it, Be happy that he doesn't see an "80s" or "90s" car and call it junk. I work at a new car dealership and even some of the younger techs here look at my 2 classic cars including my Trans Am and question why I drive "old" cars. Forums like this are a dying thing now with FB groups and other social media. We should welcome the fact that some younger even know that forums like this still exist. Your signature says you can express an opinion wheter asked for it or not. But opinions are also like *******s, everyone has one but not everyone wants to see it or hear from it.

 

What in the world do "I" have to give up??? You must be one of those fools who get "triggered" when someone corrects an inaccuracy. Don't act like I've done something wrong.
And I couldn't give a rat's A$$ if you don't want to see or hear my opinions. I see you have no problem expressing YOURS, hypocrite.
Go pound sand...

 

Thanks for the positive feedback and info. Also, hello from another younger gear head! Have a great week buddy!

 

3rdgens aren't picky, but a lot of their owners are, especially when it comes to white letter tires lol. But if you like that classic appearance, then go for it. The only rule you'll be breaking is using them, but since that's a fake rule anyway, then you have nothing to worry about. And it's your car, not theirs. But I'm not sure if you'll find any white letter tires in 245/50-16 for the 16x8 factory wheels, so you'll probably have to get the tire "crayons" and paint the letters yourself.

Tire rack lists 8 tires in 245/50-16 for the 16x8 factory wheels. Another size that fits and some people have used is 225/55-16, most likely because there are a lot of options, of which Tire Rack lists 20, and most of them are touring and weather tires, not performance tires. I see that size on a lot of junkyard 3rdgens, well, back when 3rdgens were easy to find in junkyards.

For an additional set of "classic" wheels, the 2ndgen Snowflake someone suggested is a good choice. It's probably 15", but it's available in a 17" reproduction, which looks very nice. Otherwise, there are plenty of reproductions of "vintage" wheels available in classic sizes and larger modern sizes too, so you'll have plenty to look at. But to pair them with white letter tires (that you don't paint yourself), then you're likely to have to go with the 15" classic size.

 

Another plug for cooper cobras, that's what I have on my wheels (15's). They perform great, look great (white wall out).