OK guys, it's been a while since I posted a question to the group, so here goes!

I am looking at some one piece aluminum turbine wheels on Ebay...15x7.5" with 3 7/8" backspacing. My intent is to paint them gloss black and mount my Goodyear GT II's on them.

Will the 3 7/8" backspacing be enough? What is the recommended backspacing on my year Vette? I have checked my Chevy specs package and can only find the following reference to wheels...15x8 rim...N-0.50 wheel offset. Hell, I can't even find the right information in my AIM book.

While I'm at it what is the difference between backspacing and offset?

Thanks in advance for your time and effort helping me with this.

Off set is the difference between the mounting point on the rim, and the center of the rim. Negative offset has the mount point closer to the inside, and positive offset has the mount point closer to the outside.

Backspace is the distance from the mounting point to the back of the rim. It does not include or account the space to the front of the rim.

If the rim is 8 inches wide, and there is 3.5 inches from the mounting point to the back of the rim, it is a 3.5" backspace, and a .5" negative offset.

3 7/8" will probably work.

Take a close look at the clearance you now have between the rim and anything it may hit. Measure your back space. Then you can easily do the calculations to see if it will clear.

|UPDATED|1/10/2005 8:53:15 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

Thanks, Ken. I knew I could count on you to respond quickly.

With everything I did on the wheel and tire story for enthusiasts they should fit fine. However you need to take into account the Tire Section Width. This is the width frome sidewall to sidewall. More often then not they are wider then the rim. Find the tire spec sheet and it will give you this dimension. Subract the rim width from this dimension and then divide it by two. The number needs to be added to the backspace to get you your true backspace clearance.

If you remove one front and rear tire from your vette you can do some measureing. You will want to support the vette with jack stands and then use a seperate jack to jack up the suspension to try and simulate the suspenion as if it was at ride height. There will come a point when compressing the suspension with a jack that it will start to lift off the jackstands. Stop it at that point.

You can do this using a straight edge, or a cardboard cut out or even a plywood cutout. Just make the cutouts or the stick the same height as the tire to be mounted. Place the cutout or straight edge agaist the brake hub face. Then use a tape measure or another straight edge to measure off the back side of the straight edge against the hub. This will let you check your clearances.

Well I didn't see the last post prior to winning my bid on Ebay, so fit or don't fit they're mine now. Good info though guys, thanks for your help and support through the years. When I get them I'll let you know, and when I go to paint them I'm sure I'll have questions then as well.

Of course you know when the are on the car we want pictures

You know when that happens you'll all be the first to see. Alot of other things to do before then, though what with closing on a new house, moving, doing the necessary refinishing work to make it our own home, my daughters wedding in June (in the back yard of the new home), etc., etc., etc.

Be patient, because I'm still trying to decide if I want the rims to be all black or try to make the ribs of the turbines stick out a little more (maybe silver on a black background).

I'll send pictures of the pole barn where the Vette will be staying as soon as I can.

Hell, maybe I'll be able to get a calendar picture of this when I move the Vette. You know a nice cold wintry scene, with a great looking HOT Vette!

On 17 X 8 wheels, I went with 4 inch backspacing and 11mm offset.

Sweet wheels, SIXX! I thought about doing 16 or 17" wheels, but couldn't find any I could get as inexpensively as I did the 15x7.5 turbines I just bought. I think they're similar to EricVetDriver's wheels.