# Will these wheels fit my 69 Lemans?



## 6strngs (Jun 24, 2010)

So I just put a disc brake conversion kit on the front of my 69 Lemans and now the stock 14" ralley II's won't fit anymore unless I get 1.5" spacers or modify the caliper bracket slightly. I know it's not really a big deal but I was going to get new wheels eventually anyway. So I'm thinking about getting some 15x8 wheels with 4.5" backspacing for the front and 15x10 with 5.5" backspacing for the rear. The car is getting eibach 1.3" lowering springs on all 4 corners, though I may add spring spacers to the rear because I want the rear to be about level if not slightly higher than the front. I am using stock-height spindles and KYB Gas-a-just shocks.

As for tires I was thinking about getting 245/60/15's for the front and either 275/60/15 or 295/50/15 for the rear, depending on whether I can fit the wider tires or not. So if anyone with a 68 or 69 could give me some input on width, tire size, and backspacing before I spend the money only to find out they don't fit, I would really appreciate it. Thanks in advance 

My first post here btw, Hello :seeya:


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## 6strngs (Jun 24, 2010)

well thanks for all the help...


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## ALKYGTO (Mar 29, 2010)

I run a 9.5x15 inch Weld Pro Magnum :cool rim with a 28x12.5 ET Street tire. Tire is an actual 28"s tall and 12" wide at the buldge with 10.5 inches of rubber on the ground, and the wheels have 6 inches of backspacing. I found it difficult to find a rim with this backspacing at 9.5 wide. This combo was the largest I could safely fit in the stock wheelhouse. Hope this helps.:cheers


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## ALKYGTO (Mar 29, 2010)

Oh, and you'll have to be a little more patient around here. This forums not full of 16 - 24 year old ricer boys. :lol:


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## firecatsrt (Sep 15, 2008)

245's might rub a little on the front. I went with 235's on mine when I did the conversion to be safe.


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

ALKYGTO said:


> I run a 9.5x15 inch Weld Pro Magnum :cool rim with a 28x12.5 ET Street tire. Tire is an actual 28"s tall and 12" wide at the buldge with 10.5 inches of rubber on the ground, and the wheels have 6 inches of backspacing. I found it difficult to find a rim with this backspacing at 9.5 wide. This combo was the largest I could safely fit in the stock wheelhouse. Hope this helps.:cheers


That backspacing would push your tires to the outside of the fenderwells, I would have expected you get get bigger wheels/tires with a 4 3/4 to a 5" backspaceing.


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## ALKYGTO (Mar 29, 2010)

:confused Umm..

backspacing moves the center of the wheel out, not in, so the center of the wheel is moved 2 1/2" in from the face of the rotor. 

BTW, rotors are thicker than drums, so factor that in also when sizeing wheels. Percy's makes a product I think they call "wheelright" that simulates wheel tire sizes. You put it on your axle and can see if your combo would fit.


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## 6strngs (Jun 24, 2010)

Thanks for the replies 

Just last night I was able to get my 14's to fit by "modifying" the caliper bracket slightly. I will get new wheels eventually still but now I don't need to get them right away thankfully. After looking at it a little more and doing a little measuring I think I'll probably just go with a 7-inch wide in the front and an 8.5 or 9 in the rear, with a 235/60/15 front tire and 275/60/15 if I can fit it. I'm just worried because it's a 28" diameter compared to the 26.1" diameter I have now.

Anyway, thanks for the help


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## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

275's in the rear won't be a problem....


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## peleger (Jul 23, 2010)

I wish I'd have read this before I bought my conversion kit. The expense to get new rims/tires is going to be outta my budget for now. 6stngs, How did you 'modify' the caliper bracket to get the original 14" tires to work for you?
My car is a 68 GTO.
Thanks for any help on this.


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## 6strngs (Jun 24, 2010)

peleger said:


> I wish I'd have read this before I bought my conversion kit. The expense to get new rims/tires is going to be outta my budget for now. 6stngs, How did you 'modify' the caliper bracket to get the original 14" tires to work for you?
> My car is a 68 GTO.
> Thanks for any help on this.


well my driver's side cleared completely without doing anything but only barely, my passenger side scraped the wheel a little bit. The wheel was still able to turn but it rubbed on the very corner of the caliper bracket. So I took a couple wacks of the hammer to that corner so it wasn't as sharp of a corner and the wheel fit fine afterwards. If that hadn't worked I probably would've taken a grinder to it and taken off just enough. If you're using different caliper brackets that are even larger you might not be able to get them to fit at all, but if they only barely scrape try grinding them down some. :cool


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## peleger (Jul 23, 2010)

Thanks a bunch.


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