Wheels: How big should I really go?

[willhaven]

Hopefully this is the right place to post.

I'm thinking of having a custom 71 Plymouth Cuda built for me and I'm trying to decide on wheels.

I currently like the look of 19s in the front and 20s in the rear, but I'm not sure if this is really optimal for street performance and handling. I know that large wheels with low profile tires are better than a stock setup in terms of handling, but at what point do you start to get diminishing returns?

Many companies don't make 19s and I'd either have to do 18s and 20s (I think the 2" stagger looks like too much), or I'd have to go smaller and do 17s and 18s.

For now, the suspension setup will be fairly stock/standard, but I may eventually go with an XV level II setup if I hear good things from those doing the installs now. So, it will likely be a street driver, but the pie-in-the-sky plan is to have some road course time put on the car someday. I'm more interested in cornering and handling than straightline performance.

Just thought I'd ask. Here are some images. :)

Thanks for any info you could provide.

My car would end up looking a LOT like the black car with the Boze wheels below, except it would be a 71 like the red car below, with fender gills, no red hockey stripe, and AAR hood and spoiler combo. Low, black, smooth.

Boze wheels on a 70.
http://www.bozeforged.com/images/gallery/cus/26_bg.gif
http://www.bozeforged.com/images/gallery/cus/27_bg.gif

Budnik wheels on a 70. 19s and 20s. This is the car that inspired my current size choice.
http://ignitionmagazine.co.nz/content/features/43/photos/20050831aa170604P01.jpg
http://ignitionmagazine.co.nz/content/features/43/photos/20050831aa173026P01.jpg

17's and 18's on Matt Delaney's Cudas. Fikse wheels on each.
http://www.reillymotorsports.com/gallery/data/502/medium/mattscuda1.jpg
http://www.reillymotorsports.com/gallery/data/502/medium/mattscuda2.jpg
http://www.reillymotorsports.com/gallery/data/520/cuda5.jpg
http://www.reillymotorsports.com/gallery/data/520/medium/cuda2.jpg

[Musclerodz]

For street 19's and 20's are fine. Track wise they are not. Tires will be your limiting factor, not choice of wheels. To get a decent choice of track tires you will have to run nothing bigger than 18". I much prefer the 19/20 look on an "E" Body. 20/22 are way to big. We are a BOZE dealer so we can help you out there when you get ready to order if you decide to go Boze

Mike

[parsonsj]

In general, for optimum performance on a road-based track, 17" wheels are the best. You can get enough brake in that without the penalties paid to the God of Moment of Inertia.

For drag racing, you want to stay with 15" wheels, but that is probably not what you want to optimize.

If you want to have a "newer/bigger" look, then 18s (as Mike suggested) are a good compromise between optimum performance and looks.

jp

[willhaven]

Do they still make the Boze Shifter series? That's what's on the Cuda up there. Many sites that I see who sell Boze don't have the Shifter series listed.

[JayR]

I love 19s and 20s on most musclecars, especially a big E-Body and agree 18s and 20s is too much difference unless you like the Alloway stinkbug stance. The reason you stagger the diameters is because 20s won't fit in front so there's no reason to stagger diameters if you end up running 18s out back and that's why the front wheels are swimming in Delaney's car with a bunch of gap all the way around. Just my $.02

Jason

www.jasonrushforth.com

[Musclerodz]

Do they still make the Boze Shifter series? That's what's on the Cuda up there. Many sites that I see who sell Boze don't have the Shifter series listed.
I can get them I just not have put them on the site yet. They are a part of the ZE forged line.

Mike

[Steevo]

Since you are looking to have the car built, you should really have a chat with your builder about how much work is involved to achieve a low stance with tall wheels and tires such as is shown in your pictures--especially if handling is important. Look into ride height and ground clearance carefully. If possible, remove your car's springs and block the car at your desired ride height without wheels and tires installed. Get a wheel/tire tool (http://musclerodzstore.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=148) from musclerodz.com. With the simulator installed. Move the suspension through it's full compression and rebound travel to check clearances everywhere. This is the only right way to do it. You might find that 20's and 22's could actually RAISE your car. This is especially true with Mopars. Some of the best Mopars out there, such as the silver cuda built by Rad Rides, have custom rear frame rails for just this reason.

If you are unable to perform the above described measuring process, stick with 18's for best "no-brainer" results.

[57hemicuda]

The Cuda I built had 18x9.5s in the back on stock wheel wells.I've heard of too many guys cursing about there 19's 20's etc.,saying that all they hit was a pothole in the road and bent the wheel,The 18's seem to offer a better selection of tire sizes with some sidewall,which I think looks better on Muscle cars in my opinion. RON

[willhaven]

Thanks for the opinions guys. The car will definitely not be drag raced and would not likely be driven on any type of road course track with 19s and 20s on the car. It would only be for street use.

If I eventually go with the crazy XV setup, I'd definitely be more weary about wheel/tire selection and the impact that has on track performance, but I think I'm going to stick with the 19s and 20s as long as I can find some I like. I still really like those Boze ZE Forged Shifter wheels on the black Cuda above.

The builder has recently made and sold 3 or 4 70 Cudas with 18s and 20s, so they'll definitely fit in the rear at least. I'm fairly certain that the 19s will work in front too. The fender lips have to be rolled a bit and the end has to be narrowed some, but they'll go.

The Rad Rides Sick Fish had 22s AND was a very low car. I don't plan to go that low or that big.

[gsxrken]

[QUOTE=willhaven;17592]
17's and 18's on Matt Delaney's Cudas. Fikse wheels on each.
http://www.reillymotorsports.com/gallery/data/502/medium/mattscuda1.jpg

That is a mean car. Perfect look to my eye.

[ProdigyCustoms.com]

The Boze is a nice wheel, we have been selling them for a year now. Were are building a Black 69 Camaro in our shop with Shifters on it as we speak. Since Cuda's and 69 Camaro favor one another at a glance, It will look a lot like the first Cuda except they are silver shifters.

[V8TV]

Wow, them's some killer looking Mopars at the top of this thread!

[Bill Howell]

Here are some shots of the charger with the wheels mocked up on it. 19s on front 20 on rear. The car will sit a tad high, but I like plenty of clearance. 18's would have set it down another inch, and I will have a set of 18s for racing, but I just gotta have those 20s. I have a taller tire on this than the GTO, so hopefully it will ride better too.

[steemin]

The Cuda I built had 18x9.5s in the back on stock wheel wells.I've heard of too many guys cursing about there 19's 20's etc.,saying that all they hit was a pothole in the road and bent the wheel,The 18's seem to offer a better selection of tire sizes with some sidewall,which I think looks better on Muscle cars in my opinion. RON

I am with you on this one Ron..
We are in the minority though.
The trend is 20's and often times more.
I am not willing to give up all the handling,braking,ride and performance losses associated
with the BIG wheels just for "a look"
On some cars (usually the high $$$$$$ builds)the bigger wheels look okay.
However IMHO most cars end up looking like cartoon carictures
Scott