[DeTomaso] Fw: FOR Sale Rant

Tomas Gunnarsson guson at home.se
Sat Sep 19 11:29:45 EDT 2009


Will,

I don't think you can get away with 6.5" BS with 15" wheels as the 10" rears have about 5.5" BS and there's not an additional inch to spare against the A-arms as far as I can tell. With larger rims this is not a problem but if you're trying to duplicate stock wheel offsets something sounds wrong.

Tomas

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Will Demelo" <wdemelo at cogeco.ca>
To: <detomaso at realbig.com>
Sent: Saturday, September 19, 2009 5:10 PM
Subject: [DeTomaso] Fw: FOR Sale Rant


> Julian K went with 4 5/8 F and 4 3/4 R with 10" F and 13"R rims. This 
> happens to be exactly what Larry Stock states as factory.
> Byers states that their 4.5" and 6.5" backspacing measurements are factory 
> because his wheel manufacturer uses  orig wheels as templates.
> Who's on first?
> Will
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Tomas Gunnarsson" <guson at home.se>
> To: <detomaso at realbig.com>
> Sent: Saturday, September 19, 2009 10:39 AM
> Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] FOR Sale Rant
> 
> 
>> Will,
>>
>> I'm not particularly fond of using backspacing for specifying rims. I like 
>> offset combined with rim and tire width better. Anyway, as you're doing a 
>> Gr4 conversion the basic idea must be to replicate fender flares that 
>> cover GT5 sized wheels. Starting at the rear, the GT5 rims are 3" wider 
>> than the 10" GTS rims. The 345 tires are 60 mm or about 2.5" wider than 
>> the 285s which means the outer edge of the 13" wheel is about 3" further 
>> out than the 10". The GT5 and GTS wheels have similar but not identical 
>> back
>> spacing, it's as simple as a question of not hitting the lower A-arm 
>> mounts. Up front the deal is similar. Rims are 2" wider with similar 
>> backspacing, tire is again 60 mm wider so outside of wheel should be about 
>> 2.5" further out. Kjetil Finne converted his narrow body with Gr4 flares 
>> and retained his old 17" wheels for narrow body. Up front he built new 
>> A-arms to move the wheels out and at the rear he uses monstrous spacers, 
>> IIRC more than 4", to get the right look. Someone with a GT5 maybe has the 
>> offset
>> numbers available? They're stamped on the wheels. If you're going to use 
>> larger wheels than 15" diameter you'll be running into other clearance 
>> issues as the OD of the wheels will likely go up. You'll have to choose 
>> whether to retain the position of the wheel in the wheel well or the 
>> ground clearance.
>>
>> Tomas
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Will Demelo" <wdemelo at cogeco.ca>
>> To: <detomaso at realbig.com>
>> Sent: Saturday, September 19, 2009 3:56 PM
>> Subject: [DeTomaso] FOR Sale Rant
>>
>>
>>>I appologise for last weeks post with the expletives.
>>> I am trying to convert my car to GR4. The fibreglass flares are going to 
>>> be riveted on, just as from the factory.
>>> I ordered wheels from a vendor last fall and the agreed upon price was 
>>> not charged to my card. Apparently there was more machining involved. 
>>> After waiting 3-4 months, I gave up and cancelled the order. The wheels 
>>> had not beed started yet (confirmed by Kodiak). I had to threaten credit 
>>> card fraud to get my money back.
>>> I recently placed another order to another vendor. I was told that they 
>>> had converted many cars. I mounted the flares on my car using clamps and 
>>> took measurements to the hub surface.
>>> After requesting the backspace measurements 3 times, I was finally told 
>>> 4.5"F and 6.5"R.
>>> The reproduction Campys I have on my car now, with stock narrow body, 
>>> have a 6.25" backspacing. Now I'm no math major, but how are new wheels, 
>>> with almost the same backspacing be correct after I extend the flares 
>>> outward about 4"??
>>> I was told by the vendor that I was doing things backwards. I should get 
>>> the wheels and then modify the flares to accomodate. I don't agree with 
>>> this. There is zero movement with my flares. They have to meet front and 
>>> rear body lines and then the upper portion gets pushed to meet the body.
>>> I don't inderstand how I can't mount my flares to the body, take 
>>> measurements and order wheels with custom offsets.
>>> Ron L has just spent $5500 on GR4  wheels from a vendor and he requires 
>>> 1" spacers in the rear. I know of another fellow with a factory GT5 and 
>>> the GR4 wheels he ordered with "factory" specs required 1 1/2" spacers in 
>>> the rear and 3/4 in the front.
>>> I'll be damned if I am going to spend uwards of $5k to then have to 
>>> replace studs and install spacers.
>>> I try my best to send all info and communicate to only have vendors ship 
>>> me parts, at my expense.
>>> Will
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