[DeTomaso] FOR Sale Rant

Sat Sep 19 18:57:26 EDT 2009

Jim

You are correct.  Thanks for adding the clarity.

JT
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <pantdino at aol.com>
To: <detomaso at realbig.com>
Sent: Saturday, September 19, 2009 5:05 PM
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] FOR Sale Rant

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> 3) Tape a weighted string to the top of the rear fender so that the string
> falls in front of your wheel mounting surface. (For most of us that is the
> stub axle)
> 4) Measure the distance from the string to the wheel mounting.  This will
> give you a dimension for your front spacing.
>
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>
> John, I think of "in front of" as being toward the front of the car.
> You mean "outboard," right-- the distance between the outboard fender edge 
> and the outboard surface of the stub axle to which the wheel bolts?
>
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> Jim
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: John Taphorn <jtaphorn at kingwoodcable.com>
> To: Will Demelo <wdemelo at cogeco.ca>; detomaso at realbig.com
> Sent: Sat, Sep 19, 2009 2:23 pm
> Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] FOR Sale Rant
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> Will
>
> I agree; it is unacceptable to require spacers when ordering custom 
> wheels.
> I also think it is an unnecessary compromise to accommodate the wheel's
> spacing unless you are willing to compromise on the flare width and or are
> getting a terrific pricing deal on the wheels.  It sounds as if you are in
> neither of those camps.
>
> You have received a lot of good advice on this Forum and I also feel
> compelled to add my 10 cents.
>
> Your visual observation is correct that a 15" diameter wheel cannot
> accommodate much more backspacing because the inner lip will contact the
> lower outside hub carrier outside nuts.  You will need to go to at least a
> 17" wheel to clear the obstacle.
>
> To maximize the wheel width and subjectively optimize the wheel body
> appearance, perform the following exercise.
>
> 1) Raise rear of the car and remove the rear wheels. Place a block under 
> the
> hub carriers.
> 2) Lower the car until the lower suspension arms are parallel to the 
> floor.
> 3) Tape a weighted string to the top of the rear fender so that the string
> falls in front of your wheel mounting surface. (For most of us that is the
> stub axle)
> 4) Measure the distance from the string to the wheel mounting.  This will
> give you a dimension for your front spacing.
>
> If you are looking at the car from the rear, this front space measurement
> will align the outside wheel flush with the rear 90 degrees of the rear
> fender arch.  From the front, the wheel will appear tucked in a bit. 
> OTOH,
> you could add about 1/2 inch to your FS measurement and then from the 
> front,
> the wheel will appear more flush; however, from the rear, it will appear 
> to
> stick out beyond the fenders.  I prefer the look of the former; yet, I've
> seen the latter on some vendor's larger campy clones. Despite the latter
> measurement sticking out from the upper fender, under suspension
> compression, the wheel assembly pulls into the wheel well so quickly, that
> there does not appear to be clearance issues against the body with rolled
> fender lips on any such fitted cars that I have observed.
>
> The amount of backspacing that you can engage will now depend on the
> diameter of your wheels.  Since you are going for 17s, you can clear the
> lower hub carrier nuts and extend beyond 6.5". Your wheel width will be 
> the
> sum of your front and rear backspacing.
>
> Confusion reigns with FS and BS measurements because some manufacturers
> measure it from the outside lip of the rim, while other from the inside
> mounting surface.  The difference is 1/2 inch on each side.  Thus an 11"
> wheel for one vendor equals a 12" wheel from another.  Be careful here 
> that
> you are using the same terms.
>
> I run 18" wheels that are 12" wide measured from outside rim edge to 
> outside
> rim edge on a stock bodied car with an extended rear upper a-arm.  If we
> measure spacing from the outside edge of the outer lip, my front spacing 
> is
> 5" and my BS is 7".  I run a 335/30/18 rear tire and it is flush with the
> back 90 degrees of the rear fender.  However, there is a compromise to 
> wide
> tires and it is only a problem if you drive your car in a way that 
> severely
> compresses your rear suspension.  Eventually, any tire will scrub the 
> upper
> inner frame rail under suspension.  Wider tires will contact that frame 
> rail
> sooner with less suspension compression.  Be certain to grind smooth the
> weld joints that are in that area or weld splatter could cut your inside
> tire wall.  On  my car, if I were to run additional backspacing, the next
> clearance issue is the bracket for the muffler mount.  I now have about 1"
> of clearance or room for additional backspace.
>
> I hope this helps.  As Chuck Engles made clear to me - and I've never
> forgotten it- Measure carefully - you don't want a set of boat anchors.
>
> JT
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Will Demelo" <wdemelo at cogeco.ca>
> To: <detomaso at realbig.com>
> Sent: Saturday, September 19, 2009 8:56 AM
> 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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