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1972 Vega Tire & Wheel Size

PostPosted: Mon Dec 05, 2016 6:42 pm
by Scott Gaulter
After a bunch of hours of searching online Wheel & Tire calculators along with measuring every possible dimension on my car, I have found what I believe is the perfect tire and wheel combo for a 1972 Vega...

This is gonna be a Motion clone, so I wanted a tire & wheel that fit and not hang outside the wheel opening (I know the original Motion car had fat tires that hung out, but this is 2016)

Rear end is a 12 bolt that is factory Vega width - 49.25" (inside of tire is tight - about 3/8" but should not rub the factory brace)

Front suspension is AJE upper & lower control arms with S-10 Spindles...nothing rubs on fender or inner wheelhouse - I can get my hand behind the front tire at the lock to lock positions LH and RH..

All 4 tires are BFG P215/60R14 Radial TA and wheels are Torque Thrust D - #ARE-1054661 - 14" x 6" (Summit Racing)

Gimme a call if you wanna discuss...Scott Gaulter -515-314-70 one five cell...

Photo is mock up only...no engine with chopped front coils...rear control arms also need adjustment to bring rear axle forward (Spohn control arms)

Image

Image

Re: The official Tire and rim Thread!

PostPosted: Mon Dec 05, 2016 6:50 pm
by hammerdown7
Looks great!

Dick

Re: The official Tire and rim Thread!

PostPosted: Mon Dec 05, 2016 7:21 pm
by waybad
I like it!! :dance:

Re: The official Tire and rim Thread!

PostPosted: Tue Dec 06, 2016 4:06 am
by Monza Harry
What Dick and Tinker said! That is very sharp and period correct! And before I get to distracted by the "Vehicular Bling" Welcome aboard, Scott love to see fresh blood with obviously "Good Taste"! Harry

Re: The official Tire and rim Thread!

PostPosted: Sun Apr 16, 2017 9:49 pm
by 201 72 vega gt
So I've fell in love with the Cragar street pro wheels, my research tells me the narrowest wheel is a 6"wheel with 2 and5/8 backspacing, will this fit on the front of my 72 vega? I'm currently having my Monza slotted rotors redrilled to 5 on 5.5 going all stock front end with sbc Monza v6 springs.If so what would be a good tire size?

Re: The official Tire and rim Thread!

PostPosted: Sun Feb 11, 2018 2:58 pm
by OldsStarfire
I think those wheels and tire sizes look perfect. But isn't the front end going to drop when you put the engine in?

Re: The official Tire and rim Thread!

PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2018 10:35 pm
by fyrftr50
cjbiagi wrote:Many wheel adapter companies will not change the number of studs feeling it is unsafe. If you do find a quality set of adapters they are pretty expensive and will change your offset because they are so thick. I changed my rears to 5 lug a few years ago and am finally getting around to doing the front. It took me years to find the same wheels as I have in a 5 lug pattern. I will end up with 14 x 8" with 225/60/14" in the rear and 14 x 7" with 215/60/14" in the front. Since I already did a major front end rebuild and upgrade from the stock solid rotor design to the later vented rotor I do not feel like doing it all over again. When I did the rear I had Moser make me new axles, now I had them redrill a new set of drilled and slotted rotors for the front. The rears are a 5 x 5" pattern and the fronts will be 5 x 4 1/2" pattern (all with upgraded 1/2" studs) which will work perfectly with the wheels I have. Moser will not go any bigger than a 4 1/2" pattern any more and I don't think I would want them too anyway. This will be a simple bolt on once I get ready. In my case even if I did go to S10 swap I would have a bolt pattern problem with my selected wheels so I would have had to have them drilled anyway. At some point I will be putting my four 13 x 7" Superior aluminum wheels for sale (Ebay) and they have a excellent set of BFG 215/60/13" Radial T/A's with only a few thousand miles on them. Here's a pic of the rotors. While the S10 swap may be better in the long run, for me this is an acceptable method without any issues that seem to crop up with the other swap.


Clyde
How is this setup continuing to work out for you? Reason I ask is that I am also considering doing the rear axle swap but instead of doing the S10 front spindle, simply redrilling my monza rotors to a Ford 4.5" pattern (was advised by a few people to NOT do the GM pattern on an old Monza rotor, not enough meat from stud to edge). It means my hoped use of 70's Camaro Z28 wheels are out (I want to remain as close to the original Rally rims as possible on my Spyder) but a close match of an aftermarket wheel is in, 2 ford bolt pattern and 2 GM bolt pattern for the rears.
Your tire selection won't help me as I'm planning on a 15" wheel.
Cheers
Bryan

Re: The official Tire and rim Thread!

PostPosted: Tue Oct 16, 2018 4:09 pm
by LSnotchback
bugdewde wrote:..


Looks to be a tight fit.... especially if I use the cut Cosworth springs I'm wanting to use.......
Oh, and the rotor will be moved outboard about a 3/8", as I'm putting 4th gen Camaro rotors over some cut down S-10 rotors.
Once I get all the parts swapped over to the Wagon project, I'll get more pics.

Image

EDIT:
Finally got them on the Wagon project.... had to use two sets of "FRONTS" (4.75" BS).... the "REARS" (5.25" BS) hit the tie rods up front and the inner fender when used in the rear.
Fronts are forced outwards about 1/4" due to having the 4th gen Camaro rotor sitting over the cut down S-10 rotor hat.



Hello, do you stock S10 spindles or drop spindles? I would like use same wheels.

Re: The official Tire and rim Thread!

PostPosted: Sun Aug 04, 2019 12:04 pm
by SCORPIOFOX69
I need some help H-body members! New to the forum.

Project: 1976 Vega hatchback. 52k original miles. One owner barn find in WV that was running.

Underway with:
LM7 with carb set up.
TH350 from a 70 Camaro
Monza V6 ac springs and new shocks
New lower ball joints with Bob Grumm adapters
S10 spindles
S10 rear axle with 3.42 gears (for now)

Preface: I have searched high and low for this prior to posting this.
The question that I can't seem to get a clear answer to is the rear wheels. I am going to run Cevrolet rallys, 15x6 up front, BUT I just can't tell if I am going to have issues with a 15x8 on the rear without body modifications. I do not want to alter the body/structure at all, and am willing to just go 15x7 is necessary.

Next question, depending on respoonses, what tire size for the rear for either the 15x7 or 15x8? I'm planning on on 195/60/15 for the front (if that is a widely agreed upon tried and true size). I want to fill the wheel well and still keep the lines clean and simple. A true sleeper with just some different wheels.

Thank you for the responses.

TC

Re: The official Tire and rim Thread!

PostPosted: Sun Aug 04, 2019 5:35 pm
by Smiley
An S10 rear end has no provision for the torque arm your car uses.
If your Vega rear is a 7.5” and the S10 axles are 82-88 you can use the axles in the Vega housing.
235/60-15 will fit on the rear.
there are several places making rally wheels now and there is some variation in backspacing.

a couple places like Stockton wheels will make wheels with custom back spacing.
most Rally wheels have 4.25” bs on the 7” & 8” in that case the 8” will pull the tire out 1/2”.
7” on the rear with 4.25” bs may rub on the inner sidewall,
Wheel Vintiques makes 15" x 8" rallye wheels with 3 backspaces: 4",4.5" and 5"
15 x 6” with 4” bs will work up front if you can find short tires.
you may need 82 Camaro rear springs to raise the rear 1.5” to 2”.

Re: The official Tire and rim Thread!

PostPosted: Sat Dec 07, 2019 6:37 pm
by beakerztoyz
hi I'm not here so often lately but I converted my car to 5 bolt over the summer and thought I would share some pictures the fronts are 15x7 with a -5 offset and a 3.75 inch backspacing and the backs are 15x8 with a -12 offset and a 4 inch backspacing I have 215 60 15's on the front and 235 60 15's on the back. I needed wheels spacers to make the backs fit.

Re: The official Tire and rim Thread!

PostPosted: Sat Dec 07, 2019 10:08 pm
by beakerztoyz
heres the rear

Wheel and tite combo S10 rear end

PostPosted: Thu Sep 17, 2020 10:41 am
by 1ton454
I am installing a 85 S10 rear under my 72 Vega using factory brackets welded on. Is anyone else running this and if so what is the widest wheel and tire i can run ? Also what backspacing ? Thsnks in advance

Re: The official Tire and rim Thread!

PostPosted: Thu Sep 17, 2020 1:35 pm
by Smiley
82 Camaro rear springs
235/60-15 for the rear
15x8 with 4.25” backspace, Cragar S/S wheels come in this size.
Up front 195/60-15 on
15x7 with 4.25” backspace

Re: The official Tire and rim Thread!

PostPosted: Thu Sep 17, 2020 6:03 pm
by cjbiagi
The setup I am running on my Monza is working out very well. To reiterate, I have 14 x 8" wheels with 225/60/14 BFG's on the rear and 14 x 7" wheels with 215/60/14 BFG's on the front.