Has anyone here put 16 inch ralleys in the back of a 69 Chevelle? If so, what is the biggest size tire that you can fit without any cutting? I was looking at a set of 275/65 R16. I know that they're pretty tall, but that's not a problem. These are going on a 16X8 wheel with at least 5 inches of backspacing. Thanks for any help!

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Craig Crisafulli
383 Powered 69 Malibu
Track times coming spring 2002!!
The Car (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/CraigChevelle.jpg)

You can fit a 275 tire with 5.5 inches of backspacing on the rear. I used 6 inches with 18 inch wheels and the wheels are beyond where they would hit the lower shock mount if they were less than about 17 inches in diameter. I have 295's on the wheels and with 28.4 inch tall tires and 2 inch shorter than stock rear springs, the tire is fully inside the wheel well. There is no clearance issue to either side of the tire.

I am not sure you can use a 16 inch wheel with 5 inches of backspacing on the front. I have 18 inch wheels with 5.125 backspacing on the front and the 255 wide, 27.0 inch tall tires rub the frame in the front of the wheelwell at full extension of the turning radius with a quick ratio P/S box. I will be swapping the P/S box to one with less travel to resolve this minor issue. The reason I am concerned about 5 inches of backspacing on a 16 inch wheel is with 5.125 inches my 18 inch wheels are beyond the point where the outer tie rods would hit a wheel with less than 17.5 inch diameter. This may be complicated in my application by the 2 inch drop spindles and 1.5 inch drop front springs. There is no clearance issue with the fender lip.

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Redrum (or Mike)
68 Corvette - 383 CI 427 HP
69 SS Chevelle being updated to Pro-Touring
97 Z-28

Thanks Mike!
I'm not planning on using the 16's on the front, I was planning on putting the 15's I have in the back now up front.

[This message has been edited by SS 396 (edited 02-07-2002).]