4mulaSvaliant
Well-Known Member
This is just photo edited, but it gives me and idea. Also I know I wont get the car that low without major surgery in the wheel tubs. LOL
Another "Will these fit?": 18" Mustang wheels
- Thread starter MopaR&D
- Start date
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@MopaR&D car looks great! Did you ever find center caps? I ask because I am on the same adventure you were with these same wheels. I think I found a solution for the caps as I 3D printed one.Just curious what you found?
Couple more questions as well.
1. Did you have them open the center bores all the way through the wheel? Or just deep enough for the hub to fit?
2. did you use a +24 offset wheel in the front?
3. Did you add any further spacers in the front?
The wheels I bought used are
Front: SIZE: 18x9 Tire: 275/35/18
OFFSET: +24 millimeters
BACKSPACE: 5.95 inch
CENTERBORE: 70.8 millimeters
Rear: SIZE: 18x10 Tire: 295/30/18
OFFSET: +22 millimeters
BACKSPACE: 6.37 inch
CENTERBORE: 70.8 millimeters
In the front I have done a BBP swap kit from Pirate Jack (MBM) and so I have the 73+ brake set up. I am hoping to have no issues other than the wheels which will get bored out this weekend. I am planning to have them open the bore only as deep as needed. I am primarily doing that because I don't want the hole to be so large on the front of the wheel.
In the rear I am running an A-body 8-3/4 with 10" brakes, small bolt pattern, with stock location springs.
After a bit of measuring and removal of studs (I was planning to redrill the axles) I realized I needed to move the wheels outboard to get them off my springs. It turned out that it needed to move out 7/8" so I bought 1" thick, 5x4 to 5x4.5 adapters. It also just so happened that I could afford move the wheels out an 1-1/8 before I started getting into the inner wheel tub. (if it were lowered any further)
I have been banking on @72bluNblu measurements in planning and research but none of the posts I stumbled across were spec'd out with standard A-body 8-3/4 rears. So I wasn't entirely sure how it was going to work out until I actually set the tires under the car and took lots of measurements. I should have all my parts in hand by the weekend!
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With the center bores, unless the rim is quite thick you'll need to bore it all the way through. On my car I made my own center caps, you can see they have to be pretty tall because the hub actually comes all the way through the rim (although the Enkei RPF1's are pretty thin at the mounting flange). I cut the end off a slip through center cap and epoxied the matching cap to the rears into the slip through piece
Machine work, bored vs stock. The RPF1's start at 73.1mm but neck down to a 65mm cap. I had them bored straight through at 73.1mm
No cap, you can see the hub fully protrudes from the rim. These are DoctorDiff aluminum hubs, but they're actually a little smaller than the stock 73+ Mopar hub...
close up
The fix- used a push through cap Ultra Wheel Center Caps 89-8059S , cut it down to the right height and epoxied my snap in caps into the end.
In the front I'm not sure you're going to get a 275/35/18 in there on an 18x9 with only +24 for the offset. MopaR&D was going to run 255's, and that makes a big difference. I run 275/35/18's on my Duster, but the 18x9's are +35. My 13" disks add about +5 compared to the 73+ BBP disks so effectively that's about +30mm of offset for the 275's if you're comparing to a 73+ disk set up. I started out with the fender lips unrolled, but as my car has gotten lower I found I needed to roll the fender lips to keep them clear. 5-6mm doesn't sound like much but it's more than enough to go from clearance to rubbing. Lowering the car about 3/8" took me from ok to rubbing without the fender roll.
What have you done in the back? Because the 295's aren't going to fit a Valiant with the stock spring locations, especially a lowered one. Even on my Duster with the 1/2" spring offset I had to take almost another 1/2" out of the quarter lip. And Dusters/Demons/Dart Sports have about an extra inch in the rear quarters compared to Darts and Valiants. 295/30/18's have an 12" section width, so, if you don't have 13" from the spring to the quarter lip it's not going to work. My '71 Dart only has a little over 11" from spring to quarter lip with the stock spring locations. You can get up to about 12" with a 1/2" offset and some quarter lip trimming, but that's zero clearance. I know Valiants have a little more room because of the higher wheel opening, but unless I missed something I really don't think a 295 will fit without a mini-tub or extensive quarter work.
4mulaSvaliant
Well-Known Member
@72bluNblu thanks for the heads up on the caps. I had noticed them in one of you other posts. They definitely fit the wheels nicely looks wise too.
As for my fitment in the front, if I have to Ill play around a bit with spacers and see if I can correct that bit of deficit you are talking about. I was reading again last night and figuring I may run into that issue because everyone else was running the stock Bullit wheels with a different offset and having good luck. I knew these were a bit different.
At this point I am way too deep to back out and the rims are used so I cant return them and get a different offset. LOL
If they rub a bit at full lock on the frame I am not too terribly worried about it. If I need to move the fender brace and massage the fender lip, I am ok with that as well. I just plan to drive and enjoy it as a cruiser, no autoX or anything so Ill just have to be aware of entering driveways off the street and whatnot maybe?
As for the rear, my 295 measures out at 11.5" wide which makes sense since 295mm is 11.61". In my wheel well I have 12.25" (with rolled lip) to work with. It did occur to me that I may have a bastard 8-3/4 rear as it isn't stock to the car. But, it is sbp and I am guessing someone didn't go through the trouble to swap it to sbp. With that said I am not planning for 12.25, I am planning for 12.125" to be safe. No doubt all of this is going to be super close. Ill only have about an 1/8" on either side of the tire. Really if I find that the tire is too close to the spring still that I can move outboard just a bit still based on the ride height I am seeing most of these 18"s needing. It appears that most everyone's pictures have the top of the wheel opening right at the top of the tire. I am figuring that's where Ill be as well, and if that's the case it'll get me a tiny bit more room.
With all of that said I am certainly not scared to work the inner fender well a little bit to get it em in there.
Wish me luck dude! I take your concern to heart as you have clearly done your homework and know this stuff pretty well. Thanks for your input too by the way!
As for my fitment in the front, if I have to Ill play around a bit with spacers and see if I can correct that bit of deficit you are talking about. I was reading again last night and figuring I may run into that issue because everyone else was running the stock Bullit wheels with a different offset and having good luck. I knew these were a bit different.
At this point I am way too deep to back out and the rims are used so I cant return them and get a different offset. LOL
If they rub a bit at full lock on the frame I am not too terribly worried about it. If I need to move the fender brace and massage the fender lip, I am ok with that as well. I just plan to drive and enjoy it as a cruiser, no autoX or anything so Ill just have to be aware of entering driveways off the street and whatnot maybe?
As for the rear, my 295 measures out at 11.5" wide which makes sense since 295mm is 11.61". In my wheel well I have 12.25" (with rolled lip) to work with. It did occur to me that I may have a bastard 8-3/4 rear as it isn't stock to the car. But, it is sbp and I am guessing someone didn't go through the trouble to swap it to sbp. With that said I am not planning for 12.25, I am planning for 12.125" to be safe. No doubt all of this is going to be super close. Ill only have about an 1/8" on either side of the tire. Really if I find that the tire is too close to the spring still that I can move outboard just a bit still based on the ride height I am seeing most of these 18"s needing. It appears that most everyone's pictures have the top of the wheel opening right at the top of the tire. I am figuring that's where Ill be as well, and if that's the case it'll get me a tiny bit more room.
With all of that said I am certainly not scared to work the inner fender well a little bit to get it em in there.
Wish me luck dude! I take your concern to heart as you have clearly done your homework and know this stuff pretty well. Thanks for your input too by the way!
4mulaSvaliant
Well-Known Member
Well.... they fit! BARELY!!! But they fit!
I was able to get over to my buddy’s place this eve with the 1” wheel adapters.
Just as I had planned it came up with about 3/16” from the spring pack and roughly a 1/4” from the rolled under lip.
My springs are worn out and sag a bit, so in these pictures it actually sits lower than I thought I’d have to set it.
So yes, with a stock A-body 8-3/4 10” brake small bolt pattern, with 1” spacers, and rolled lip will allow a 295 under a 69 Valiant.
Also worth noting is that my buddy came out and leaned down on the rear to check travel and the tire went up into the well another 1.5” or so and I didn’t hear it scuffing yet.
On to the front next week!
I was able to get over to my buddy’s place this eve with the 1” wheel adapters.
Just as I had planned it came up with about 3/16” from the spring pack and roughly a 1/4” from the rolled under lip.
My springs are worn out and sag a bit, so in these pictures it actually sits lower than I thought I’d have to set it.
So yes, with a stock A-body 8-3/4 10” brake small bolt pattern, with 1” spacers, and rolled lip will allow a 295 under a 69 Valiant.
Also worth noting is that my buddy came out and leaned down on the rear to check travel and the tire went up into the well another 1.5” or so and I didn’t hear it scuffing yet.
On to the front next week!
jedrattle
Well-Known Member
Awesome! Any update on this?
Be a little cautious with this. If the Valiant rear wheel wells are similar to the Dart, then you'll find out that the outside fender lip isn't where the wheel well ends. The wheel well ends quite a bit inside of the fender lip. It's hard to see, but you may see me attempting to point to it in my photo. This is my setup as of right now and I'm still rubbing just a tad on all four corners.
Front:
18"X9" +22mm offset, 255/40/18, Dr. Diff 13" Brakes, fenders hammered out a little.
Rear:
18"X9" +32mm offset, +5mm spacer, 255/40/18, Dr. Diff 11.75" Brakes, 0.5" offset shackles, A-body rear end converted to bbp.
Originally, I had my wheel and tire setup swapped front to rear. I had no rub in the front; however, in the rear I was surprised to find out my tire walls were completely shaven off. If I had anyone in the car with me, the rears would rub on some corners. Just recently I swapped my wheels front and back knowing I would probably get some rub in the front now but not nearly as much in the rear.
Honestly, I've been measuring and I don't think I'll be able to get anything larger than a 265/35/18 on here even with the right offset wheels.
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jedrattle
Well-Known Member
Love the car! You said .5 offset shackles. Do you have the offset front hanger, as well? Who makes the wheels on your car? I ask because I have a ‘68 Dart myself.
Correct, the kit comes with offset front hangers as well. I want to say these came from Dr. Diff, but I don't remember. The wheels were made by Mickey Thompson and the P/N was SC-5. They are currently discontinued. I was actually thinking about selling these wheels and tires to get something that fit a little better. If you're interested, feel free to PM me. Maybe we can work something out in the next couple of months.
Jesus Chrysler
Forgiving Sins Against Mopar Since 1983
Do you reckon that a lip-roll wouldn't have been able to provide the clearance needed, or did you just start with cutting because you could?
I'm trying to avoid cutting on my 67 383s, so I'm hoping i can add some clearance with the ol' baseball bat lip-roll. At least that could be straightened out with a hammer when my car hits 6 figures in stock form.
Do you reckon that a lip-roll wouldn't have been able to provide the clearance needed, or did you just start with cutting because you could?
I'm trying to avoid cutting on my 67 383s, so I'm hoping i can add some clearance with the ol' baseball bat lip-roll. At least that could be straightened out with a hammer when my car hits 6 figures in stock form.
Rolling the rear quarters actually requires quite of bit of force because they're double layer with spot welds between the inner tub and the quarter. Plus, the lip is like 1" wide. So I started by just cutting the lip back to where the spot welds were, leaving the spot welds in place. That was almost a half inch of material.
The other thing about rolling is that it can cause the paint to crack or distort the quarter, especially in the back because of the amount of force needed with the double layer. So it just depends on what you want, it was easier to lose the 1/2" of metal by cutting than rolling for me. Of course I rolled what was left and pushed the quarters out pretty substantially when I did my "reverse mini tub" recently. Even then, with the inner tub removed, I had to start the rolling process using a hammer and dolly to start the bend. The quarters are pretty stout.
You can see the rolling process I did as part of my new outer tubs here
[URL="https://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/threads/my-new-74-duster-or-why-i-need-a-project-like-a-hole-in-the-head.198098/page-14#post-1973265757"]My "new" '74 Duster- or why I need a project like a hole in the head[/URL]
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