I just don't see it!

anything over 15 on a classic car looks like, well, not very good

however, sometimes it is as simple as function over form

certain brakes and suspension part simply dont fit with classy looking wheels
so, they sacrifice the looks of the wheel for the quality of the ride

i dont get it either, if you want an ugly looking good handling car, why not buy a miata?
I pretty much agree with you, except I say 17 instead of 15. I have seen a lot of classic cars like ours that look fine with a nice looking 17" rim. Sometimes you need it for brake clearance. I don't like 20"+ rims on Classic cars.