17" wheel offset '67 barracuda

[bbab3]

I am in the process of building '67 barracuda fairly similar to this barracuda featured at this link.

http://www.popularhotrodding.com/features/0602phr_1967_plymouth_barracuda_fastback/index.html

My car though is built with factory/aftermarket parts such as a '73 k-member and bigger torsion bars and leafs and front and rear sway-bars and disks. What I have been having problems with is the proper offset for the front. I am looking to use 245-45-17 tires on 8" or 7"-17" wheels the offsets I have available are 20mm (5 1/4" bs) for the 8" and 40mm (5 9/16" bs) for the 7" wheels. Has anybody used this combanation? Or any thing simaler without rubbing the fenders or suspension? I realy do not want to run spacers or cut and modify the fenders. Thanks-Bill

 

[abodyjoe]

not sure how much more then a 4 1/2" back space you can go with a stock style suspension... what wheels are you looking at?

 

[bbab3]

Here are the wheels I am looking to use.

http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/wh...4.3*5-4.5*5-4.5/5&tc=VOXMG&anr=true&rcz=98466

I have a pair of the 8" x 17" with the 20mm offset which fit the rear I am using (9" ford with disks). They fit on the front without touching the control arms. When I measure with these rims it looks like a 245-45-17" tire will touch the bottom front lip of fender. I can fix this by modifing that part of the fender, which I did many years ago on a '68 with 7"x15" 4.50" offset ralleys. What I am mainly concerned with is contact with the fender at the top lip and the sub-frame through the full range of motion of the front suspension and steering with this size tire.

If you look at the link I posted of the car featured in Popular Hot Rodding you will see that they will fit, but with what mods and offset? Which is why I've been wondering if anybody else has use this combo of 17" wheels and 245-45-17" tires on the front of there '67-'69 barracuda.

 

[autoxcuda]

First thing, that is a great looking show car. But whatever you do don't put that darn deep sump oil pan on your car!! You will be sorry.

With the 20mm offsett how close are you to the bottom of the outer tie rod?? That is the next obstacle with 17 rims in the front. Do you have a 73 K-member on your car? The wide 67-72 sway bar will hit rims with over 4.75 or so backspacing.

You can go as much as 5.25" backspacing with 17 rims and some guy have run as much as 5.5" net backspacing. Depends on rims. You may have to roll/cut the front bottom lip. But the increased backspacing will help you. With more backspacing the 245 should fit with no cutting. I have 245/50/15 on 15x8 4.5 backspacing with no cutting.

Bob Reed with his 68 Cuda IS driven on the track and street. And it's fast and practical on both. Not just a show car. I think he has 245's on 17" rims. But I don't know the aspect ratio or if there were fender mods.

Here's Bob's car:

Video of Bob's car running here:
http://videos.streetfire.net/video/b79fef84-0c13-4406-9135-99280048a2d9.htm

Here are the wheels I am looking to use.

http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/wh...4.3*5-4.5*5-4.5/5&tc=VOXMG&anr=true&rcz=98466

I have a pair of the 8" x 17" with the 20mm offset which fit the rear I am using (9" ford with disks). They fit on the front without touching the control arms. When I measure with these rims it looks like a 245-45-17" tire will touch the bottom front lip of fender. I can fix this by modifing that part of the fender, which I did many years ago on a '68 with 7"x15" 4.50" offset ralleys. What I am mainly concerned with is contact with the fender at the top lip and the sub-frame through the full range of motion of the front suspension and steering with this size tire.

If you look at the link I posted of the car featured in Popular Hot Rodding you will see that they will fit, but with what mods and offset? Which is why I've been wondering if anybody else has use this combo of 17" wheels and 245-45-17" tires on the front of there '67-'69 barracuda.

 

[bbab3]

Autoxcuda, I'am using a '73 k-member with factory 11.75" disk a 1.125 swaybar Offset upper control arm bushings and .920 torsions. From what I have measured with the 20mm offset 8x17 rims the 40mm offset 7x17 rims should fit (I ordered one yesterday) with about an additional 5/16" more backspaceing, hopfully the 245/45/17 tires will clear the subframe and the fender. Do you know what size tire and rim width and back spaceing Tom reed is using on the freont of his '68 cuda? Also your web site was very helpfull and usefull for alot of the mods I have done to this car- Thanks

 

[autoxcuda]

Absolutely go with 8" wide rims up front. You'll end up growing out of those narrow 7" rims. The wider rim supports the tire better for better handling. 73 K-member has a narrow sway bar that won't get in the way of bigger backspacing (more neg offest) rims.

40 mm offset is 1.57 inches and that is 5.57 backspace on a 17x8" rim. Get those if you are looking for something off the shelf. Just get a small spacer if you need rim to tie rod clearance. Or 5.25 would be fine too with only a 8" rim. That would be 31.75 mm.

Thanks for the comment on the website. It hasn't been updated in about 10 years. need to get around to that. I have so, so much more info I'm afraid I'll end up spending weeks updating it.

Autoxcuda, I'am using a '73 k-member with factory 11.75" disk a 1.125 swaybar Offset upper control arm bushings and .920 torsions. From what I have measured with the 20mm offset 8x17 rims the 40mm offset 7x17 rims should fit (I ordered one yesterday) with about an additional 5/16" more backspaceing, hopfully the 245/45/17 tires will clear the subframe and the fender. Do you know what size tire and rim width and back spaceing Tom reed is using on the freont of his '68 cuda? Also your web site was very helpfull and usefull for alot of the mods I have done to this car- Thanks