i want to put american racing's torque thrust 2's on my swinger. the size i was thinking about was a 17x7 or 16x7. the problem is that the rear fender is made real close to the tire. i want to the shop and they told me to get about a one inch rear lift and have my body man (whos my uncle) cut the inside fender? anybody know?

i like the idea of raising it about 1 or 2 inches swingers in that era ran real low on the back end.
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GRAPE APE PICTURES

Depending on your tire choice and backspacing, you shouldn't have to cut the rear fenders. As long as you reduce the aspect ratio of the tire as the wheel diameter increases, the overall space doesn't change. A 17x7" wheel with 4 1/4" backspacing and a 235/45-17 tire should fit fine, but take careful measurements to make sure.

You didn't mention your bolt pattern. If it's the small 4" bp, your wheel option are limited, but there are a few 16" and 17" choices.

VM

17" wheels would look spastic on a Swinger. 16" wouldn't be much better.

D/W

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If it ain't broke, fix it!

I tend to agree, however, the current rage is wagon wheels with rubber bands wrapped around them. They ride like wagons too!

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David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

i kinda like the look and feel. though, the handling is what i enjoy the most. plus 15s or 16s wouldn't fit over AndyF's brakes. sucks i couldn't afford tyres for a while, so a used set of bridgestones from an acura tl 6 speed had to do!
i say go for it! just measure very carefully. use strings with lugnuts (or other weight) tied to the ends and clamp them to the wheelwell lips and measure from there. another benefit to low profile tyres here is they don't need as much side clearance like some old L-60 does on a turn. i believe i wound up with 3/4"-1" here. be sure to measure both sides as old mopars aren't known for having the rear axle perfectly centered under the car.

-james

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Yuck.

D/W

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If it ain't broke, fix it!

You will enjoy the looks until you hit your first potholes or big bump. BANG! Time for a new $700 rim.

...why would anyone enjoy looking silly? A clown car, perhaps?:P

D/W

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If it ain't broke, fix it!

To each his own. I'm no kid, but personally, if I see another set of Camaro SS's (I'm sorry, CRAGAR SS's), I may just throw up. But knowing how many people fancy these "classics", I generally try to keep those thoughts to myself, lest I insult anyone...

Oh well, screw it. Bring it on!

Everyone has their limits of "taste". I think 22's on a '90 Caprice with a stock ride height looks hideous. But I've also been looking at old Mopars with 14" wheels for 40 years now, and 17" wheels are a darned sight better than a giant fiberglass wing mounted on the trunk.

But thats just my opinion.

Oh, and 15Standtriumphant, Coy's has 17" wheels that resemble TT IIs for $175 each: http://www.coyswheel.com/

VM

So it may look darned goofy, but at least it's not as bad as other even more spastic looking stuff that doesn't match the style of a sixties or seventies era vehicle? OK!

D/W

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If it ain't broke, fix it!

So 8-tracks and CB's for everybody, and slotted mags, cause that is what was cool for 60's and 70's era vehicles. How bout air shocks and leopard seat covers, just oozes style.


In my opinion A Torque Thrust II, is a classic style, and in 17"s is a modern update. Sounds like a good compromise. A bad choice would be some tuner style wheel, and I have seen a few old cars with wheels that just look awful.

I would probably max out at 16" myself, but to each his own. The sixteen comes with some good tire choices, and enough rim/ground clearance to take most any pothole without a problem.

Charles Borden

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My cars are all gone, my new affliction is my Jeep Cherokee. I have lifted it, put some armor on it, and preparing for new gears and lockers. After that, bumpers, on-board air and a winch.

...no, how about stuff that just doesn't seriously clash with the original style of the car???

Putting crap like big ridiculous wheels and cheesy techno wings and LED lights on a classic body style is like putting an art deco addition on a Victorian house. Not that I don't like art deco (love it, actually), it just would make for a hodge-podge of divergent styles. If you like stuff that looks "new" and high-tech and like "all the rage", by all means drive something new!

D/W

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If it ain't broke, fix it!

13" nylon blackwalls and dog dish caps?....no thanks

Used slotted 14" alum rims and 235/60/14 cheapos...yes please!

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Yeah....Im the one who destroyed this rare, vintage automobile.....

Calm down everyone. It is his car we cannot prevent it from having 17" all that can be done is inform him of the side effects like improved handling at the cost of ride and rim protection. The way I look at my car is that one of the valiants would prolly have a 318 in it if I hadn't gotten it and the other would be razor blades. An old car that has rims that don't suit my personal taste but gets driven is better any day over something that looks perfect but never sees the road. Put whatever rims you prefer on it and enjoy it. And no rims can top my cars set of 13" dogdish rears with lbp ralleyes up fronts, plus the rh side doesn't have its center cap. I love the beater driver look.

And how did james longhurst find a set of good used bridgestones from a TL. Those things eat tires in 20K all the time.

I'll go for that!

I'm not a concourse paint dab resto whack-job, nor do I promote the installation of 8-track players (nor the wearing of bell bottoms), I simply think people do a lot of really stupid-looking stuff to cool old cars in the name of being "trendy".

D/W

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If it ain't broke, fix it!