250 GTO Owners Thread

[ZZZeee]

This is for an old Alpha 1. If I install 5-lug adapters that are 2" thick on all four wheels is the correct wheel backspace then 5.5" all the way around for 8" rear wheels and 6" front wheels?

 

http://www.skulte.com/product_info.php/cPath/21/products_id/56

 

Better and/or cheaper 5-lug solutions anyone?

[Boy from Oz]

ZZZeee - I'm not sure what outcome you are after which makes it very difficult to advise.

 

If you are after an original look, the 1962 GTOs had 5.5" front and 6.5" rears but the '63-'64 models went up an inch to 6.5" and 7.5" respectively. They were probably the first to run external offset to clear the brakes or to keep the brakes cooler - compare the offset to other wire wheel cars of the era. Many of the the GTOs racing today are clearly going to much wider rims for races. http://www.supercars.net/cars/518.html (see gallery).

 

I have just ordered a pair of 7" reverse-laced triple-cross wheels from Dayton Wire Wheels. I am hoping I can get away with a 6"-7" combination but I may have to go with a 7"-8". Either way I need the 7" so I have started there. I am widening the rear track to suit the narrow rear wheels so my dilemma is with how the narrow rims will look on the front. I should know in a few weeks.

 

On their site http://www.daytonwirewheels.com/ they have a template which allows you to input caliper, spring and guard lip positions, etc, to get a cross-section perspective of your wheel/tyre and backspace options. http://www.daytonwirewheels.com/pdf/dwwmeasurementguide.pdf

 

Here are a further couple of good sites to help you.

http://www.rims-n-tires.com/rt_specs.jsp

http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible.html

 

Spacers are illegal down here so they are not an option for me.

[ZZZeee]

Boy from Oz... Thank you for the informative post. I want to run 6" rims in front and 8" in the rear. I'm not even going to try for the correct look because I just can't afford the Dayton spokes. Instead, for now at least, I'm just going for a 60's period look with some nice used lightweight aluminum wheels. My goal is to get the backspacing correct to properly fill these wide fenders. The offset on the current wheels look completely wrong. They don't even come close to filling the fenders properly.

[Boy from Oz]

I know what you mean about the cost and I had to pay exorbitant freight cost on top of that - funny how freight cost go up when oil goes up but doesn't come down when the oil price comes down. You should see what this exercise is doing to my wife's bank account!

 

I know larger external offset are not popular these days with cast wheels but have you considered composite wheels where the rim is attached with multiple bolts and setting them up with reversing the rim. http://www.simmonswheel.com.au/ I'm sure there would be something like this in the States.

 

Also, way way back in my youth we often removed the wheel hub/centre from the rim and reversed the rim. It was easy to do with steel wheels but with alloy welding so good now is that an option for you?

[ZZZeee]

...

I know what you mean about the cost and I had to pay exorbitant freight cost on top of that - funny how freight cost go up when oil goes up but doesn't come down when the oil price comes down. You should see what this exercise doing to my wife's bank account!

 

Hah!! Yeah... all businesses will use any excuse to charge more siting some unforeseen and unusual situation then conveniently forget to lower their fees once things normalize. It's called greed, my friend. Alas... no wife here from whom to drain her bank account.

 

I know larger external offset are not popular these days with cast wheels but have you considered composite wheels where the rim is attached with multiple bolts and reversing the rim. http://www.simmonswheel.com.au/ I'm sure there would be something like this in the States.

 

Two-piece wheels are fine. I'll take a look.

 

Also, way way back in my youth we often removed the wheel hub/centre from the rim and reversed the rim. It was easy to do with steel wheels but with alloy welding so good now is that an option for you?

 

I'm not doing my own work and I can't weld so this type of thing would be hired out. I'll bet I can sell the old wheels and buy some used ones with a better fit for what the labor would cost.

 

I've been searching and I think I can buy all four wheels for less than $500 delivered. That "might" even come close to paying for some really nice used properly-sized tires too.

 

So do you think I'm pretty close on the backspacing? BTW, the front tire height will be 26-27" and the rear will be 28-30". The springs will be changed for the proper ride height.

 

[Boy from Oz]

Alas... no wife here

You should be able to afford a real GTO then!

So do you think I'm pretty close on the backspacing?

 

I might have this completely wrong but I think your backspacing is a bit off. For a start, is it possible to have 5.5" backspacing on a 6" rim? The front GTO panels, as I understand it, are wider than the OEM Datsun panels so you need less backspacing to compensate, otherwise what is the point of the spacers.

 

I'm not really sure what backspacing you need but again suggest you work through the Dayton template - it's applicable to all wheels not just Daytons.

 

The springs will be changed for the proper ride height.

 

Make sure you address the bumpsteer issue if you alter the ride height.

 

Also, have you checked eBay or other places for used Daytons or cheap Chinese made wire wheels. Wire wheels are just so in character with that car.

[ZZZeee]

...

Alas... no wife here.

 

You should be able to afford a real GTO then!

 

No extra "wife" income to sponge from.

 

So do you think I'm pretty close on the backspacing?

 

I might have this completely wrong but I think your backspacing is a bit off. For a start, is it possible to have 5.5" backspacing on a 6" rim? The front GTO panels, as I understand it, are wider than the OEM Datsun panels so you need less backspacing to compensate, otherwise what is the point of the spacers.

 

I don't know. I'm working from what I've read here (3.5" all the way round) and subtracting for the extra 2" for the 5-lug adapters. I don't care about the "spacers" it's those 5-lug adapters that add that those extra 2" and it's why I asked about better alternatives.

 

I'm not really sure what backspacing you need but again suggest you work through the Dayton template - it's applicable to all wheels not just Daytons.

 

I'll work through Dayton's guide.

 

The springs will be changed for the proper ride height.

 

Make sure you address the bumpsteer issue if you alter the ride height.

 

Also, have you checked eBay or other places for used Daytons or cheap Chinese made wire wheels. Wire wheels are just so in character with that car.

 

As much as I "HATE" FleaBay, I'll take a look. Do the Chinese versions break???

 

[chelle]

Go with a Weber style EFI instead....

 

http://www.dynatekracing.com/fuelinjection.htm

http://www.dynatekracing.com/pdfs/dcfi-description.pdf

 

This is what I'm planning to put into mine. Albeit on a SB or BBC.

But, if you can get hold of one of the 6x2 intakes, then you could probably get the Weber throttle bodies from Dynatek. ...and I believe they're in Ohio...so not TOO terribly far from you.

 

Yeah I talked to them at Carlisle, those are nice, we got a set for the Lambo, for V12 I like the TWM throttle bodies..

 

Chelle

[ArnZ]

Anybody seen this?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=350140572675&ih=022&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=

[Filmjay]

Anybody seen this?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=350140572675&ih=022&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=

 

Yep, I've contacted him. He wants WAAAAY too much for an unfinished car.

 

And Chelle, you've got all the bases covered...so I'll just stfu now.

[ArnZ]

I doubt it will sell, did he actually divulge his reserve or Buy price?

"I easily have $50k invested in capital, not to mention the labor hours"

[chelle]

Yep, I've contacted him. He wants WAAAAY too much for an unfinished car.

 

And Chelle, you've got all the bases covered...so I'll just stfu now.

 

 

LOL< no no, please don't shush.. I posted here because I like getting input.

 

Easy to imagine that guy has 50 in it.. it's easy to get in deep.. far too easy.. that's why I tend to not save a lot of the receipts, if I knew exactly how much we spent I'd be scared to drive it

[SpeedRacer]

I can't believe you would sell that awesome GTO of yours Chelle but you might be surprised what you can get for it. This one is out on eBay and, it’s a spider plus it's not even a very good example.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p3907.m32&_trkparms=tab%3DWatching&item=190274573298&viewitem=

 

BTW, I don't know if he still has it but the owner of Factory Five Racing had a complete aluminum GTO body made from the original Ferrari wooden bucks. Modify an old 330GTE chassis and you would have the next best thing to a real one. Of course you would have to have some big bucks to pull it off.

 

If you decide to sell your old trunk kit please let me know as I think I am going to add one to mine.

[Filmjay]

WOW! He wants $90K for that thing????? The fender vents aren't even cut out and there's still uneven gaps between some of the body panels. I do like the engine and some of the details though. I like the shifter box overall, but it looks pretty rough on the closeup.

 

I'm sure that sadly, it will go to some poor sod with more money than brains.

 

Budgeting out my conversion, I can easily see how you all can get carried away with details that would slowly add up.

 

But, just for a basic completion, (not lengthening the car, moving the firewall, adding trunk kit, etc...) I can't see it being more than $25-$30K...well, doing the work yourself at least.

 

But after talking with the guy with the unfinished kit, I don't think he's quite got $50K in it unless he was paying someone else to do most of the work.

 

Yeah, he's got some nice stuff on the car and HAS put some nice details in its' finishing. But unless he's adding in a labor cost, there's not $50K in it.

 

The body kit/dash, a nice paint job, suspension/brakes, VG30DETT, and wheels/tires are not $50K.

 

Only thing that would make me shy away from it though is that he absolutely refuses to give me any pics of the frame rails.(wrecked car?) Plus it's pretty clear that it has NOT been undercoated as he claims from the pics he added later (at my request)

[mclark999]

ZZZeee - I'm not sure what outcome you are after which makes it very difficult to advise.

 

I have just ordered a pair of 7" reverse-laced triple-cross wheels from Dayton Wire Wheels. I am hoping I can get away with a 6"-7" combination but I may have to go with a 7"-8". Either way I need the 7" so I have started there. I am widening the rear track to suit the narrow rear wheels so my dilemma is with how the narrow rims will look on the front. I should know in a few weeks.

 

I'm considering the wire wheels as well. What is the difference between regular and reverse-laced. Does the reverse lacing give you the larger offset?

 

And why triple laced? Is that for a certain look, or for strength?

 

I would need 8" on the front and 10" on the rear. Do they both need to be reversed laced? Perhaps, I just need to talk to the guys at Dayton.

 

THanks

[sweetleaf]

Yeah, the biggest thing that throws me off is that he claims "It is a 100% rust free1978 Datsun 280Z chassis. When we started building this car we stripped it down to the frame and put it on a frame roller. It was media blasted to remove all the paint and debris then primed, zinc coated, and undercoated. You will never have to worry about rust! Then ALL of the fuel and brake lines were hand shaped and replaced with Stainless steel lines and stainless junction fittings."

 

Then you can slightly see the under side, the is old underbody coating and I can see rust on many of the seems and other spots. Look at the picture of the turbo, you can see the rust and maybe a bent frame rail.

[ZZZeee]

Another wheel question... please don't blast me for not getting spokes... I can't afford them.

 

If I use these adapters (2" thick): http://www.skulte.com/product_info.php/cPath/21/products_id/56

 

Will these wheels be a good fit on the rear of an Alpha 1?: http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=CLL%2D055907547&N=700+400056+300312+4294923105+4294793325+4294795022+4294919982+4294755960+115&autoview=sku

 

Front rims: http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=CLL%2D055704547&N=700+400056+300312+4294923105+4294755960+4294793325+4294794966+4294795102+115&autoview=sku

 

Rear tires will be 28-29" tall and 10.5-12.5" wide. Fronts will be 26-27" tall and 6-7" wide. I want the final fitment to look as as though they "belong" on this car even though the wheel style is completely wrong. I'm tired of the current wheels not filling the fenders.

[ZZZeee]

Jag V12 w/ 6 Webers and TH400 on racingjunk for $2500 for anyone interested... http://www.racingjunk.com/post/1415041/92-V-12-JAG.-MOTOR-6-WEBERS-400TURBOTRADE.html

 

It's not mine.

[staledale]

No Thanks, Got One

[mclark999]

Another wheel question... please don't blast me for not getting spokes... I can't afford them.

 

If I use these adapters (2" thick): http://www.skulte.com/product_info.php/cPath/21/products_id/56

 

Will these wheels be a good fit on the rear of an Alpha 1?: http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=CLL%2D055907547&N=700+400056+300312+4294923105+4294793325+4294795022+4294919982+4294755960+115&autoview=sku

 

Front rims: http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=CLL%2D055704547&N=700+400056+300312+4294923105+4294755960+4294793325+4294794966+4294795102+115&autoview=sku

 

Rear tires will be 28-29" tall and 10.5-12.5" wide. Fronts will be 26-27" tall and 6-7" wide. I want the final fitment to look as as though they "belong" on this car even though the wheel style is completely wrong. I'm tired of the current wheels not filling the fenders.

 

 

Go to Centerline Wheels website. They have several options that fit the Z 4 lug pattern and can custom offset what you want. Some of the options actually look nice on a GTO. I photoshopped a couple.