I found a few different wheels on Tire Rack that I am interested in, and I have some questions for the experts.

First are http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/Wheel...All&sort=Brand, which are 18x7.5, with a +42 offset. This is the same size and offset of the stock SS wheels. Is it safe to assume that the fit and the ride would be exactly the same, or is there some other factor I'm not considering?

I also like these http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/Wheel...All&sort=Brand. These are 18x8 with a +40 offset. How does the change in width and offset effect how this wheel would fit versus stock?

 

Was wrong about the second wheel. The offset is also +42. So, same offset, but the wheel is 1/2 inch wider. What effect does this have?

 

Yes, this is mostly correct. Ride is going to depend more on your tire choice, but otherwise, this is right.

A higher offset number will shift the tires more under the car, and a lower one will tend to poke them out past the fenders.

Wider wheels will let you run wider tires safely. You might want that for appearance reasons, or if you want more grip in competition somewhere on a closed course...

 

Those wheels will look real nice on your SS

 

Thanks. I really want wheels, but it's enough of an investment, that I get a little nervous about getting it wrong. I definitely don't want to lose ride quality or jack up my speedometer. I know the tire has more to do with ride quality, but if I went with the wider rim, I'd need a different size than stock to keep the diameter the same, right?

 

I would go with the 8" and 255x40 g-max03. You wont believe the chushy ride. I mean I did go that way.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSe...cturer=General

 

Roofer, 1/2" of rim width has virtually no impact on the overall tire height. You'll see a greater change in tire height from wear over time than with the change in width. The biggest issue is to make sure your rim width is within the tire manufacturer's specs. Somewhere near the middle of the advertised range is best.

Both of your choices are nice....got an itch to go with black, huh?

 

Thanks for the info. I love the look of black with the polished lip, especially against the orange. Plus, I think it ties in with the overall look of the car. The trim on the SS is mostly black, with just some hints of chrome, like around the booties and the SS badges. There's a photoshop in my gallery (different wheels), of some black wheels on the car.

 

I have to agree with you. I'm not a huge fan of chrome or polished aluminum except as accents. My SS is black with black bow-ties. I'm debating about the interior, as I hate the neutral color mixed with the black everywhere else. I am removing the headliner soon to do some stereo/wiring, so I may go ahead and take the plunge and black out the interior.

I also have a project 1992 S10 that is all black except for polished aluminum rims. I have thought about adding some black to them.

Either way you go will work. It's nice to photoshop the rims on so you can get an idea of what they will look like installed. Seeing them "on" the car can help make that tough decision when it's up for grabs