Author Topic: OEM and OEM style wheels on alternate year cars (Read 11971 times)

Vette Obsessed · « **on:** April 13, 2007, 02:32:34 PM »

One of the most frequently asked questions is "What wheels will fit my C4?" This being the case I have put together a thread with the aim of providing answers as to what respective wheels (OEM and otherwise) will fit on various years of C4 - along with pictures where possible.

This thread is a work in progress - updates will be made as I get suitable pics of other cars and get other info together.

1984 - 1987 Corvettes have different suspension geometry front and rear to 1988 - 1996 Corvettes and as such, wheels that fit an 84-87 Corvette will fit an 88 - 96 Corvette differently (and vice-versa)

To start off I'm going to show the various types of wheels offered by the factory for each year of production, showing custom variations of the factory wheel where possible.

OEM wheels
1984 16"

Aftermarket polished factory wheels (note black painted centre standard for 1984)

1985 16"

1986 16"

Aftermarket polished factory wheels

1987 16"

1988 16x8.5" (pictures by Thunder Kiss ;42)
(wheels mounted in opposite direction to factory fitting)

1988 17" (factory fitted on Z51 and Z52 cars)

Factory supplied white painted wheel exclusive to 1988 Anniversary Models

1988 17" (factory fitted on Z51 and Z52 cars)

Aftermarket polished

1989

1989 Factory wheels brush finish

1989 factory wheel with aftermarket polish

1990 (factory machined finish with clearcoat)

Aftermarket polished stock wheels

1990 ZR1

1991

1991 ZR1

1992

1992 ZR1

1993

1993 aftermarket chromed wheels with ruby red anniversary package centre caps

1993 ZR1

1994

Standard factory supplied machine finish with clearcoat wheel

1994 ZR1

1995

1995 ZR1

1996

1996 Grand Sport

Factory supplied 17 x 9.5 front and 17 x11 rear gloss black painted wheels (supplied with 1996 Grand Sport option only)

1996 Collector Edition

OEM and OEM style wheels on alternate year model Corvettes

1996 style "ZR1 style" and "Collector Edition" style wheels on 1984-1990

OEM 1996 "Grand Sport" wheels on 1992
(17x9.5" front and 17x11" rear with 50mm backspacing)

Vette Obsessed · « **Reply #1 on:** April 13, 2007, 02:33:22 PM »

Simmons FR17 17" wheels on a 1985 Corvette with "update" bodywork

1988 with 18x9.5 front and 18x11 ROH Modenas

1989 with 18x9.5 front and 18x11 Work Meister

1994 ZR1 with 19" front and 20" rear CCW wheels

C4 Corvette Coupe with 22" wheels (tyre specs unknown)

Cameron 77C3 · « **Reply #2 on:** April 13, 2007, 06:25:04 PM »

Well done squire

jolinari · « **Reply #3 on:** April 14, 2007, 01:15:50 AM »

like the 1990 (factory machined finish with clearcoat)

Thunder Kiss · « **Reply #4 on:** April 16, 2007, 02:08:46 PM »

Early 1988 16x8.5 wheel:

Yes, they're on the wrong side (it looks better that way):

91/92 wheel:

Vette Obsessed · « **Reply #5 on:** April 16, 2007, 02:24:02 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Thunder Kiss
Early 1988 16x8.5 wheel:

Yes, they're on the wrong side (it looks better that way):

91/92 wheel:

Thanks Thunder - I was going to email you to ask for a pic of your 16" wheels! ;42

I have a bunch of pics of local cars I need to edit for a few of the missing combinations - hopefully I'll get to it in the next few. ;42

Do you mind if I paste your pics into the original post?

Thunder Kiss · « **Reply #6 on:** April 16, 2007, 03:35:37 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Vette Obsessed

Do you mind if I paste your pics into the original post?

Go right ahead, I will then delete my post so it doesn't unnecessarily clutter up this thread.

87Z51 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 16, 2007, 11:07:43 PM »

"wheels that fit an 84-87 Corvette will fit an 88 - 96 Corvette differently (and vice-versa)"

Be aware however ,that '87 and earlier rims have a 32mm offset , the later have 50mm offset due to the hub face being moved outwards as a result of the mentioned suspension changes.
Late wheels on early cars end up being 18mm in from the stock position unless spacers are run..
16" rims will not clear factory J55 option HD 13" brake setup or C5 brake conversions

daniel42au · « **Reply #8 on:** April 16, 2007, 11:35:32 PM »

Great thread VO...

Re offsets I found this quote from...
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=956100&forum_id=48

"This is a popular discussion... people want to add later model wheels to their older Vette's but don't know the different offsets, or what will fit what.

Wheel offsets, for the 88-96 was 56mm for the 9.5" rims.
GS 11" rears were 50mm.
84-87 38mm for the 9.5" rim, 36mm (I believe) for the 8.5" rim.
ZR1 rears are 38mm or thereabouts and will fit 84-87 with no spacer."

From the above pics it is obvious that wheels are a good indicator to pinning down the model year(and sometimes options) assuming they are the original OEM fitted to the car... and it can be a very subtle difference. e.g. from "Cor-vette Specs" by Mike Antonick 2002....

"It took a sharp eye to differentiate a 1987 Corvette from a 1986. The body panel treatment was virtually identical, but there was a subtle difference in wheel appearance. The wheel castings were the same, but 1987 wheels were argent gray in both the center section and radial slot areas. In 1986, only the radial slots were argent. Remember, both 1984 and 1985 wheels had center sections and radial slots painted black."

For an 1987 Convertible...

On the RPO List .... in the Centre Console is....

PW9 ....Cast Aluminium wheels16x 9.5 ...
QZD.... 16" wheels with P255/50 VR16....

daniel42au · « **Reply #9 on:** November 07, 2007, 12:30:06 PM »

VO, Another addition to the collection, Unpolished 1987 OEM 16"x9.5" with a 38mm offset as fitted to convertibles. As mentioned above, they are subtly different from 1986 and earlier wheels in that the centres are coloured argent(silver). Coupes were fitted with 16"x8.5" rims with a 32mm offset.

Vette Obsessed · « **Reply #10 on:** November 08, 2007, 08:53:37 PM »

1996 style "ZR1 style" and "Collector Edition" style wheels on 1984-1990

OEM 1996 "Grand Sport" wheels on 1992