This morning I cleaned the garage, since I don’t have the vert project to occupy my time, I switched wheels on the green hardtop.
New look
closer view
old look
one more
I guess I’m just bored and needed something to occupy my time but I like the original wheels and caps done in red. The red line tires are P20570R14, a bit small and since the springs and shackles were lowered 2 inches, it’s like climbing out of a Corvette. The ride is a lot smoother than the 17inch low profile tire that were on it.
Not much of a response to your original question, but your car is only lowered 2 inches?
I am about to buy wheels and tires for mine (look for another thread) and mine is lowered 2 in the back, and one coil cut in the front. The front still sits higher in the front, just like it did orginally, but have the shelby drop mod in place to compensate. I cut my original springs 2 coils, then tried the shelby drop, but it was too much, made my headers drag on speed bumps. I was thinking that since I may be getting taller tires, I would be able to use the shelby drop since they will be 2 inches taller. I guess my question is, how, and how much did you drop the front? Yours sits about just right with the 17’s, but 18’s might look too big.
I like red lines, but I think it would look better with just one line; maybe 2 if they were both narrower. Red on the bead area of the wheels is a little ‘too much’ as well; they make your gold Cougar look GREEN with that much contrasting color.
On the other hand, the 17" rims look “too shiny”; a machined finish (more muted) wouldn’t draw so much attention away from the car. (IMHO)
It’s a fine line that you walk with putting modern wheels on a classic like the Cougar. One style I really like is this set:
.
This is on Barry Margolis’ car; and I stole the picture from the West Coast Classic Cougar site; so you know that Don’s got them for sale.
Unfotunately I still have one kid at home (he’s 15, and has a father-son project on a '71 F100 that he can get for the cost of a lost-title application), and the two that are already out of the house sometimes still have to apply for financial aid from “the bank of Mom and Dad”; so I don’t foresee having almost $1100 plus lugnuts and caps for my Cat anytime soon! So my “Plan B” looks like these:
Wheels off of a 2004-2007 V6 Mustang, just have to change the center caps. There are a few “drawbacks”:
First, they’re only 16" wheels; so the “1994-2004 SVT Cobra” front disk brake kit that I got at a great price won’t fit. But I can always sell the kit, so I’m not out “everything” on them
Second, no matter what brake assembly I use, I’ll end up needing spacers to “push them out” to an original track width; and I don’t like that idea at all. There are supposedly ‘hub-centric’ spacers that actually have their own lugs to attach the wheels and keep them properly centered; but I’m still a little leary.
I think the new wheels and tires look sharp! Not a big fan of whitwalls (currently on my vert) or red lines, they (relines) always make me think mopar for some strange seemingly unknowing reason
Yours sits about just right with the 17’s, but 18’s might look too big.
Mike, the springs are 2 inches shorter in the front and the back have 2 inch spacers in-between the axel and shackles. Agreed that the 17 inch wheels are the right size for the car. I like the shiny chrome look but was looking for a change. I had the same problem with scraping my long headers on the curbs and bought a pair of shorty headers that solved the scraping problem and also significantly reduced horsepower.
they make your gold Cougar look GREEN with that much contrasting color.
Dawg, that is the green one. The gold one is a vert and in the shop for the convertible top, but your probably just yanking my chain. I agree that there is a lot of red involved in my rims and tires and I think the chrome rims look better than anything that I have tried. I like the contrast in color for a change. Barry’s car is awesome and the tire rim combo look right for the car. The modern trend is to change to oversize rotors and calibers along with the 17, 18 inch wheels, Barry’s rims would go great on the wires 2004 thunderbird since they are modern. I like the 70’s feel of the original caps. SalD
BTW 17" is the best size for Cougars as the rim clears the upper ball joint
I found that chrome wheels can be overpowering if the colour isn’t right - they look lousy on my black and gold convertibles, that run an aluminium finished wheel.
Redlines and hubcaps on a stock appearing vehicle works. They don’t work on yours due to a variety of things such as color, shaved door handles, moderate lowering, etc.
SalD first off I love the look of your 70! Can you tell me who makes your chrome wheels, size and offset? Who did you get them through? Where did you get your exhaust tips too?
Sal? Green car? One of us is color blind… either that or the kanuder chip in my lap top is out of calibration and causing the freem inversion relay to show green as gold.
