Corvette Performance - Help, which wheels do I keep (pics)

I have the factory painted silver wheels that came on the car. I have bought a set of polished factory take off wheels with Z51 tires. Which look best? Which tire is best? I plan to keep one set and sell the other when I can decide. Both set of tires are almost new.
http://www.mustangmods.com/ims/u/1291/1870/145387.jpg
http://www.mustangmods.com/ims/u/1291/1870/145388.jpg
http://www.mustangmods.com/ims/u/1291/1870/145389.jpg
http://www.mustangmods.com/ims/u/1291/1870/145390.jpg

Go with the polished ones Larry. They've got a little more pimp factor. Now lower that car or someone's gonna think you bought the 4 wheel drive option! :)

Polished!

SHINY ONES............. :naughty:

Go with the polished ones Larry. They've got a little more pimp factor. Now lower that car or someone's gonna think you bought the 4 wheel drive option! :)"Pimp factor" LOL! I am leaning towards the polished. Those Z51 might give a little better 60'. Might even have a better resale value with the polished.

I like the polished ones. Adds that need for a second look factor. Bling baby, bling. BTW, love the new ride man, looks awesome, and that's my favorite color! :drool:

Polished for sure, makes the car look less like a base model. ;)

Lower that car! It is simple to do and is FREE.

polished hands down....GIRLS LIKE BIG SHINY THINKS THAT SPARKLE IN THE SUN!

My vote goes to polished!!!

polished hands down....GIRLS LIKE BIG SHINY THINKS THAT SPARKLE IN THE SUN!

Don't say that, Larry's wife will make him sell the polished wheels. :cry:

Polished for sure, makes the car look less like a base model. ;)

Lower that car! It is simple to do and is FREE.Lower it! I can barely get my jack under it now. I scrap but only slightly every time going into my drive way. I was thinking about raising it about 6-8 inches. Not!

The little wife likes the polished wheels. I had her go out take a look with the two each side. She walked to both sides and said the polished with the flags looks good. Pretty good for an old gal that thinks of cars as a means of getting from point A to point B.

How do you lower it for free? Turn the springs over?

I would paint one set black and keep the polished ones for a set of track wheels.

are they clear coated? or just polished? i would not like to keep up with the polished ones unless they are clear coated. i had them on my harley and took them off and replaced them with chrome.

are they clear coated? or just polished? i would not like to keep up with the polished ones unless they are clear coated. i had them on my harley and took them off and replaced them with chrome.Not sure. Maybe somebody (Nine Ball) can enlighten us.

If they are factory polished then they should have a clear coat on them. If someone just polished a factory set they might be a pain to keep clean if you drive the car much.

You can lower them using the factory bolts. I can't remember the exact procedure but a search for "lowering bolts" in the Corvette forum should get you the information you need.

i like the polished.

EDIT 200th post WOOOOT only took a few years!

Lowering is extremely easy. there are height adjustment bolts on each end of each monoleaf. These bolts have rubber bumpstops on the bottom that sit on the LCA's. Raise the car up, place jackstands under the monoleaf (to take the pressure off of the bolts), remove wheels/tires (step not necessary), use a 10mm end wrench and turn the bolt until the bumpstop is bottomed out against the underside of the monoleaf. repeat on all 4 corners. takes maybe 20 minutes. When I lower them, I choose to remove the wheels/tires for more working room.

Oh yeah, keep the polished ones. and the Z51 runflats SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

are they clear coated? or just polished? i would not like to keep up with the polished ones unless they are clear coated. i had them on my harley and took them off and replaced them with chrome.
the polished factory wheels do have a clearcoat. IMO, they were VERY poorly polished. That's why 99% of them look milky.

Lowering is extremely easy. there are height adjustment bolts on each end of each monoleaf. These bolts have rubber bumpstops on the bottom that sit on the LCA's. Raise the car up, place jackstands under the monoleaf (to take the pressure off of the bolts), remove wheels/tires (step not necessary), use a 10mm end wrench and turn the bolt until the bumpstop is bottomed out against the underside of the monoleaf. repeat on all 4 corners. takes maybe 20 minutes. When I lower them, I choose to remove the wheels/tires for more working room.

Oh yeah, keep the polished ones. and the Z51 runflats SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Good info! Thanks...

yeah, it is simple to lower the car Larry.

Just four large bolts with rubber stoppers on the ends of each leaf spring. Jack the car up and let the A-arms hang down, then put another small jack under the leaf spring end inside each A-arm. Jack up on the leaf to get the bolt off of the surface of the A-arm, then rotate the bolts so that the stoppers move. The more you turn those bolts, the lower it gets.

Most guys lower the front all the way down so that the bolt stoppers bottom out on the leaf spring, but the rear will require aftermarket bolts to make it go as low as the front can go. Otherwise, the rear sits about 1" higher when both front/rear are bottomed out.

Polished.. of course I'd say that.... :)

yeah, it is simple to lower the car Larry.

Just four large bolts with rubber stoppers on the ends of each leaf spring. Jack the car up and let the A-arms hang down, then put another small jack under the leaf spring end inside each A-arm. Jack up on the leaf to get the bolt off of the surface of the A-arm, then rotate the bolts so that the stoppers move. The more you turn those bolts, the lower it gets.

Most guys lower the front all the way down so that the bolt stoppers bottom out on the leaf spring, but the rear will require aftermarket bolts to make it go as low as the front can go. Otherwise, the rear sits about 1" higher when both front/rear are bottomed out.Would it have to be realigned after lowering?

Would it have to be realigned after lowering?
Yes. Drive the car for a day to let everythng settle before taking it to the alignment shop.

not true, lowered Corvettes do not change their suspension geometry. It just moves the A-arms up a little bit higher in their normal travel path.

I was just quoting an article out of an old GMHighTech mag... I've seen them post incorrect stuff in the past, no biggie.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b7dc00b3127cce81ec1b4b7f7000000016108AYuGjhy5buG

not true, lowered Corvettes do not change their suspension geometry. It just moves the A-arms up a little bit higher in their normal travel path.
werd. after I lowered my coupe 2", no alignment was needed. also, the car does need to be driven after lowering is completed as stated above. this allows the suspension to settle in.

I like the polished ones. Adds that need for a second look factor.


That's exactly what I did too.

Even though I looked at the car before with painted ones...

Painted silver ones are my favorite.

Chrome ones for sure! lower the car too. Car sits awfully high.