Hi everyone,

Let me start by saying I've done hours of research into this subject already, found tons of info, so much to the point where it's all jumbled together and I think I was better off before, lol. I daily drive a 1999 Z28, with Strano springs and swaybars, otherwise stock. It's currently on 17x9 TTM wheels, which I like the look of. I've done a few autocross events, (my first ever), and suffice to say I'm hooked. My tires, however, are cooked. I think I want another set of wheels and tires that I can mount when I head to the track in the future, without worrying about driving to school on them the next day. I don't want to shell out insane amounts of money on crazy wheels as someone who is such a novice in this field, but I still want a solid wheel I can run that allows decent tire selection and fitment with no modification. I've been considering forgestar f14s, but I'd love to hear other options. And wheel size/offset advice is also greatly appreciated, it's a lot to think about and I don't wanna buy a fancy new wheel that won't fit! I've also looked at the OEM C5Z speedlines, but I can't find any in good condition. Knowing what wheels some of you guys are running would be a great help!
Thanks all.

 

Depends on what size tire you're running, but it seems to me some used SS wheels would probably get you going on the cheap.

 

I autox my TA. I have a separate set as well. Running forged star d1 17x11 front and c5z wheels in the rear. More importantly focus on a good tire. I just got a set of falken azenis 275/35/17. Fits on both sets of wheels. If you can swing it, I'd go for the forged stars. They are very light. The cheaper option would be the c5z wheels. 17x9.5 or 17x10.5. definitely stick with 17s. Tire sizes, options, and prices are alot better.

 

I'm liking the price tag on those. It looks like they're heavy though. Will a nice set of 200w tires make up for that difference in weight? Or is it better to save up and shell out for something lighter?

EDIT: Now that I look again, they don't seem too heavy actually. I'm seeing OEM 10 spoke SS wheels as 22lbs.. is that right? That's lighter than my torq thrusts, looks like a good option!!! Now who's got a set laying around

 

22# sounds right, I believe the C5Z06 fronts are 21# (17x9.5").

 

Sweet. And a 275/40/R17 tire on the SS wheel?

 

Yep, they fit decently. They fit better on a 9.5" wheel, but they're not squeezed down or anything on the 9". I have that size on both.

 

I disagree that tire options are good in 17" sizes. If you decide to go to a dedicated auto-x tire, you'll have a hard time finding something competitive. If you're spending money now with plans to be competitive in the future, go with an 18x11 wheel and 315 tires (or 18x10.5" rears from a C5 Z06). I'm 1/2 kicking myself for investing in 17x11's a few years ago because the only decent 315s you can get in a 17" now are r-compounds that don't qualify for the 200TW classes.

 

You can get the Falken RT660 in a 275/40-17. That's a damn good tire. And it costs almost half of what you pay for an 18 inch. That size makes perfect sense for someone that wants to have fun on a budget.

Your mistake was getting a 17x11..... Should have gone 18s if you wanted that much tire (which is what you learned).

 

I ran 275/40-17 for quite a few years in various brands and TW ratings. They can be great, but can't come close to the grip of a 315 and it can frustrating to be held back. I also don't think a 4th gen f-body on RT660's is going to be competitive (PAX or raw) against modern cars on an RE71r or CR-1. It's fine if you want to stay in FSP but if you plan to move to a faster class, now would be a good time to invest in the best setup, rather than having to buy another set of wheels later.

(also, I went 17x11 in hopes that I could run on cheap scrub Hoosier A7's)

 

I've been recommended the RT660 by many people, another reason why 17-inch wheels seem like a good option. This is all just for fun atm. I can upgrade later down the road if need be. Thanks all. And, if anyone is selling factory SS wheels, hmu!