I have a 1990 FC convertible and I have installed a body kit and aftermarket shocks (RB). I have also installed 18inch rims, however I think they are too big for the car.

I haven't driven the car yet.

Does anyone know if 18inch wheels are too big?

 

In my opinion they "look" too big for an FC. My neighbor has an '87 T2 with 18" Enkis and very low profile tires (I'd have to check when I get home to get exact) and I have a '90 T2 right next to it with 17x8" +25 offset Works and honestly my friend and I both agree that the 17's got better. The only thing I'd have changed about my wheels in hindsight is I'd have gotten them at 9" in the rear to flush out a little better.

Edit for relevancy: 18's work. I recall that they may rub a little if your stance is too low and depending on your offset, but 17's look "right" IMO.

 

It's the rubbing that concerns me!

 

18's look pretty terrible on an FC, especially if there isn't any larger brakes to fill the enormous cavity.

 

My neighbor has a 2010 corvette and the brakes are the exact same size as my S5 verts. It has factory 18 inch wheels and those brakes just look silly in such a large wheel.

 

I think they not only "look" too big but unless you've spent some big bucks, they're also too heavy for a NA engined car.

 

it all depends on the wheels and whether they suit the bodystyle to appear proper or out of proportion.

my FC has 18X8.5F and 18X9.5R and i think it looks just fine.


rubbing is always a concern with wider/taller wheels. my fenders are rolled but still rub ever so slightly on hard bumps or when i have 2-3 engines in the hatch. it didn't have any rubbing until i corrected the camber in the rears with the 275/45R18's.

 

The smallest brakes available on a 2010 Corvette are 12.8" Front rotors and 12.0" Rears. If it has the Z51 package they will be 13.4"F and 13" R. Also the wheels are most likely 18" fronts and 19"Rears. The brakes on your FC have 10.9" front rotors and 10.7" rear rotors..

 

Like RotaryEvolution said, it all depends on the wheel. That and personal taste. Don't let anyone else tell you what to do with your money and car. I test fitted some Enkei RPF1 17x8 and I think they were +32 offset.

I love the RPF1 look on FCs, one of the lightest and best looking wheels IMHO. I'm gave thought to buying the wheels without the stretched tires. I'm not one for stretched tires and the Enkei were going to poke out and were also just barely not rubbing on my Tein and Illuminas. I literally couldn't have gone without stretching tires to make them fit.

Money was originally going to go towards light bodywork and paint, but a friend had the Enkei fall in his lap and he can't use them. The Enkei are close, but not quite right...so funds are going back to paint.

 

18" rims are a performance downgrade on any vehicle but that's what the majority of people find aesthetically pleasing so that's what the car makers make.

 

18s are fine, no rubbing.
The brakes did bother me but Im taking care of that- ordered the attain rear and the ronin front brake kits

 

18's are about as big as i would like to see on an FC, some people feel they're a little too large, then again i feel the stock 15-16's are too small.. 17's are just right all around and 18's more for baller status but they really don't detract all that much from performance and handling, the stock wheels i yanked off were heavier than these larger wheels were!

19's on the other hand overtake the angles of the wheel wells and begin to look out of place. 19's suit the FD but about as large as that platform can fit without running into the same issue.

if larger wheels are hindering your performance then you are probably blaming the wheels for the old soft rubber suspension components giving out or lacking alignment settings. larger wheels do affect rotating mass but a quality wheel will be as light as some smaller wheels/tires, only affecting your final drive ratio to a small degree.

my wheels throw off my speedo a whopping 2mph at 87.

 

amazingly after transmission, and rear end swaps and 18" rims my speedo is dead on to GPS speed

 

I prefer a fatter tire so I go with 16" rims, but 18" has never been an issue on any of the FC's I've seen. I tried out a set of beautiful BBS 18" wheels with 225/40 tires and despite how awesome the car looked, I hated the ride. However, running on stock suspension, there were no issues with rubbing or handling of any sort.

 

18s are they best size for a vert. I tucked 18x9.5 +20 in the rears with no issue at all. My fronts were tucked as well. 18x8.5

rear tires were 215/45/17
front tires were 205/40/17

 

275/35 @ rear. 9.5 wide
245/40 @ front. 8.5 wide.

I think it is 35 off set. These are old school Wedsports

No rubbing even on stock bumpers/suspension. However I had to remove the brake ducts.