New rear Cooper Cobras
#51
Senior Member
Re: New rear Cooper Cobras
I was really bouncing back and forth over whether or not to go 255's in the rear, but what made my decision for me was the SPEEDOMETER. 245's are visually just as wide...just short of 1/2" difference only, but the 255's are a full inch fatter/taller of a tire. That would throw the speedo out by about 10-15 mph, and also risk rubbing if the car is loaded down so I went with the 245's. I love the look, worked well for me. Not done though. Next on the list is a 1" lowering kit for the front to give me the additional rake I want.
Last edited by DonW; 05-15-2016 at 01:25 AM.
#52
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Car: 92 Camaro RS
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Re: New rear Cooper Cobras
Looks good. P/o put the cobras on my car. I kept them when i went to the new wheels. Nice tire. Sticks to the road real nice on the adirondack tight and twisties.
#53
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Re: New rear Cooper Cobras
Looks fantastic and rwl look great on a black car ....great choice.
#54
Senior Member
Re: New rear Cooper Cobras
Thanks Sootie! My two boys would disagree with both of us. Of course if I gave them the car they would probably have 20's on it with super low profile tires. What the heck is the world comin to?...lol
#55
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Car: 1989 Iroc-Z Camaro
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Axle/Gears: Eaton Posi,3.42,LPW Ultimate Cover
Re: New rear Cooper Cobras
The car , with those wheels and that tire size and choice of tire really looks great.
Very "aggressive".
Love the rear dish with these.......
Its nice to see some one appreciate the AR23s as much as I do.
Wheels can make or break a cars looks and with a beautiful car like that those wheels really top it off.
I installed new MOOG 5665 rear springs and a "stiff" set of KYB "Gas a Just" shocks.
I did not like the bounce I was getting with the old stuff. That fixed it.
Any way, enjoy your new setup.
Very "aggressive".
Love the rear dish with these.......
Its nice to see some one appreciate the AR23s as much as I do.
Wheels can make or break a cars looks and with a beautiful car like that those wheels really top it off.
I installed new MOOG 5665 rear springs and a "stiff" set of KYB "Gas a Just" shocks.
I did not like the bounce I was getting with the old stuff. That fixed it.
Any way, enjoy your new setup.
Last edited by Ron U.S.M.C.; 05-16-2016 at 05:50 PM.
#56
Senior Member
Re: New rear Cooper Cobras
Thanks for the compliments guys!
Ron, I couldn't help it. I was kicking myself for not getting the 255's on the rear so I made a call today to see what their policy was on returns. It was Discounttire and they said no problem at all, just bring the car back. So thats where I'll be heading tomorrow. It just didnt make sense to buy lowering springs for the front for a little additional rake when I had the opportunity to just get the 255's. The more I looked at the gap between the top of the tire and the fender lip, the more I realized it wont be a problem. Anyone looking for a great looking setup that reads this in the future, you wont go wrong with 245's in the rear, but if you want an old school hotrod look with a little rake, 255's are your ticket. Thanks for all the information you have posted about it Ron. Inspired my choice!
Ron, I couldn't help it. I was kicking myself for not getting the 255's on the rear so I made a call today to see what their policy was on returns. It was Discounttire and they said no problem at all, just bring the car back. So thats where I'll be heading tomorrow. It just didnt make sense to buy lowering springs for the front for a little additional rake when I had the opportunity to just get the 255's. The more I looked at the gap between the top of the tire and the fender lip, the more I realized it wont be a problem. Anyone looking for a great looking setup that reads this in the future, you wont go wrong with 245's in the rear, but if you want an old school hotrod look with a little rake, 255's are your ticket. Thanks for all the information you have posted about it Ron. Inspired my choice!
#57
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Re: New rear Cooper Cobras
Very nice DonW.
It makes me happy to hear that someone has found the perfect wheel and tire combination for there car.
Tires and wheels make the car what it is.
Although I did switch over to the Mickey Thompson S/Ts.
It makes me happy to hear that someone has found the perfect wheel and tire combination for there car.
Tires and wheels make the car what it is.
Although I did switch over to the Mickey Thompson S/Ts.
Last edited by Ron U.S.M.C.; 05-19-2016 at 03:19 AM.
#58
Senior Member
Re: New rear Cooper Cobras
The 255's in the rear really are a perfect choice. After getting them on they made the 245's look short. Its exactly how I wanted it now. Got the 255's on today.
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#61
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Car: 1989 Iroc-Z Camaro
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Re: New rear Cooper Cobras
Congratulations man.
That is one bad *** car.
Absolutely beautiful.
I would love to see a photo of yours and mine sitting next to each other.
Now that would be cool.
That is one bad *** car.
Absolutely beautiful.
I would love to see a photo of yours and mine sitting next to each other.
Now that would be cool.
#62
Senior Member
Re: New rear Cooper Cobras
Thanks for the compliments!
Ron, that WOULD be cool! If mine had red stripes our cars would be extremely similar just inverted colors...lol
AR needs to pay attention to a few of the cars in this thread. Maybe they could sell more of the AR23's as they don't seem to be that popular. Honestly though, I'm not sure the pics do justice to the AR23's I think they are stunning on a thirdgen in person!
Ron, that WOULD be cool! If mine had red stripes our cars would be extremely similar just inverted colors...lol
AR needs to pay attention to a few of the cars in this thread. Maybe they could sell more of the AR23's as they don't seem to be that popular. Honestly though, I'm not sure the pics do justice to the AR23's I think they are stunning on a thirdgen in person!
#65
Senior Member
Re: New rear Cooper Cobras
I did notice in the manufactures care guide that the wheels came with it, it said to lightly wax the wheels when waxing the rest of the cars exterior to preserve the shine. I see the logic in that since they are clear coated, but I don't know if that will help the over-all appearance after several years of doing it. The clear coat doesn't appear to be that thick, and Ive personally waxed and buffed the paint right off of a thirdgen I had in HS. lol
#66
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Re: New rear Cooper Cobras
The problem with wax is that you have to strip it every once and a while and when its hot its a dust magnet.
Now Synthetic Polymers are another story.
That is all I have ever used on my paint since the beginning, 10 years ago when it was new.
And she shines like glass.....
Your car shines like Synthetic. Is that what you use ?
Now Synthetic Polymers are another story.
That is all I have ever used on my paint since the beginning, 10 years ago when it was new.
And she shines like glass.....
Your car shines like Synthetic. Is that what you use ?
Last edited by Ron U.S.M.C.; 05-26-2016 at 12:44 AM.
#67
Senior Member
Re: New rear Cooper Cobras
The problem with wax is that you have to strip it every once and a while and when its hot its a dust magnet.
Now Synthetic Polymers are another story.
That is all I have ever used on my paint since the beginning, 10 years ago when it was new.
And she shines like glass.....
Your car shines like Synthetic. Is that what you use ?
Now Synthetic Polymers are another story.
That is all I have ever used on my paint since the beginning, 10 years ago when it was new.
And she shines like glass.....
Your car shines like Synthetic. Is that what you use ?
#68
Senior Member
Re: New rear Cooper Cobras
Worst fear realized. The 255's rub in the rear when the car is loaded down with my wife in the passenger seat and two little girls in the back seats. I need a cost efficient solution for shocks in the rear. They definitely need replaced. The inner fender lip litterally sliced off the outside corner of the tread by about 1/16 to 1/8th of an inch! The tires still don't look too bad, but Im going to have to grind them back down smooth, and then turn the white letters in if it is still a visible flaw when I'm done. What are those adjustable shocks your using Ron?
Last edited by DonW; 06-19-2016 at 09:41 AM.
#69
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Re: New rear Cooper Cobras
And sorry for the big long explanation of synthetic polymer and silicone based stuff. It's just that I get FLAMED by some on this board at the mere mention of silicone based anything....despite my experience lol.
#70
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Re: New rear Cooper Cobras
The "Gas a Just" shocks from KYB are self dampening. They react to the situation at hand. No adjustment. There just a stiff shock. I also added the MOOG 5665 springs in the rear. That made a big difference controlling the load. But then again I have never put anything heaver than childnen in the back.
Last edited by Ron U.S.M.C.; 06-08-2016 at 12:03 AM.
#71
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Re: New rear Cooper Cobras
The easiest fix would be to install air bags in the rear coil springs to keep the car from hitting the tires. Also referred to as "Drag Bags" =
http://www.summitracing.com/search/p...rder=Ascending
They are nothing like "air shocks" that can damage the top shock mounting point.
I rolled the fender flares just before paint but have never hit them.
Your situation really sucks. I would never have suggested them if I thought this could happen.
http://www.summitracing.com/search/p...rder=Ascending
They are nothing like "air shocks" that can damage the top shock mounting point.
I rolled the fender flares just before paint but have never hit them.
Your situation really sucks. I would never have suggested them if I thought this could happen.
Last edited by Ron U.S.M.C.; 06-01-2017 at 02:04 AM.
#72
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Car: '88 GTA
Engine: 383 Edelbrock TPI
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Re: New rear Cooper Cobras
So Im going to do a few things here to make use of the forum and present to "Googlers" some pictures and insight into what fit in my case, and what these wheels look like since there are NO pictures of them elsewhere on the web.
Im using Bassett D-hole Beadlock IMCA / Wissota Circle-track Racing Steel Wheels with their Full Metal Jacket Beadlock rings. Aero makes similar wheels and full cover rings under the title of Mudbuster.
These are equipped with Cooper Cobras, 235/60 (26.1 dia) up front and 245/60 (26.57 dia) in back. 15x8 wheels with 4.75"BS up front and 4"BS in the rear. Just for knowledge, finding the diameter of the tire based on its size specs is easy for the 245/60r15, its (245*.60)2 to account for both wall heights. then you divide that answer by 25.4 to convert it into inches. Then simply add the 15 for the size of the tire bead that the rim is measured for. Altogether its a 26.57" tire.
ALSO, the 4.75BS wheels do not have a deepened area for brake clearance, but my stock brake calipers still fit. Wilwood and Baer *might* have some good brake kits that will fit within these. I also HAD to buy 45 degree conical 1" steel lug nuts to properly hold these to the hubs as they ARENT hub centric. So I also replaced my studs with 8740 Chromoly ARP studs for ease of mind. I even needed to use bolt-in 135 degree valves to get access through the massive beadlock rings. So using these wheels became pretty costly, but worth it, given that I also had to buy a torque wrench and new lug wrench.
Its been well known that most trans am enthusiasts like the offset/backspacing of the FRONT GTA wheels and use them on the front and the back because they sit very well within the wells. The 235/60r15 tire is almost exactly the same overall footprint as the stock GTA 245/50r16 wheels. These in 235/60 with 15x8 backspaced at 4.75 all around are perfect. My 245s with the 4"BS in the rear are too wide, but Im not going to return them. I bet with the 4.75BS I could fit a 255 in there comfortably if I dont care for speedo accuracy.
If you need help with that, theres a calculator http://www.tciauto.com/tc/speedometer-gear-calculator/ to figure out what you need to use.
I hope this became useful to someone frantically searching around for what they can use on their car and for how these wheels look on the street.
Last edited by OutriderDriver; 11-29-2017 at 03:38 PM.
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