Wanted: wheels suitable for a C5 Corvette

Lewis Kingston

Lewis Kingston

Well-known user
Morning all.

An associate of mine is looking for a set of wheels suitable for a C5 – anything from OEM to, say, BBS LMs. The only caveat is that they want a set in good condition, so ideally nothing that requires a refurb or excessive TLC.

If anyone's got a set drifting around that they'd like to sell on, with tyres or without, do let me know. We'll gladly free up that space in your shed!

Cheers!
 
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Stingray

Stingray

CCCUK Member
Note that on OEM wheels ("wagon wheels") the offset is slightly different between US and Euro wheels. The Euro wheels give a narrower overall track, tucking the wheels further inside the arches. I forget the detail but I think it's about half an inch each side of the car.
 
Stingray

Stingray

CCCUK Member
Chevrolet said:
Wonder why that is? Here's the details for US cars:
Click to expand...
Chevrolet said:
Wonder why that is? Here's the details for US cars:
Click to expand...
It's because in Europe wheels must be fully covered by the arches compared with US where barely covered or even fully exposed wheels are allowed. Often seen on rat rods, the back of pickup trucks etc.
 
Lewis Kingston

Lewis Kingston

Well-known user
Stingray said:
Note that on OEM wheels ("wagon wheels") the offset is slightly different between US and Euro wheels. The Euro wheels give a narrower overall track, tucking the wheels further inside the arches. I forget the detail but I think it's about half an inch each side of the car.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the heads-up! Interesting bit of info, that.
 
Lewis Kingston

Lewis Kingston

Well-known user
Chevrolet said:
If I may ask 1) What's your max budget on a set of wheels and tyres? and 2) Where are you based?
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Near Peterborough. RE budget, it depends on what's on offer, really; if it was a great set of wheels and tyres, possibly up to £1,200 or so? I'm leaning towards the OEM look, mind, but open to options (hence asking, just in case someone had something that caught my eye). Feel free to ping me a private message if you've something that might suit! :)

(And thank you for your time, in any case!)
 
Chevrolet

Chevrolet

CCCUK Member
Stingray said:
It's because in Europe wheels must be fully covered by the arches compared with US where barely covered or even fully exposed wheels are allowed. Often seen on rat rods, the back of pickup trucks etc.
Click to expand...
Was wondering if that was maybe why. Needed that for European Certification? Never had a C5, but probably at the back of the rear wheel at the bottom where the "protrusion" of the wheel from the body occurs on a US spec car? On my C6 and C7 bought/installed the Chevy accesory "Splash Guards." Look good and give you the extra stone chip/splash protection.

Can fit some pretty wide wheels/tyres on a C5 ;)
 
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Stingray

Stingray

CCCUK Member
Yes, so far as I'm aware C5 was the first Vette to have "Official" sales in Europe with full type approval. Hence small differences which included key fob/TPMS radio frequencies, side marker lamp colour, additional front white side lights, side indicators, rear fog lamps and the wheel offset. I think the airbags may also have been different. IIRC the ultimate "hard to get" spare part is Euro headlamps with beam alignment set for UK (i.e. driving on the left).
 
Chevrolet

Chevrolet

CCCUK Member
Stingray said:
Yes, so far as I'm aware C5 was the first Vette to have "Official" sales in Europe with full type approval
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Think that was the C4, including different shape door mirrors on the later ones, and reflectors in the rear rubbing strips etc. certainly on the earlier ones. You might remember a couple of years back, Tom Falconer restored a '84 model year "Export /Euro" spec car that had belonged to Jeff Beck and was the 1983 Earls Court display car. Were they officially sold in the UK, as opposed to mainland, Europe? Dunno/Cant remember.
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The 1983 London Motorshow & Jeff Beck 1984 C4 Euro Export Corvette

The 1983 London Motorshow & Jeff Beck 1984 C4 Euro Export Corvette. 118 likes. The 1983 London Earls Court Motor Show 1984 Euro Export Corvette. Rescued by Corvette C4 author Tom Falconer after...
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Stingray

Stingray

CCCUK Member
You may be right about that. Tom Falconer was certainly able to supply those amber C4 rear indicator lenses, as pictured. I guess one possible thing to look at would be to check whether C4s have "E marked" headlamps. I don't know where people like Bauer Millett (Manchester) and American Carriage Company (London) used to source their cars but I always imagined it was the US. I would stare in their windows and dream of one day owning an American car. On launch of C5 Tom Falconer let me have a drive of a silver C5 import he was selling and I eventually ordered a new Euro car through Clive Sutton in 1998. The same Clive Sutton that's now "doing a Bauer Millett" and offering a range of US imports. They'll sell you a $50k Ford Bronco for £75k! But their £130k C8 (LHD) seems to have dropped to £96k. Bronco is so much in demand US dealers are charging $20k over list with long delivery dates. No doubt soon to be bought for the school run somewhere in Kensington to get one over all the black G-Wagens!
 
Chevrolet

Chevrolet

CCCUK Member
Stingray said:
I don't know where people like Bauer Millett (Manchester) and American Carriage Company (London) used to source their cars but I always imagined it was the US.
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If I remember correctly. official UK spec C5s were sold thru Vauxhall dealers? Then official UK spec C6s were sold by Stratstones. When they gave up, Bauer Millett became the official UK authorised dealer for the C6 and C7 until they shut, being succeeded by Ian Allan. American Carriage/previously American Car Company in KIngston were never official UK car dealers. Were Clive Sutton a GM authorised dealer for new UK C5s? If so, didnt know that.
 
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Stingray

Stingray

CCCUK Member
Yes, Clive Sutton were an official dealer for a short period around 1998. By 1999 GM had decided Corvette and Camaro should be sold only through selected Vauxhall dealers and Clive Sutton were therefore terminated. It's all part of the long running Corvette Chaos before Ian Allan came on the scene.
 
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