How will these wheels look on my 88?

[deepsleep]

http://honolulu.craigslist.org/big/pts/1297960470.html

How will they look on my maroon 88? I know I'll need spacers but will big brakes also fit?

[Nathan in MI]

They'll work with big brakes no problem - anything 16" or larger works. I can't speak to the spacer issue, other than to confirm that you'll need them. Someone else can undoubtedly tell you what size you'll need. As to how they'll look, the only opinion that matters is yours.

[deepsleep]

They'll work with big brakes no problem - anything 16" or larger works. I can't speak to the spacer issue, other than to confirm that you'll need them. Someone else can undoubtedly tell you what size you'll need. As to how they'll look, the only opinion that matters is yours.

Okay great. But in terms of looks, the thing is, I read somebody asking if certain wheels look weird because they are really sunken in and I have no idea what they would look like on the car. Its hard to imagine the wheels on the car. Maybe some of you guys have pics? I've tried searching but only found a few pics of cars with non old school stockers.

[1987cp]

If you're figuring on having to get fancy 1" or wider wheel spacers, how much the wheel is "sunken in" is partly just a matter of what spacers you buy.

Stock Panther wheels are "zero offset", which means that the backspace will be half the wheel width plus 1/2 inch. If you want to be super careful about it, find out the exact backspacing of the wheels you're looking at, and whatever will reduce it to half the wheel width plus 1/2 inch is approximately what you'll want to run if you buy them.

Personally? If I were shopping for 16x7 factory Ford wheels, I'd probably stick with Panther stuff, as there were a small variety of aluminum wheels offered between '98 and '02 that would bolt right up witout spacers. (I have two sets of '98 16x7 steel wheels on box LTDs.) The only reason I usually see to run Mustang wheels is if you get a really good deal on a large wheel like 17x8 or 17x9 and know where to get the spacers cheap. If you had to purchase everything at retail prices, it'd usually be cheaper (as well as a little safer) to just buy wheels with the correct backspacing for your car.

[70torino429]

Concerning spacers.

http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?t=4073

[deepsleep]

Well, the thing is, I'm living not just in Hawaii, but a somewhat remote island of Hawaii and my choices are pretty limited. I'm up to all kinds of diff wheels, not just 16x7. Do you have a pic of the 98-02 aluminum wheels on the car? When you say panthers, you mean only the grand marquis and not the crown vic?

[70torino429]

Panther is the name of the chassis platform for the grand marquis/crown victoria/town car.

[1987cp]

Lots of pics of 16" alloys over at CrownVic.net. Some here too, but fewer.

Edit to above: pre-'03 Panther wheels were zero offset; the suspension redesign for '03 was accompanied by a switch to positive-offset wheels (i.e. more backspacing).

What particular island are you on? Do you have a lot of trouble getting things shipped there? Infrequently-logged-in member ViperGTS (old high school buddy of torquelover) is said to have moved to Hawaii recently, but I don't know exactly where.

[deepsleep]

Lots of pics of 16" alloys over at CrownVic.net. Some here too, but fewer.

Edit to above: pre-'03 Panther wheels were zero offset; the suspension redesign for '03 was accompanied by a switch to positive-offset wheels (i.e. more backspacing).

What particular island are you on? Do you have a lot of trouble getting things shipped there? Infrequently-logged-in member ViperGTS (old high school buddy of torquelover) is said to have moved to Hawaii recently, but I don't know exactly where.

I'm on the big island. I couldnt find any non dub wheel pics in crownvic.net. Am I looking in the wrong place or something? There are no wheel pic threads? Just the two page gallery?

[Lincolnmania]

they will fit with 1" spacers

[1987cp]

Weird, hadn't realized CVNers had gone all donk on us. I know there are too many donkers on Cardomain; perhaps they've also invaded CVN to make sure little if any actual tech is discussed?

Here's Regis's '85 with '98 lacy-spokes .... I'll try to keep an eye out for other examples of boxes sporting 16" alloys.

http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showpost.php?p=461803&postcount=10

[70torino429]

I'm on the big island. I couldnt find any non dub wheel pics in crownvic.net. Am I looking in the wrong place or something? There are no wheel pic threads? Just the two page gallery?

They're site has a search function too ya know....There is one donk vic....ONE. and he gets his ass chewed out for having a donk everytime he posts something. ...in the top of this forum pirate has a cool link to a site to see what different wheels look like on a car...

here

http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?t=27946

[1987cp]

They're site has a search function too ya know....There is one donk vic....ONE. and he gets his ass chewed out for having a donk everytime he posts something.

Ah, well that's reassuring, anyway.