Classic Industries GTA Wheels..

O

Ormand

New Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2002
Weeks ago I ordered a set of four front GTA wheels from Classic Industries. 16X8, with zero offset. A week or so after I placed the order, I got an e-mail that said they were back-ordered. Well, I need new tires, but I don't want to buy a set of 15" tires if my 16" wheels will EVER arrive. Does anybody have any experience with actually having these wheels delivered? Kirban used to sell them, but has stopped, and it may because the manufacturer doesn't deliver. Customer service at Classic Industries doesn't have an expected date, and the guy mentioned that there had been problems with the manufacturer making wheels that weren't round. Not a good thing...
If I knew that the wheels would never show, I would go ahead and buy more 15" tires. Suggestions???
 
Don't know this for sure so don't take it as fact, but I don't think Classic Industries has delivered a GTA wheel in a couple of years now.

In other words, I'd say don't hold your breath on their delivery. Seems like the only way to get those wheels these days is used off the board parts-for-sale or Ebay or something.

Mike
 
Wheel Collision shows them in the catalog. They are more expensive than the ones from Classic Industries, but then, what good is a low price on something you can't buy? Wheel Collision is DEFINITELY cheaper than GBody Parts. Weavy wants more than $400 per wheel. I've got four weeks to get a new tire for the right rear- so I can pass inspection. The other three should be replaced, too, so the inspection deadline is kind of driving my schedule. Makes no sense to me to buy a couple of 15" tires, IF I'm going to get 16" wheels. On the other hand, I could just cancle the order for the 16s, and go ahead and buy four new tires for my T wheels. Man, decisions are such a pain!
 
Don't be surprised if wheel collision doesn't have them. They're basically a "recycler", i.e. they buy used wheels, make them pretty again, then sell them for a profit. One benefit of wheel collision though is networking. If they don't have them, and I doubt they will, they may know someone who does.

BTW, I've dealt with WCC many times in the past and I go to them for just about all my wheel services (like normal mounting and balancing) because of their quality service.

Terrible when you have to travel 45 miles (1 hour) to get quality service for something as basic as tire wheel service.

I believe Weavy's at gbodyparts are expensive because his are modified for different widths and/or backspacing.

A normal GTA front wheel will fit on a TR allright, but it's backspacing isn't optimal (it's too much) for the car and the wheel will looked sucked in under the wheel well.
 
The stock "T" aluminum wheels are 7 inches wide, with 3-3/4" back space. The GTA wheels are 8 inches wide, with 4" back space. One inch wider, but only 1/4 inch more backspace. So it seems to me that the GTA wheels will not be quite as far under the fender as the "T" wheels. Am I not adding these things correctly? (wanted to check these figures, but the GNTTYpe web site is down- again)
 
The GTA wheels are indeed 16x8, but they're really 9" wide (like a 7" wheel is really 8" wide). The backspace of a front GTA wheel is 4.5" (which is a zero offset on a 8" wide wheel...which is really 9" wide). Make sense.:p

In the end, the GTA wheels don't look any more tucked in under the wheel well than the stock rims. But I think the stock wheels are too tucked in. However, since the GTA wheel is an inch wider, it puts it (the tire that is) closer to the frame in the rear and puts the rim lip closer to the upper control arm in the front.

It'll work, but it's not ideal.
 
Yeah, thanks Stickybones. I thought they might get too close to the inner fenders in front. I have 235-60X15 tires on the front now, and one side rubs at full lock. I guess the wider wheels, with 245-50X16 would be worse. Kind of looks like I should stick with my old wheels, and get some new tires to fit them. Looking at Yokohama Avids- seem to be good tires, without being expensive. Cheaper than BFG, even. There really aren't a lot of good choices in the 15 inch any more. All the high perf tires are moving to 17 and 18.
 
George

I didn't mean to scare you off in getting the GTA wheels. I have them myself on my car and I love the GNX look. However, I had mine professionally modified to give me the correct backspacing I desired (much like what Brian Weaver at GBodyParts.com is now offering). It wasn't cheap to go this route, but I got the look and style I wanted. I ran the GTA fronts (as is with the zero offset) for a while on my car (before I had my wheels modified) with no real problems other than as I discussed in the posts above. I just didn't like the sucked in look and that's why I went the route of getting them modified.

Mike
 
Just FYI,
The Kirban wheels and Classic wheels were not the same. I dont think Kirban ever sold the Classics. With that said it seems like every car I see with the GTA mesh wheels look weird in the back. Like they are set in too far???.
 
Talked to Classic again, got a different customer service rep. He said the supplier, whoever it may be, is having problems with the center casting, mucho porous. Maybe a year, or more, before they get any wheels good enough to sell. I canceled the order, and he said that was the best thing to do.
 
Wheel Collision is DEFINITELY cheaper than GBody Parts. Weavy wants more than $400 per wheel.

Not exactlly true you just need cores.We make $25 a wheel when it is all said & done.The only real $ we make is when we find a set of wheels for $400 or less & the person doesn't have cores & has to buy them from us($600).The reason we offer the wheels is that most people buy wheels from us they come back & buy other items.In other words it draws customers to the site.
Believe this when the 200 barrels are gone that was purchased before the big steel increase runs out...Prices will definentlly be alot higher.

However, I had mine professionally modified to give me the correct backspacing I desired (much like what Brian Weaver at GBodyParts.com is now offering).

That is the reality of the GTA wheels for now. I checked into getting the molds done & believe me it is not CHEAP! Either you find a real nice set on E-bay & I have seen the prices there for used & it's still not Cheap.
 
I looked at the GBody web site, and I saw 16X8 with 4" rear spacing, for $275, plus $150, if there is no "core". That seemed to add up to $425 each, for what would seem to be a GTA front. I didn't mean to slam you, BWeavy, just quoted what I saw on the web site. If I wanted "custom" back spacing, or widths different from the GTA wheels, I would expect to pay a premium. But I just want something close to the GNX, not identical, and I prefer to have the same wheels front and back, so I don't really want to pay a premium for what would be "off the shelf", if the shelf wasn't bare.
 
forget about getting the rims from Classic Industries, they're not even in their latest Firebird catalog. i bought mine back in late 2002 and had a long wait for them.
its true that they tuck in a little to much in the rear.
Stickybones, where did you get your wheels modified?
 
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