Reply to "Wheel/Suspension dilemma for original 74' GTS"

Hi Coolbreeze,
Congrats on your Pantera. What chassis number is it and what colors? Is it the original Yellow-gold? I am having a problem being sure that my painter is getting the right color to repaint mine.

I also have a 1974 US GTS (7217 painted in the wrong colors) that is currently being repainted in the correct original colors (Yellow-gold and black) and I sourced some NOS flares from Roland and am having them put back on too (which have been missing ever since I bought the car). I have the 15x10 inch Euro GTS Campy wheels on the back and with a 295x50x15 tire without flares the tyre is basically sticking out past the wheel arch, even at the top. It actually looks like the wheels are too big and in my opinion looks a bit cartoonish. You will notice that folks that buy the Campy copies in 17 inch etc have a different offset that moves the wheel in a bit to correct this visual problem (no flares), and the car looks much better. When I have the flares on then the rear tyre should be nicely covered, and I think the car will actually look much nicer for it. I am not going to try and get wheels that go out to the edge of the flares, so wont change my suspension at all. On the front things may be a different matter from a visual perspective. Here I have 225x50x15 on 15x8 inch Campagnolos. This tyre looks quite right without flares, fitting nicely under the wheel arch. When I have the GTS flares on the front, it may look like the front tyre is a couple of centimetres too far inside. I will have to see. One option would be to go with a 245 wide tyre, but they do not exist in the right profile for a 15 inch wheel, as far as I can see. It is however possible to get a 255 wide tyre in the correct profile to match the original tyre height, but that may be pushing it on the front (and an 8 inch rim). And they are hideously expensive. Everywhere I have read reccomends max 245 on the front of a 'narow body' Pantera due to clearance issues inside the wheel arch and the windscreen wiper motor cover etc. Anyway, for me the most important thing is that it is going to look original, and well, tyres well inside the wheel arches was pretty much the way things were in the 70s. If I ever find a 245 wide tyre in the right profile I will however be putting it on straight away. Nevertheless, I fully respect your desire for a meaner look, but I think that you are going to have to cut the steel of the wheel arches to get your tyres out as far as you want, unless you jack the suspension up.
Keep us posted on what you decide to do, and how it works out.
Cheers, Tim.