[Skylar]

I know that most of you would not aprove of this, but i feel this is the only place i can get some real help, from real people.

I really want to put some nice irocs on my elco and ive decided that i want to go with 24's, I know (donk donk).

i need to know what kind of lift i would need. a local body shop said they could hook me up with some spring spacers or something in the front? and air bags in the back. I need to know how high of a lift i will need so i do not get any rub at all. i also need to know if i will need to get new breaks for the bigger wheels? and the offsets and what not. i have no clue what im in for, but i am prepared to spend some money on making the car of my dreams.

if anyone has some good advice that could help me out it would be very much apreciated. thanks a lot

 

[GTSDesigns]

I know that most of you would not aprove of this, but i feel this is the only place i can get some real help, from real people.

I really want to put some nice irocs on my elco and ive decided that i want to go with 24's, I know (donk donk).

i need to know what kind of lift i would need. a local body shop said they could hook me up with some spring spacers or something in the front? and air bags in the back. I need to know how high of a lift i will need so i do not get any rub at all. i also need to know if i will need to get new breaks for the bigger wheels? and the offsets and what not. i have no clue what im in for, but i am prepared to spend some money on making the car of my dreams.

if anyone has some good advice that could help me out it would be very much apreciated. thanks a lot

First of all, who cares what other people think about what you want to do with your car and money. Second, you need to think about the wheel rubbing on the frame, not just the height.

The "best" (lol) way to do it in my opinion, is to update your suspension (brakes front and back, upper and lower arms, etc.). maybe even air ride, front and back (like from air ride technologies) and maybe even fender well modification front and back. it all depends on your budget. Do you know how much you want to spend on this? If you just want to get them to fit, that is fairly easy and inexpensive, if you want to put the bigger wheels, but have a decent ride with them, that is more expensive. if you give a budget you are willing to work with, i can give a better opinion or option

 

[Skylar]

My budget is in the 1-3k range but the more I think about it, I think I would be better off on 20's or 22's thanks alot for you help bro

 

[goodcruiser]

Skylar I'm not running you off but is this what your truly looking for in style?
http://www.google.com/search?q=donk...&ei=BZMrTrrVEIG4sQOyxezDCg&sqi=2&ved=0CCcQsAQ
While your looking at the pictures real close you can get a rough idea of what is involved,be sure to click on them as sometimes they lead you to their club and like here will have information in their archives that will help.I believe there are a couple of guys on here that also have 20s or 22s on their elky and maybe they'll see this post and help a fellow elky owner out.
Be sure to keep coming back here, this is a good place to visit.

 

[GTSDesigns]

My budget is in the 1-3k range but the more I think about it, I think I would be better off on 20's or 22's thanks alot for you help bro

personally i wouldnt do anything over a 22" wheel, but if you can spend 3000, i would just do an air ride set up like this...
http://www.ridetech.com/store/suspension-systems/streetrod-air-suspension-package-level-1.html

 

[GTSDesigns]

ps, there are alot of el cos with 22's and 24" wheels that dont look like 4x4s. I just dont like that big of a wheel on them, if you like the look, it can be done and it can look clean, if you do the 22s it will be easier and the air ride set up works real good

 

[King John]

Aloha,

I have 20'z on my 85. 24's will fit but will severely change the handling of the car. Also, more than likely you will need to run 30 series tires which is extremely rough on the suspension and other components. If you live in a place that has glass smooth roads and no pot holes, definitely go for it, if not, keep your stock wheels readily available to put back on.

Okay, back to the original question, upgrade/change all of your suspension and components related to the front end (ball joints, springs, bushings, etc). Running airbags, you can lower the vehicle back to "almost stock" height once you put the 22's or 24's on.

One last thing to consider, you may loose the ability to make a u-turn when you mount anything over a 20" rim. Also, make sure the offset is correct before you purchase the rim. With a 20x9 in the front and a 20x10 in the back, I needed to use adapters....not a big deal, just something to think about.

Good luck and like Digital Underground says "Do whatcha' like"!:nanawrench:

 

[1980SteelBeast]

One of my buddies has 22s on his Elco but they look like 24s. Since the wells are smaller,always know any size will look like the next size up once you cross the 17 inch mark. I think 22s will make it pop and looks flush without too many mods! Don't forget to watch out for those cheap Chinese Iroc replicas. The chrome peels off real easy on them!

 

[Skylar]

Ok first off i would like to thank everyone for there advice. =)

ive decided i would be better off going with the 20's. now just a few more questions, will 20's with low profile tires fit on my stock height 78? or will i need a lift and other mods?
and last, where can i order a pair of real iroc rims for a reasonable price? Thanks to everyone here at elcaminocentral =)

 

[tsunamigregg]

Plug in your factory and intended tire/wheel sizes on here, and you can see exactly what setup you can run that will have the exact same or only a slightly different stance. I went from 14" to 17" wheels on my '79; with my tire combo, the overall difference in the ride height was less than 1/2in.

I also have 18" rims on the '85 and it is lowered 2" all around This one has spacers on it for the offset, but it still works well.

I don't care for the "Donk" style, but that's just me. Both of mine show how you can oversize your tires and still look like you have the stock (or close to it) ride height. If you want to "Donk" it out, it is your ride, so go for it. JUst be sure to post up pictures so we can either admire or criticize the finished product.oke:

 

[70elcoss]

Ok first off i would like to thank everyone for there advice. =)

ive decided i would be better off going with the 20's. now just a few more questions, will 20's with low profile tires fit on my stock height 78? or will i need a lift and other mods?
and last, where can i order a pair of real iroc rims for a reasonable price? Thanks to everyone here at elcaminocentral =)

good choice, i love big wheels and plan to throw some 20's on my 70 but if you have to lift a car to throw rims under your car, then i think theres a lot of better ways to spend that money lol you shouldnt have to lift it to stuff 20s under there, just gotta make sure the tires and backspacing is all correct.

wish i could help more but im not too sure about all the specs on the 5th gens

 

[King John]

Ok first off i would like to thank everyone for there advice. =)

ive decided i would be better off going with the 20's. now just a few more questions, will 20's with low profile tires fit on my stock height 78? or will i need a lift and other mods?
and last, where can i order a pair of real iroc rims for a reasonable price? Thanks to everyone here at elcaminocentral =)

Aloha,

20'z will fit just fine without raising the car at all. The main thing to consider is the offset. Make sure that what you buy will fit "under" the stock fender wells or you may have issues with rubbing. I am running 20x9 in the front with 235x35x20 and 20x10 in the rear with 245x45x20 with a 1 1/2 adapter. Off the top of my head, I can't remember the offset, but they fit without rubbing anywhere.

As for the IROCS, I have never seen "real" IROCs above a 17" rim. Most that you will find are reproductions and the look different. The spokes are generally more narrow than the originals. Check out EBAY for pricing and local places in and around where you live.

Good luck:nanawrench:

 

[kstmbowtie]

i see you decided on 20s but i just ran across this. dont know if it could help or not.

http://www.crazytalkcustoms.com/78Donk.htm

 

[thosemillerboys]

i'm about to put 24 inch forgiatos on my el camino.

 

[1980SteelBeast]

Ive seen up to 28s on thesd 5th gens. .Its all about whats your style. The bigger rims only means less turns and more thieves. As long as everything is done tasteful,go for it!

 

[Bonez84]

Wise decision on the wheels, sometimes going so big isn't that great, even though I haven't learned. lol

 

[El Diablo]

you don't need a gun when you've got a Donk

 

[Breeze]

Putting on 24" IROCS

I know this is a touchy subject. Here is a way you can go without cramming stuff in the springs and spending a insane amount of money.
1. Rear coil springs for 96 Impala SS. (variable rate)
2. Coil over springs for Elco.
These springs are designed for a heavier vehicle which will also make for a stiffer ride. Being variable rate will allow for you to carry a load without bottoming out. The coil overs are used instead of air shocks. (my preference) A leaky air line could ruin a $250 & up tire. With this set up in the rear you can still haul engines a motorcycle, what ever you want.
You should also be running around 373 gears when running a wheel that big. Up front is a lil more complex.
3. 3 1/2' raised front spindles. (can be purchased at universal lift kits)
Using the raised spindles will allow you to use stock brakes, rotors, brake lines, shocks.
4. You could also use coil overs in the front with stock suspension.
Using #3 will allow your elco to have the natural weight transfer needed for braking. Using #4 will affect you some what. I advise you to do a brake up grade. Doing the 12" disc from the Camaro is about the most economical. You can find more info on that on this site.
You will also need 1" wheel adapters to put on the Big Irocs. The way the frame flares will cause the rims to rub. (which will chew up tires. I hope this helps you guys that want to ride high. This way is clean. (NO HACKING) Springs and shocks can be brought at your local Auto Zone.
I have purchased a lift kit before with adjustable control arms and extended shocks and spring cups. They claim to be bolt on. NOT!!!! If you don't know how to weld you are about to pay. You will also need extended brake lines. Not to mention it rode like a wagon.
The set up I offered you will ride pretty well. That's the set up I'm running I hope this helps. Good Luck.

 

[Breeze]

My post above had 2 mistakes.
The first was #2 should have said El Camino coil over shocks.
#4 Was coil over shocks also. My avatar is showing my truck (work in progress) with 22"rims. New suspension all the way around.
1. Stock 8 cyl springs up front. (not heavy duty)
2. Coil over shocks up front. (may remove. over kill)
3. 96 SS Impala rear coil springs. (variable rate)
4. El Camino coil over shocks for the rear.
If you do not know how good your suspension is? You will find out after you add bigger heavier wheels. So if your truck still has what it left the factory with, do yourself a favor and replace the worn stuff.

 

[Bnelson78]

I'm not a fan of them but but I have the respect for the person who builds it. So to each their own!