Minilites for a 70 Boss 302 street car what size and spacing etc

[deathsled]

A friend recently acquired a 70 Boss 302 and I suggested minilites for the car.  He became interested in said rims.  Does anyone know the correct size and spacing for a set of minilites on a 1970 street Boss 302?  Any assistance is appreciated.

[CSX 4133]

Here is the Minilites Uk website, look under applications on the main page sidebar. They offer three sizes for the Mustang, either 15x6 or 15x7 should fit without mods.

http://minilite.co.uk/#:~:text=Manufactured%20exclusively%20at%20our%20premises,maximum%20protection%20against%20the%20elements.

[deathsled]

Thanks for the link CSX!  I was looking at their US site and couldn't find enough info to determine what size is best.  I couldn't see 15 x 7 on the US site but rather 15 x 8

[shelbydoug]

I haven't seen a lot of Minilite's over the past 50 years but the ones that I saw were all 15"x8" and they all needed flared fenders to fit them so to answer your question , that you really didn't ask, I don't think that there ever was a set "engineered" to be a direct bolt on for street Mustangs of the era.

What you are seeing listed is what was and what is available.

I would recommend "American 200s" over the Minilites.

[deathsled]

American 200s. I will pass that on to him. He could also look at American Racing coke bottle style rims. I recall the 69 Boss 302 trans am cars used coke bottle rims on the rear of one or two of their cars.
Okay I looked them up the American 200s are the coke bottle rims. It is a cool rim. I agree with you.

[shelbydoug]

The 200s was the first wheel I put on my '68 GT350 when I first got it in '72. It transformed the car entirely.

It did have a 1/2" positive offset, meaning it increased the track in front 1/2" on each side compared to the stock steel wheels.
It would have been better to have had a 1/2" negative offset or zero offset compared to the steel wheels but even then not every combination was available.

It was a very high quality wheel in my view.

[deathsled]

The 200s was the first wheel I put on my '68 GT350 when I first got it in '72. It transformed the car entirely.

It did have a 1/2" positive offset, meaning it increased the track in front 1/2" on each side compared to the stock steel wheels.
It would have been better to have had a 1/2" negative offset or zero offset compared to the steel wheels but even then not every combination was available.

It was a very high quality wheel in my view.

Any flaring of the fenders necessitated with the American 200S?

[shelbydoug]

I ran them ok on my '68 with stockish size tires. A '69 has a squish more room.

A '66, I would expect some issues.

You have to realize though that I ran quite the gambit with tire sizes. At one time I ran GR50-15's in the front with no flaring.

I eventually wound up with 235-60-15's on '67 10 spokes in front and 295-50-15's in the rear. All on a lowered suspension and stock fenders.

So my general response is that a '69 should give less issues but tire and wheel fitment on these cars is all a bit of alchemy and always will be.

It may simply be that you need to decide on your wheels, then your tire sizes to make it all fit within the package, as a progressive developing process? There really is no secret formula and you may need to go through a series of revisions and tweaks as necessary to deal with the unexpected and unpredictable.


The more neutral offset of the 67 10 spokes was easier for me to work with then the + offset of the 200s' and made more sense in my case anyway. It depends on what you set the criteria to solve at?


I took somewhat of a unique route which includes non-stock but T/A similar solutions which have the experts somewhat speechless. I don't know if that they just generally disapprove to the point of non-commenting or are just flabbergasted?

Frankly, I don't care. My nature is to find solutions that just shut the so called experts up and keep them away since they become fearful of getting flamed.

Eh. I'm the 'Horse of a different color. There's only one of 'em, and he's it." So be it.

[deathsled]

I ran them ok on my '68 with stockish size tires. A '69 has a squish more room.

A '66, I would expect some issues.

You have to realize though that I ran quite the gambit with tire sizes. At one time I ran GR50-15's in the front with no flaring.

I eventually wound up with 235-60-15's on '67 10 spokes in front and 295-50-15's in the rear. All on a lowered suspension and stock fenders.

So my general response is that a '69 should give less issues but tire and wheel fitment on these cars is all a bit of alchemy and always will be.

It may simply be that you need to decide on your wheels, then your tire sizes to make it all fit within the package, as a progressive developing process? There really is no secret formula and you may need to go through a series of revisions and tweaks as necessary to deal with the unexpected and unpredictable.


The more neutral offset of the 67 10 spokes was easier for me to work with then the + offset of the 200s' and made more sense in my case anyway. It depends on what you set the criteria to solve at?


I took somewhat of a unique route which includes non-stock but T/A similar solutions which have the experts somewhat speechless. I don't know if that they just generally disapprove to the point of non-commenting or are just flabbergasted?

Frankly, I don't care. My nature is to find solutions that just shut the so called experts up and keep them away since they become fearful of getting flamed.

Eh. I'm the 'Horse of a different color. There's only one of 'em, and he's it." So be it.

He has an original set of magnum 500s for his 70 Boss.  If he can manage the minilites I think he is onboard.  You are very well informed.  I had to look up the meaning of 1/2 inch offset. 

https://www.lesschwab.com/article/wheels/what-is-wheel-offset.html

[shelbydoug]

It is important to understand the terms.

At one period of time the term of positive or negative offset were reversed from what we use today...just to add more confusion to the matter.

Your friend would be best to stay with the same offset that the Magnums provide with an aftermarket wheel of any type. That will maximize his options or minimize the issues. 


To the best of my memory both the Minilites and the Americans had positive offsets of about +1/2".

One way of dealing with a tire to fender interference issue would be to change the tire profile. That likely in this case would mean that you go from a 235-60-15 to a 225-50-15.

Since the outside diameter of the 50 series is less then the 60, it would be"shorter" or in effect lower the front of the car. That could be about 1" in the case of those two tire profiles which for a street car is actually quite a bit and maybe more then you would want to do?


SOME of these changes seem insignificant to the casual observer but at least in the case of a vintage Mustang can be quite dramatic of a change.

I actually did this change on my Pantera and the end result of just changing tire profiles lowered the height of the car at the roof level about 2". A total of just under 42" at the top of the roof line.

That's fine for looks but it emphasizes the ground clearance issue of the lower radiator support in the front, under the nose.

[TA Coupe]

Here's a chart with general recommendations. I used to run 255-50-16 on my lowered 70 coupe.I used Saleen BBS style 16x7 and 16x8 wheels. I don't know the back spacing.

     Roy

[deathsled]

Here's a chart with general recommendations. I used to run 255-50-16 on my lowered 70 coupe.I used Saleen BBS style 16x7 and 16x8 wheels. I don't know the back spacing.

     Roy

That is a great chart. I will pass it on. Thank you!

[Cobrask8]

Greg K up in NY or Conn has a 70 Boss with Minilites. Not sure if he is on here, but I am sure he could answer