I could use a few ideas....

I'M working on my 65 Impala and I'M kinda torn on what direction to go with it. The body is nearly done and the interior is all new factory spec " white " black carpet .I intend to paint it white as well. I do not want to go crazy because it will be a driver.
I don't know if i should slam it and go with some craiger 5 spokes or just steel chevy wheels [ stock] and some nice fat meats? , letters in or out?. If i go with chevy wheels then i have to decide on a color for the rims on a white car. Wheels can be a pain in the arse because of all the options. I should ask if i should be even asking this board about a 65 Impala?

If any of you fine people have pics or ideas maybe it would help me sort it out so i don't make any horrible errors in judgment .

Thanks in advance..

 

supremes, skinny whites... lower it..

its cliche at this point, but the best direction

 

YOu have to look at what you like and then what compliments the car as it is. People can give you they're idea what what they like but you might have your own taste to satisfy. If your going for a stock look, then go with a stock looking wheel. If your going for a resto mod then go with the five spoke, if your going for custom, break out the bills and do that. I would go for a black rim with a red thin line, but thats me.

 

If i go with a supreme wheel look there is a wheel maker here in Denver who makes them that style up to 20". I dont wanna thug it out and make it look Hood but maybe a 17" ? Older look with modern fitment or just a standard 15" ? .. Wheels are like buying jewlry for the ol lady , a million ways to get it wrong !!

 

On a car that large I don't think 17's would be out of the question.

 

http://img398.imageshack.us/img398/4990/dsc02919dv9.jpg

http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/6884/dsc02915ui1.jpg

http://img395.imageshack.us/img395/8033/dsc02914bs1.jpg


Here is a few pics so ya can get an idea how she sits now and what might go with the white on white , I do like the black wheels idea , letters out.

 

I'm currently looking for a project for my wife....she wants an Impala, '59-'66.
The plan is simple....
Lowered with chrome reverse wheels with the centers painted same as roof, narrow whites...
Solid body color with pearl....
Roof flaked...either the whole roof or just some panels, maybe even a little lace....

 

17" supremes... skinny white walls... lower about 2 inches in front, 3 inches in back... give it a nice reverse rake...

 

go 15's at largest. Cragars can be cool as well. Check out our club board-there's a few '65's on there...

 

Just like this:

Obviously this isn't an Impala but the same treatments would look perfect on yours.

 

I've seen 17's look ok on a 66 caprice. they were 5 spoke craiger ss. car was black, letters in, he nailed the stance, ride height & backspacing wheel tire size was very good.

don't put 20's on it, jeesh.

JMO i guess, i should keep my trap shut but I wouldn't go over 17.

Me & my best friend/cousin had identicle 66 chev 2Dr caprices (very similar to your car) he died in a plane crash last summer & his wife asked me to pick out some new wheels & tires for his car.

I picked out what I thought he would like. I went with 15" chromed corvette ralleyes, 15x8's if I remember right, and I went with a nice set of caps that I felt fit the car & him very well. They were some nice low derby dish caps with some division of chev script on them.

We put some 235-60/16's on them & they look great on the car.



some things are timeless, custom wheels are not timeless.

good luck bud. when I can afford a set of new wheels for my 66 (which I still have) I'm going with the same thing we put on my late cousin's car. (which will now be his son's car.)

Dave

 

agreed

 

just looked at your pics, dude, no offense but let me know if you want a steering wheel for that thing

 

I agree I also do not like the idea of 20 " rims , they look ghetto. I bought a steering wheel i figured someone would have used in a 70's bolt on hot rod sorta look. So i'm kinda leaning tward what someone would have done in the 70's to a 60's car. WITHOUT Jacking up the rear but that basic look.
The black rims might go well cause of the black rug and a thin black pin stripe?

 

Just looked at the pics......nice!

It would RULE with microflake purple panels on each 1/4 (C)pillar.....with a lavender pinstripe around the panels....

 

you could go with white steelies with a black thin stripe & a set of bullet caps, chrome acorns. white steelies on a white car is nice, most important thing is to get the backspacing right, tire size & ride height.

I fight with this wheel thing myself quite a bit, for some cars/trucks it's easy. but yours is one of those transition body styles, the 60's were growing up man. 65, full sized cars went through quite a change. there's a sweet spot for GM right in 65-66, then after that, for me the full sized chev went the wrong way. JMO

It's hard to know if the painted steelies, wide whites, skinny whites sort of thing is at home on that mid 60's chev. it's a no brainer on the 61 pictured above with the 5 spokes & skinny whites.

But judging by your steering wheel & by what it sounds like you are after. Well I grew up in those days & all those cars had letters out fat on the back, skinny (narrow) up front, crome slots, chrome smoothies & moons, 5 spokes like the craiger ss or the later 5 spoke chrome/black like a keystone classic/craiger raider. low in the front, up a little in the back.

not hard to duplicate the 70's, we got a guy up in my neck of the woods that is stuck in that mode. he's got a mullet & everything, back end jacked up high enough to clear the 2.5" of tire hanging out on big wide chrome 5 spokes....

he's a local hero....

of sorts....

I found the cap we went with on the 15x8 chrome corvette ralleyes.



it looked good, these on the chrome ralleyes with no rings, it fit my cousin's taste.

like others have said. gotta go with what you like.

 

Yeah...for sure toss the steering wheel...

On a '65 Impala...you want trad...or new...??? If trad, run thin whites on steel rims (not black) and/or small hubcaps...

New: run no more than 17" wheels (there were a pair in the classifieds a few days ago), prolly 5-spokes and blakwalls ...and it needs lowered.

The interior will go with either...but toss the steering wheel...pleeze...

R-

 

Black wheels, chrome bullet lugs and pinner whites/redlines

 

i think a good clean aluminum 17 or 18 would look nice
lower a few inches all around
a big car like the impala can definately handle a 17 or 18 without lookin like a donk, as long as the stance is good

 

just don't do this.


or we'll have to kill you.

 

LOL dave , will NEVER happen , i like the idea of the white steel wheels , acorns and small centers / pin stripe. Damn that steering wheel set me back 20$ at the parts store . I absolutly hate the stock one , not cause of how it looks but it's size , it hits my thigh's and its 16.5 inches across , to use it i would have to lower the seat which i might do anyway but there isnt alot of play under that seat. I do like how that Impala sits in that pic though Dave.

 

StuDude that car used to belong to a guy in Aurora , My ex GF'd dad .. Unmolested 65 . looked like this when i got it.

http://img503.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture749up8.jpg

has bondo in the rear so i have two rear quarters i got to weld on [ new ] ya dig that red velver interior? I had to toss that and bought an interior kit online and installed it. Fresh 283 ci and fresh 3 speed auto. $3500...

I stripped off all the paint and re-did the front now i have to finnish up the back and finnish the paint. did it all myself. also have all new weather striping.

 

they are some big damn steering wheels LOL.

But I like mine. a 64 ford galaxie I bought a few years ago had one like you just bought, orig wheel was missing but thankfully the horn ring was in the trunk. and the pickup I drove to work today (77 F150) came to me with a little tiny wooden steering wheel in it Grrr! I've just been little steering wheel'd to death lately LOL!!

I've seen one of these mid 60's impalas with white steelies with an accent stripe & a set of small caps before, rears were a little deeper than the fronts but they still stayed tucked in (tires) and the ride height was low. (not tail dragger low but daily driver low)

I like painted steelies.

little secret.... pssssst, I need to build a mid/early 60's ford nascar replica with blue steelies.... street legal with the 60's nascar look, holman moody decals & the works..... it's a sickness I will not be able to escape. I've tried to shake it, no can do.

i'm out on business for a few days.

you rightious dudes trudge on forward through the week without me.

good luck with the wheels hank.

Dave out.

 

That body style screams one thing to me:
STOCK CAR

 

Hank, good thing you got to that car first...!!!

You could put on a "reduced" '61/'62 Impala wheel (I think Classic Chevy or Impala Bob's carries them)...that wheel would look better than your twenty dollar special.

Looks like it's coming along nicely...you just need to lower it...more...than more again.

R-

 

got Impala Bobs on my fav list , i'll have a look see. All the custom ones i seen looked all resto-rod and billet and stuff , i didnt like em. I'll check bob's.

 

You can't beat this! Don't forget the Bellflowers!