280z Deconstruction

[DoubleYOOHZ]

Hi! Longer time lurker finally digging out! 

I really enjoyed this forum's community through the years. I learned a lot even though I could not contribute much back.
I am really curious about getting a new set of rims. This led me to remove my front wheel and learn what this car has to offer. The previous owner resold the car and did not do any type of modifications, so right off the bat he did not know much about the car. Removing the front left wheel, I noticed a spacer. I measured it to be 8mm (if my math is correct). 
After removing this plate, I noticed "another spacer"????This spacer seems to be at 16mm.
At first, I was like "wut da coochy"??? Then I figure all those spacers (roughly 16 mm) need to accommodate this huge lard - brake calipers . I mean, it is huge! It looks like a turtle shell...I thought-what if i removed the 8mm spacer, would the wheel fit and be okay? Turns out that it would not fit because the brake caliper would rubber vigorously with rims.

With this in mind, I asked myself if my rear wheels had spacers... Turned out that my rear wheels did not. So really, how is it that my front wheels have 24 mm off set and not stick out from the stock fenders? My rear tires are completely flush with the back fenders. My other question is the limited choices of rims I have. What kind of rims would help me in this situation being that my front end is an offset while my rear isnt?

[Zed Head]

Your front brakes have been "upgraded".  I think that Toyota calipers are the common one.  Look around for "big brake" kits to see more.

Welcome to old Z car world.

[Patcon]

Those don't look like the Toyota brakes but they could be. The other side would have a number cast into. You could google that to figure it out. You also have vented disc up front which is one of the ways to do toyota brakes. Most people go with thinner rotors and the corresponding thin calipers. The vented disc are much wider than stock, so that is part of the reason for all of the spacers. What size are your wheels/ tires?

[Zed Head]

17 hours ago, DoubleYOOHZ said:

So really, how is it that my front wheels have 24 mm off set and not stick out from the stock fenders? My rear tires are completely flush with the back fenders. My other question is the limited choices of rims I have. What kind of rims would help me in this situation being that my front end is an offset while my rear isnt?

Just noticed your offset question.  Your rotor/disc is offset, but your wheels are not.  The spacers are behind the wheel mounting surface, moving the rotor inboard.  So you're running normal offset wheels, probably.  There's a big selection out there.

[Pop's Z]

I know it's weird, but those DO look like Toyota brakes...mounted bassackwards. I said it was weird,

 

Cheers, Mike

[Zed Head]

Think I found it.  Toyota 4 piston truck calipers with 300ZX rotors.  

http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/39435-help-what-brake-options-are-available-for-s30-z-cars/

http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/24-5705

[beermanpete]

The 16 mm "spacer" you show is the factory wheel mounting flange. The 8 mm spacer, as you already found out is to allow the wheels to clear the brakes. The need for the spacer is wheel dependent but not necessarily related to the offset of the wheel. The shape of the "spoke" section of the wheel that connects the hub to the rim is what matters. Larger diameter and width wheels typically will clear the brakes even when they have a  zero offset, especially the modern designs.

[DoubleYOOHZ]

@Zed Head - Being that my front wheel is offset, this would be a negative offset-correct? What do you mean by normal offset? I was planning on doing a 15x8 or 15x9 set of rims. Would that work? The link you provided was the photo I was about to upload for you guys because it almost looks identical to mines. 
@Patcon- The brakes look identical, if not the same, from the ones provided in the link by Zed Head. The rims I am running are factory 6 spoke rims for the 77 year. Tires on the side wall list as P205/70R14.

@beermanpete-WIth the factory wheel mounting flange, wouldnt it block certain rim/wheels? (The pointy end of the 16 mm spacer?) 

With all this, using an offset wheel or not, are there any concerns for the lug nuts? I mean, my lug nuts rotate in maybe ~1 inch? 
Thanks all for the replys.

Edited July 7, 2016 by DoubleYOOHZ

[cbuczesk]

9" wide rims are too wide without flares unless you stretch a skinny tire like the cool kids do. 8" is probably too wide. 15x7 is a perfect fit. But 15 might not clear your calipers without grinding them down. I have the Toyota 4-piston caliper "upgrade" on one of my Zs and my 15x7 wheels didn't clear. They were either Konig Rewinds or Panasports.

You have the Toyota 4-piston caliper "upgrade". They work fine but so do the stock calipers.

Get lug nuts that match your wheel. Some lug nuts slip inside the holes and the flat part of the nut (with washer) hold the wheel tight. The factory steel wheels and other aluminum wheels use the angled edge of the nut to hold it tight. Some of those nuts are simple nuts like the factory ones and others are longer and enclosed to hide the threads of the studs.

What tires/wheels do you have now?

Chuck

 

[sweatybetty]

3 hours ago, cbuczesk said:

I have the Toyota 4-piston caliper "upgrade" on one of my Zs and my 15x7 wheels didn't clear.

Chuck

 

im curious as to why they dont fit? mine fit with 14x6 wheels. what doesnt clear?

[cbuczesk]

The wheels are 15x7 with a 0 offset. I think it was the inner lip rubbing. It wasn't much but it did rub. I used the practice wheels/tires from my race car. 14x6 would fit because they could be narrow enough and have an offset that has caliper just to the inside of the wheel. I fixed it by going with a set of 16x8s. My car has flares.

Chuck

 

[DoubleYOOHZ]

@cbuczesk- If i went with the 15x8, wouldnt the wheel need to be a negative offset to fit my situation? The rims I am running are factory 6 spoke rims for the 77 year. Tires on the side wall list as P205/70R14. I really had no intentions of getting flares but if i Have to i do not mind. When you said rubbing, I am assuming when the front wheels is positioned as wide as possible rubbing with the fenders?