Can I mini tub & keep back seat easily in a '66 belvedere?

[goose69]

I tried asking this in a different forum so please bear with me as I am still looking for the answer to this.
I'm working on a 1966 Belvedere and want to mini tub it but would like to keep the back seat. Can this be done easily? Has anyone here done it? I don't mind cutting a bit of the seat frame and welding parts of the structure back together if it can be done easily enough.
Please give me any and all your feedback. Thank you.:edgy:

 

[67 B-body]

I cant help you with first hand experiance on this topic, but I would think that your seat will need modified heavily to do this. I just looked at mine and the bench lower seat fits tight against the inner panels.
Next I have to ask,, why mini tub it? If you think it's needed for traction, let me stop you from making a lot of work for yourself. I know there are alot of 66 and 67's out there with 9" to 11" tires lifting the front tires into the air on launches! I just put a set of Hoosier Quick Time Pro's 27X10.5X15 on my 67 and there's plenty of room in the wheel wells! With spring re-locaters on, you'de be able to run the 28X11.5X15 Hoosiers! How much more tire do you need, and why?

 

[goose69]

I do have the spring relocates on my bench ready to go in hopefully this winter. I was thinking mini tub because ( this might sound stupid) I have a pair of tires I've been dying to get under there (n/50/15's on 12" streetlites). I love the look of wider tires tucked up under the body. I also have a pair of 265/50/15's on a pair of 8" rims of the same but they won't fit without the relocating kit. I would be willing to consider 275 or 295/50/15's if they work without mini tubbing, but I really want the wide tire look.

 

[67 B-body]

I do have the spring relocates on my bench ready to go in hopefully this winter. I was thinking mini tub because ( this might sound stupid) I have a pair of tires I've been dying to get under there (n/50/15's on 12" streetlites). I love the look of wider tires tucked up under the body. I also have a pair of 265/50/15's on a pair of 8" rims of the same but they won't fit without the relocating kit. I would be willing to consider 275 or 295/50/15's if they work without mini tubbing, but I really want the wide tire look.

With relocation kit, they "295" should fit fine with maybe a 4 1/2" backspacing. Mine are 4.25" backspacing standard spring location and 10.5" wide.

 

[goose69]

Well (67 B-body) I really appreciate the info on this. I'll probably do the relocation kit and do a measurement & test fit to see what I can get in there then before doing the mini tub. Its always something I can just do in the future if I want more rubber under there. Nice ride by the way.

 

[67 B-body]

Well (67 B-body) I really appreciate the info on this. I'll probably do the relocation kit and do a measurement & test fit to see what I can get in there then before doing the mini tub. Its always something I can just do in the future if I want more rubber under there. Nice ride by the way.

Your welcome, and thanks!:hello2:

 

[Cranky]

I test fitted a 10.5W slick in mine and it won't go up into the well at all mounted on a 10" rim. The only way I can use this tire is to jack up the rear and that's not an option. The car is a 66 Belvedere.

 

[67 B-body]

I test fitted a 10.5W slick in mine and it won't go up into the well at all mounted on a 10" rim. The only way I can use this tire is to jack up the rear and that's not an option. The car is a 66 Belvedere.

You must have a 10.5" tread width slick.
Most slicks seem to measure tread when stating tire size.
For example, the Hoosier Quick Time Pro DOT slick has a measurement of 27 X 10.5 X 15: this is a 10.5" section width.
The Hoosier non DOT slick would be something like 27 X 10.5 X 15: this would have a tread width of 10.5" with a section width of somewhere around 12". I think the 295 series street radial would be somewhere around 11.9" section width and should fit with the springs relocated and the correct back spacing.

 

[Cranky]

A 10.5W usually measures a bit more than 10.5" (close to 11" of tread width) and yes, the section width is even more. You have about 11 3/4" from that stupid little bulge in the wheel house (outboard) to the in board wheel house edge and yes, a 10.5" section width tire will fit but you will most likely rub when you articulate the suspension....like going into a driveway that has a decent slope from the street and this is with the springs moved out of the way. A mini tub will give an additional 3" and that opens the door for more tire options but as stock, a tire with 11" of tread won't go in...at least not with the car sitting at stock or near stock ride height and a 10" tread width will be somewhat of a chore to make it work imo. The section width will be the spoiler in the game.

 

[goose69]

I have heard thee are some subtle differences between 1966 & 1967 belvedere/ satellite but haven't been able to confirm that yet. Is there a possibility the rear wheel wells are among those different? Thanks for all the input though.
Say Cranky, what's your set up now on your car?

 

[67 B-body]

A 10.5W usually measures a bit more than 10.5" (close to 11" of tread width) and yes, the section width is even more. You have about 11 3/4" from that stupid little bulge in the wheel house (outboard) to the in board wheel house edge and yes, a 10.5" section width tire will fit but you will most likely rub when you articulate the suspension....like going into a driveway that has a decent slope from the street and this is with the springs moved out of the way. A mini tub will give an additional 3" and that opens the door for more tire options but as stock, a tire with 11" of tread won't go in...at least not with the car sitting at stock or near stock ride height and a 10" tread width will be somewhat of a chore to make it work imo. The section width will be the spoiler in the game.

On mine, I had NO trouble with a bulge inside the wheel house. I had a set of Hoosiers "that I removed" that measured out to 12" section width, and they just lightly rubbed the spring and wheel opening lip. It was enough to scrub the raised letters up from the sidewalls. I would say that defines the distance from spring to wheel opening pretty well. I went with the 10.5" to give 3/4" gap on each side. I drove my car about 10 miles yesterday without issue from these dimensions. If I were to move the springs inward 3", I should be able to run something 3" wider with a new rim backspacing.
Mine is a satellite Supreme "option", but they are still Belvedere's to begin life no matter what fender tag is put on. Sattelite, GTX, Belvedere.....
I do have SS springs however,,,, They are still in the stock hanger / shackle location, so the side to side should remain the same.

 

[mrbelv2]

Just saw this post. I have a 66 Belv2 with the 3" relocation kit. I run 295/50-15's. Wheelwells are cut to frame(including the frame flange). As for the rear seat, I cut the wire frame where it hit the wheelweel, rewelded the wire frame, and the seat fits fine. Where I cut the seat frame is at the back. the front of the seat back is stock. Hope this helps.

 

[Cranky]

I have heard thee are some subtle differences between 1966 & 1967 belvedere/ satellite but haven't been able to confirm that yet. Is there a possibility the rear wheel wells are among those different? Thanks for all the input though.
Say Cranky, what's your set up now on your car?

Setup on my car right now? Scattered all over the shop!! The body has been stripped pretty much of all paint and I only have one frame tie tack welded in. All under coating has been removed and quite a bit of weight in other areas has been removed too. I had a 67 Belevdere but it was a convertible and I didn't really bother with measuring out the wheel wells....

 

[goose69]

Just saw this post. I have a 66 Belv2 with the 3" relocation kit. I run 295/50-15's. Wheelwells are cut to frame(including the frame flange). As for the rear seat, I cut the wire frame where it hit the wheelweel, rewelded the wire frame, and the seat fits fine. Where I cut the seat frame is at the back. the front of the seat back is stock. Hope this helps.

This is exactly what I'm looking at doing. I'll PM you about a couple things. Thanks!

 

[Moose]

A thought about a seat and tubs...

I had the same thoughts as you ! Love the wide tire look ! I went all the way and never have regreted it. The car looks like a TOTAL BAD *** from behind ! The trunk is blocked off with steel plate and if I wanted a back seat I could figure a way to modify the seat to fit. No seat for me. Money is the biggest factor in my opinion. The Dana 60 was custom built by Strange. Tubs I did with help from an experienced hand. 4-Link is from Chassis Works. Look at the pics and really think about it. I spent a ton on the back of the car. Is it worth it to you ? I would do I again in a second ! I wanted someting unique and I accomplished it. When I get it done and on the track lets see if the time and expense was worth it !!

 

[goose69]

Moose, love the looks of your car, nice work. Those tires give it a real mean look. I see you went with the lower scoop on the hood, which is what I'm looking to do. Who did you go through for that? Or did you get the whole hood? Was it reasonably priced?

 

[b-body-bob]

Moose, is the v-brace still there behind that block-off? I'm not at the point of deciding on running a seat or not, but I am at the point of deciding if I need to put the V back in my A12 ex-racer.

FWIW, I'm pretty sure that the mini-tub work on my car ate two of my seat belt anchors. Another thing to consider when running a seat with tubs.

 

[Stumper]

Thought I had replied on your seat question but i guess not. In short, the answer is yes, you can keep your back seat. All that is needed is to cut and reweld the bottom seat frame to fit around the wheel well. I did it on my 62' which is tubbed. Unfortunately I didn't get pictures of the seat frame modification but it's pretty straight forward.

 

[MONGO330]

mini tub with a back seat

i have a 65 satellite they split the rear tubs and widened them 10" theres been no mods to back seat all stock hangers in place so yes it can be done look for big bad red pics of my car nice trunk pic

 

[MONGO330]