Black wheels

As long as all these personal preferences are coming to light, here's one of my secrets: I don't like beauty rings nor spinners. That said, sometimes it's hard for me to take that step...so, no, Stan.

Stan - No apology needed.  I understand that repeated exposure to bitterly cold air can cause brain damage 

 

FWIW, I really like the Minilites, but they ARE my favorite wheel of all time.

I kinda like Marty's wheels with the hardtop repainted chocolate.

 

Option 2: I'm with Lane, minilites.

 

Option 3: Black wheels, long studs, drumskins, paint the hardtop black.

 

See how flexible (confused) I am.

Those minilites look like Miata wheels to me.  Isn't there a resemblance?

I was going to say something, Bob, but you beat me to it.

 

Jack, those Minilites (and they are real Minilites) came off of my old BMW...do they look Miata on that too? I think not.

Jack, the stock Miata wheels are poor copies of Minilites.  However, Miata went with seven spokes instead of eight, to save weight (and costs, I suppose).

 

 

Jump in Rich. I don't have your artist's eye for this kind of stuff. I just stumble around. Sometimes I think my mind's eye has developed cataracts.

Bob, it's the dementia not the cataracts 

I don't remember having dementia.

 

I don't remember having dementia.

 

What's your name?

...what was I doing, I came in here for something?

Bob, I'm leaving for now...I think I'll blow Saturday off and watch a high school wrestling tournament.

If I miss anything, take notes for me (if you remember)).

Of course real Minilites (or Panasports) are absolutely the bomb and look real nice on Speedsters. The only problem is you gotta re-do your wheel studs to get it just right--5x130 like this guy or maybe 4x4 1/2 inch to use a British car variant--maybe with a proper knock-off. All of which gets you into spendy territory.

 

Or of course you go with the EMPIs which look (to 99.9 percent of everyone) exactly like the Minilights and bolt right up for $70 each. 

 

But then you can't really look that last .1 percent in the eye.

edsnova:

 

The Emery built outlaw you linked to is just a great car. Don't you think those minilites look best on a Speedster outlaw setup with the chrome side trim shaved off?

Yeah, the EMPIs are just enough different that I have a bit of a problem, but I saw one car at Carlisle with them this past May and I though they really looked good on it (see below).

 

Even though I really like minilites, I don't like the Empi 'minilite' styled wheel. 

 

I do like these: 

It's a custom made wheel from England.  I'd love to buy a set, but the shipping would kill me.

 

 

 

Hard top Black or leave the way it is.  With the muted paint you need contrast on the wheels and something shiney.  Maybe Miniltes with brushed centers and the rim in full polish.  Or Fuchs like mine with the paddles painted to match the car. Like Dale Bates car but full polish on the spokes.

 

 

FYI, when I bought the authentic Minilites for my BMW pictured above, I think I paid in the neighborhood of $1300 shipped from England. There is (maybe was) an ex-pat down in Ohio somewhere that acted as their importer. They will custom make them to your offset specs and detail them in many ways. Mine were grey powder coated centers with a diamond cut outer rim. Notice the simple rim detail.

 

I think Marty just nailed it. The Fuchs look spot on correct.

Just my dos pesos,
Ted

Nothing wrong with black powder coated Fuchs...

This is all just opinion, but I wouldn't leave the wheels as they are-- dog-dish caps just look wrong to me. I also think the only way to pull off black wheels is if they are wide 5s, or Fuchs, and the car is a darker silver or charcoal, or some other "sinister" color.

 

I suggested the beauty rings because they add the "pop" that lacks with the set-up he's got. I'm not wild about beauty rings or baby moons, but the car is not a speedster (it's a lot more "formal" with the higher windshield, and hardtop), and the the chrome wheel caps and rings are at least period correct, I was hoping to gently steer him away from doing black. I still think for an economical solution, the wheels he's got with a "coffee" finish and some chrome wouldn't look bad.

 

However, Marty is thinking in the vein of exactly what I'd do if it were mine. When I saw the color of the car, I thought immediately of Dale Bates' second car (maus), and the Fuchs he and Terry Nuckels refinished to "butch up" the car. I would differ from Marty in that I'd take them just as Dale did them-- sand-blasted spokes and rims, with body-matched shadows. Marty likes more bling, but I think open 356s tend look like pedal cars to start with-- what makes them cool to me is the whole "mighty-mouse" ethos, like the 5'5" 120lb kid in high-school that was always getting into fights with kids 6" taller and 50 lbs heavier... and winning. This thing is REALLY hard to pull off though, and it's even harder with a "D".

 

In the end, everybody's got to decide what they want their car to be, and go with it. It's a clean palate, but eventually you need to paint.

Found it...

This is the look I was thinking about:

 

Think of it like a classic strand of pearls on a classy lady, vs a flashy over the top diamond necklace on a stunning model. Both are great, but each has their appropriate place.

 

Your ole' girl calls for the classy pearls.

Just my opinion.

 

Ted

Let's face it, a nice set of fuchs, original or repop, is hard to beat on almost any model porsche.  Finally got around to putting a set on my VS and it changed the whole personality of the car's appearance.

 

Since we're piling on regarding matters of taste, I don't like Fuchs on 356's.  They belong on 911's.  

 

Either wide fives and no hub caps or regular wheels with moon hubcaps.

 

I currently have chrome 10-hole wheels with hubcaps. If I ever upgrade them, I'll go with powder-coated body-color 12-hole wheels and still keep the hubcaps.

 

But I'm all about looking original while performing better than original.

 

If you're going outlaw, the sky's the limit.

Have been out in garage all day.  Guy who had car before me was 6'5".  Had the "tall person" IM setup.  I am 5'7".  Spent all day raising the seats about an inch.  Much better.  Since I live in VA had to mount a front plate.  Was careful to drill holes on bottom of bumper only so if I ever part with the car holes will not be noticeable.  Wow.  Lots of varying opinions about wheels.  In my humble opinion if you want to keep the car looking vintage you can't beat wide 5's.  If I could afford them that's what I'd do.  But I want to keep this inexpensive and keep the car looking vintage.  Terry's wheels look great with the rings and caps.  Think either black or dark brown with caps and perhaps some rings is the ticket...the cheap ticket.

I suspected that was the case, Phil. It'll look great.

X2, Phil. 

Wide fives are nice.  I sometimes wish mine were just painted silver, for a more original look.

 

 

Bob.  Those are sweet wheels.  For $300 you could sand blast the chrome and powder coat silver.  I'd even do the drum skins black but that's just the head banger coming out.

Phil, you could go real cheap and just paint the wheel center black and leave the outer rim chrome. Switch to baby moons or leave the flat caps. The problem with the rings is that they can fly off during spirited driving. 

 

" I sometimes wish mine were just painted silver, for a more original look."

 

I don't know, Bob; your car looks sweet the way it is...

 

Ted, my wife has both,  but I couldn't afford this Singer in a million years.

 Art

JACK MIATA WHEELS LOOK LIKE THIS

I believe, the Miata wheels in question, are those that look like Minilites.

Rich, what company did you order your minilites from?  The minilite wheel that I posted a photo of was from a company called Superlite.

Ron, I went through this guy, John Targett who is listed within this link. He was a pleasant guy and travels back and forth to Minilite's factory at times. He last lived in Ohio and responded quickly to my e-mail via the site once I placed an inquiry. Since the purchase, any e-mails back from him have basically been nil. But during my ordering process he communicated well. http://www.minilitewheels.us/index.html

Fuchs belong on 911s, but look nice on Speedsters too, depending on color and total feel of the car.

 

That orange "Porsche" decal on that green Singer is hideous!

 

Wide5s all the way, with drumskins!

Ya, once I get my hands on that green Singer, that's the first thing coming off of it!

I'll help you peel it off. One of those "one step too far" deals.

Rich:

 

I know John Targett, and he is very ill these days.  I don't think he is doing much business, or replying to emails very much.  It's a shame, because he is a wonderful person, who treats all his customers as friends.

 

Bob