Wheel pics and questions

Sylvio, What bolt pattern are you running?  Also, What color is the car you are getting?

Marty

if you are asking for opinions....

convert to wide 5

5.5" steelies

drill out hub cap clips

and paint steelies gloss black

get drum skins, polish them

narrow the back trailing arms 1"/side to fit under a non-falir

get a 2 inch narrowed beam and modify your tie rods

run 185-60's

dump it.  (a lot)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The Mango Recipe for Motoring Happiness at Low Altitudes

Are you looking to keep the 914 4 lug configuration?   914 wheels could be anything from 4.5"/5.5" steel, or 5.5"steel sport "Cross" wheels, 5.5" Pedrini, Mahle and 2L Fuchs.  The last 3 are quality light weight wheels for a classic bodied Speedster (be sure to get the costly rare longer lug bolts).  Here's link to large number of 4 lug wheels for the 914:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/te.../914_wheel_types.htm

Other wheels will require adapter or redrilling of rotors/drums (or new ones) - each adds issues with backspacing and fender clearance.

These things do look really good with 911 alloys. Just sayin'...

You'd have to redrill your drums/discs for the 5x130mm (same diameter as the VW 4 bolt pattern you probably have now). If you use original forged Fuchs wheels, you get the benefit of them being substantially lighter than the cast copies (about 4 lb saving per wheel with 15x6", iIrc). With any wheel/tire combo- if fender clearance is an issue and it's swing axle, early axles and tubes (1961? to '66) are about 1 3/4" shorter than '68 and newer. Irs trailing arms can be narrowed (Mango already mentioned this), but you'll need the help of someone with welding skills and equipment, if you aren't able.

I really have to learn how to attach a pic.... Al 

The 911 Fuchs are classic - with black anodized background, all black with polished rim, completely polished or red/body color background.  You can't go wrong (if you get proper off set and width) on them.  Often you can find an abused set that need TLC such as polishing for replica $$$.  924, 944, and 928 wheels can often be found on Craigslist for $100-300 a set.  I like the cookie cutters and phone dials - however, width may be too great.

I'd recommend going with the 4 bolt Pedrini, Mahle, or 2L Fuchs.  You'll end up with a nice looking wheel and you won't have to change your bolt pattern. 

Personally, I think 5 bolt Fuchs are 'played out', but that may be because I've had a set on my IM for a long time.  Being a wheel whore, I'm always looking for another set of wheels. 

Here's a photo of my replica American Eagle Fuchs (15x6).  I bought them new around 10 years ago.

Hey, Al. See your dialog messages. Rich

With baby moons you can get reflections of lighthouses...

Paul!

You parked in the wrong part of town, dude!

Looks like somebody stole your tires...

And replied...

"With baby moons you can get reflections of lighthouses..."

And other cars.

At the lower left of the "Post Reply" box is a green '+' with "Add Attachments" next to it.  Click that, and then click "Upload Files" in the attachment box.  Easy peasy. 

Those 4-bolt Mahle and Pedrini wheels both look pretty cool to me. If I had a Speedster with 4 bolt hubs I would really consider them--especially if the car already had them. Real Porsche wheels, light weight and not something you see every day.

Something not mentioned yet, but very economical for the 4-bolt hubs, is to convert a set of stock 8-slot Mangles (steelies) into a pseudo Rudge knock-off. Someone on this site did it using four pizza pans, a handfull of SS acorn nuts and four of the two-eared spinners you can get at Cip1 and other fine parts purveyors.

Look through my photos and you'll see Rivieras, Pedrinis, Mahles plus three different ways to dress up the stock 4-bolt steelies.

Yeah, I've tried a few...

https://www.speedsterowners.com...000-2557660011617827

heres a pic of the car cant really see the wheels but they are either the mahle or pedrini

Pedrini and Mahle are the lightest of the 4-bolt alloy wheels that were offered on the 914, Mahle being the lightest.

Although not "period correct", they are an excellent performance addition.

I love my Mahles.

The one in the back seat is a 2L Fuch (or replica).  Dibs on it if it is an odd ball spare. 

Anyone priced real 5 bolt Fuchs lately.  Holy Crap!

dont remember if that was the spare the owner was doing the rear brakes on her  ,and by the time i get her at end of may all electrical,mouldings,emblems handeels and complete freshen up of motor will be done,im buying a good running car all ill need is a new top(comes with bows) and front windshield is broken so that too,and redo the interior .cant wait, heres a pic of the 550 i purchased from him at the paint shop.

Yes Ron, all the early 15" alloys; 4 1/2's, 5 1/2's, "deep"6's (refers to the depth of valley between the outside edges of the spokes and the start of the rim) and especially the 6's (look the same but .9 lbs lighter) and 7's (the extra inch is in the backspacing to fit under the earlier fenders, and works really well on the back of a beetle and our cars) off of the 911R would have been a good investment. I looked at 4 4 1/2"x15's a little over 20 years ago and turned them down at $400; I didn't want the tires on them. Those 4 wheels would sell for about $2000 now...Al

Here's some 911R rears for $2000 EACH!

http://www.rebelracingproducts...sedPartsforSale.html

heres a pic of the rims i hope will fit ,they currently are 4x100 lug pattern not shure on offset yet,ill know later,whats the standard offset on the rear for a 72 beetle?

That's what I'm talking about Ron. With only 20 or 22 911 R's built, it was a pretty special car, starting with being 450 lbs lighter than a 911. Even the Fuchs alloys are unique to that car; the 15x6's are .9(?) lbs lighter than the already special deep 6's and had their own part # (last digit is 3 instead of the 901.361.012.06 # of the deep 6), and as said earlier, the 15x7's were like the 6's in front, with all the extra width to the backside. If you figured 2-3 complete sets of spares for each car and some extras in the parts dept, the production run for each wheel was what, 100? 150? And if you're restoring a car like that, the price of the wheels is nothing...

More about the 911R-  

 http://www.conceptcarz.com/veh...40/Porsche-911R.aspx

This is by no means the definitive authority on the 911R; it was just the first one I clicked, and answered most of my questions...

All of the early wheels I mentioned in my post above have 901 part #'s and are highly sought after by the VW crowd as well as early 911 owners so they command a premium (it's nuts, I know..). The "late" 15x6's started showing up on cars in 1971 (I think) and from then on all the Fuchs alloys have 911 part #'s. These (used) are a little more reasonably priced, but anyone looking should still budget 100-$150 each for 15x6's and 200-$300 (again, each) for 7's. And they will need refinishing. 

Did you see the 9 and 11" RSR wheels down the page on your link? Price- enquire... 

Hope you're well. Al

More Porsche factory wheel info- part #'s weights, offsets, backspacing...

http://members.rennlist.com/911pcars/WheelWts.html

Sylvio- Those look to be at least 6 or 7" wide (tire size?), with the mounting surface fairly close to the middle of the wheel. What you need are rims with the majority of the width to the inside (lots of backspacing). Are you able to mount them on the car to see how they fit? Al 

http://vw.zenseeker.net/Wheels-BoltPattern.htm

Here's link to stock VW wheel offset.

http://classicvw.org/gallery2/...heel+offset.jpg.html

The 914 5 1/2" 2L Fuchs (suspect Pedrini and Mahle too)  have a 39.6mm (1.56") offset and a back spacing of 4.69".

Here's useful link to near all the 4 lug wheels that would fit a vw:

http://www.buggyboys.be/en/velgen_4x130_06.htm

If I'm wrong, someone please chime in, but I don't think a 215 tire on an 8" rim on the front of a non flared body is going to work. Even with a 2" narrowed beam, i'm guessing there will be contact with the outside of the front footwell area before full turn (which will reduce turning radius). 195/55-15's on 6" Fuchs alloys with a stock beam and welded 2 1/2" drop spindles (1/2" outside offset) barely fits my IM body. With the right axle/drum or disc combo (and a little inner fender lip trimming?) the back may be possible (big emphasis on MAY), but then you'll have to find matching narrower rims. Al

PS- Isn't a 215 on an 8 or 8 1/2" rim stretched out just a little? I wonder about the look on one of these cars. And the more I think about it, the more I'm thinking an 8 1/2" wheel ain't gonna fit under the back. But I could be wrong (ask my wife; it won't be the first time...).

Here ya go, I drew for somebody out here on the net for a similar question to yours. Wheel fitment has always been an issue, be it with these toys or another.

Print yourself a copy of this and remove the rear wheel and measure…, at least twice. Take your perspective wheels and measure them. then you’ll know.

https://www.speedsterowners.com...rs-trailing-arm-drwg

David     /     dd-ardvark

im only showing those wheels because my brother has them i may keep the 914 mahle wheels on it ,ill know when i get the car home in May.if the esm dont fit i may get the same style wheel from the manufactorer in my lug pattern.

The stock Ghia wheel surprised me.  4.5" x 15 with a 46mm offset.  Wow!

Hi Mango smoothie.

Check out my wheels on my site under members. I think you'll like them.

speedsterguy1.

ya - they look nice.

knock-offs / spinners are not my thing though.