Can someone please explain to me like a 5th grade why everyone puts wide five setups on their spyders? Is it just to have 5 lug rims? Can you run stock brakes with them or are special rotors and calipers needed?
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You need 5 wide hubs with them, but the drums are what stock VWs (<67) and 356 (<B) came with. And nearly all manufacturers make disc brake set-ups in 5 Wide.
@Funboy posted:Can someone please explain to me like a 5th grade why everyone puts wide five setups on their spyders? Is it just to have 5 lug rims? Can you run stock brakes with them or are special rotors and calipers needed?
In 5th grade terms: everybody uses them because some things just look "right". Wide 5s look right.
Wide 5s take special everything, assuming you don't want to run drums (you don't). Converting is not for the faint of heart (or wallet).
Wide5 discs don't have to be expensive. But the cheap EMPI ones have cast iron bolt patterns and cast iron rotors: BARBELL heavy. As in heavier than stock drums.
Good ones with good calipers and lighter aluminum hubs are expensive. Just about all of the front setups add track width and you REALLY don't want that in a Spyder. Spyders are narrower in front and have less space, more likely to rub tires.
I had Greg at Vintage put a 2" narrowed beam in my car, and used Airkewld discs with 4 piston Wilwood lightweight calipers. These brakes add about 3/4" per side, so I end up 1/4" narrower than stock width. It works REALLY well.
I had rubbing issues on my first Spyder with these brakes and the stock width beam.
I know Carey now uses upgraded brakes on his 356 builds. I think he told me they use Willwoods. Will these brakes work with the vintage 190 wheels. I was just planning on the 190s for my 356 build.
BTW I just went to the Vintage Motorcars phone site and guess who’s Spyder is the featured car. Pretty cool.
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Ok, I believe we have a nickname for Phil, who shall hereinafter be called “Fancy Phil”. 😈