Another steel wheel question...

[Davz912/911]

I currently have 205-70-14's on my SWB car. I have been going back and forth on whether to
have some 4 1/2 steelies widened, keep them 4 1/2, stay with 14 inch Fuchs, or go with some deep sixes.
I borrowed some widened steelies from my buddy Edric...they look right...(see pic)but weight a ton. I just
can't justify in my mind all that unsprung weight. so I've decided to go with the narrow look. I'm having the 4 1/2 powder coated and will be mounting some Vredestein sprint classics. My question to the board...go with
the 165r15 or, in a quest for more tire contact, 175/70-15's? Has anybody tried the latter? Anybody have pics to share with that set-up?

Thanks in advance,
Dave

[Bobs 67S]

Hi Dave,
i just went thru the same process.

Here is a history of what the car looked like with 6 fuchs, 195's on the street and 205 for the track.

5.5" 951 Spares. with 185 x 15

And the current 4.5" with 165 Vredestein Sprint Classics


Same car - just looks different with the wheel and height changes.

(After 28 years on fuchs it just looks so different on the stock wheels).

[Davz912/911]

Thanks for the pics Bob...those 5.5's seem to fill the wheel wells' nicely. Are you running spacers? or do those wheels have a bit of outward offset? Amazing the difference a set of wheels make.

Thanks again,
Dave

[Bobs 67S]

Dave, all of those wheels appear to have the same back spacing, the outer edge is in the same place for the 6" and 5.5", the 4.5 is in just slightly.

The front has vented rotors and the companion aluminum hub (moves the wheel out 15mm per side). The rear has the non-vented rotor with longer wheel studs and 1/4" spacers.

[Rich Lambert]

6x15 Fuchs with 195's and 4.5x15 steelies with 165 Sprint Classics




The body lines of a SWB are made for skinny tires and wheels, especially the rear wheel arches. The vertical body line just blends in with the wheel & tire for a very retro, 356-ish look.


Not only does the look of the car change, the handling is transported back to the 60's...in a good way.

[Davz912/911]

Rich,

Thanks for the pics...car looks great. I'm goin with the 165's...I'm thinking the 175's with the 70 series may not look right.

Thanks again,
Dave

[sithot]

6x15 Fuchs with 195's and 4.5x15 steelies with 165 Sprint Classics




The body lines of a SWB are made for skinny tires and wheels, especially the rear wheel arches. The vertical body line just blends in with the wheel & tire for a very retro, 356-ish look.


Not only does the look of the car change, the handling is transported back to the 60's...in a good way.

25.19" on the 165 and 24.45" on the 175. It's a big difference of almost 3/4's of an inch. The extra added benefit is that the car will ride nice. I've got some incorrect (but close) rubber on my 4.5's. The speedometer is off but the ride is significantly better than my 6 and 7 combo. Those handle like the car is on rails but the ride suffers a lot. The rpms at highway speeds are fairly high.
The other options was the sticky Avons CR6ZZ's but I'm not keen on $200 a pop. They are closer in diameter at 25.05 and represent road glue.

Tom