Buying 85 euro - 15" Fuchs??

[laddsc]

Sold my 83SC about a year ago and am looking at an 85 ROW with 103k. Very clean coupe without sunroof. Getting full PPI right now. Wheels looked different than my 83 so I called the shop doing PPI and sure enough, they are 15's instead of 16's. How much does this hurt the value? Tires seem very tall and thus will affect the handling. I noticed the 15's are a dime a dozen on ebay and I don't know if they are 6 and 7's or 7's and 8's. Ideas?

Thoughts on car value with a near perfect PPI? Has black interior with cloth striped insert. Full documentation on coming to US in 1985 as well as all receipts, books, tool kit, etc. Registered only in CA and AZ during its life to 3 owners.

[SC-targa]

15" 7's & 8's are common on euro cars.

[Rot 911]

6 & 7x15's were standard. Most buyers went with the 16" options. Used 6&7x16's are fairly cheap to buy. Good set will run you around $500 or so.

[creaturecat]

7's and 8's are quite valuable. if you want to go 16 in. you should be able to do so without paying too much difference. everyday useage you would notice little difference between the two. the 15 in. option was called "soft ride"Looks like a repaint on the car - they painted the tailpipe while they were at it.

[laddsc]

I thought repaint as well for the same reason on the tailpipe. First look from the shop is that it is not. I have not seen the car in person yet so I am having a very thorough PPI done. In another shot I have from the side, the pipe look clean so it might be a reflection. If it is a repaint, I will likely walk because it is not what the owner is claiming.

[imcarthur]

7 & 8 x 15 Fuchs were Option Level # 1. There are great Toyos & Yokos available for 15".

Ian

[laddsc]

Thanks for the chart Ian. Very helpful. At least they are 7's and 8's. Anxiously waiting to find out if it is a repaint and the results on the leakdown and comp test. If that all checks out then I turn them loose to check for broken head studs.

[aigel]

I run 15x7 and 8 on the track and for autocross. With a lower profile tire, they automaticall "lower" your car and you will get the added benefit of better low end torque. I do not think that the 7 and 8 by 15 hurt the value of the car. If you go buy 7 and 8 by 15, they are about 800+, that's actually more than what 6 and 7 by 16 usually go for!

George

[Bill Verburg]

The only real drawback of the 15s is the lack of tire choice, both brand and size. My C3 came w/ 205/50 & 225/50 x15s and a much lower ride height than that one. I would recommend that combination and lowered ride height w/ Bilstein sports

[kees]

1985 carrera coupe euro

Front Pirelli P6000 195/65/15 7Jx15 Fuchs (forged)
Rear Pirelli P6000 215/60/15 W N1 8Jx15 Fuchs (forged)

Shocks by Spax


Kees.

[imcarthur]

While we're on the subject . . . I will play further with the ride height after the Great Thaw.

[laddsc]

Kees. Sweet euro ride. I don't know if you saw my other thread but I closed the deal today and pick it up Friday. Can't wait.

Ian. That is the size of the tires mine has and looks about the same ride height. Going to have to mess with it. The tires are Kuhmos which I don't know a lot about.

[kees]

Originally posted by laddsc
Kees. Sweet euro ride. I don't know if you saw my other thread but I closed the deal today and pick it up Friday. Can't wait.

Congratulations. Have fun.

Kees.

[arerrac]

7 & 8 x 15 w/ 205 50/15 & 225/50 15 Toyo Proxy F4 with Euro ride hight

[creaturecat]

Here is my 1985 ROW

15"


16"

[imcarthur]

Hey arerrac

That looks perfect. You say Euro height. Details please. What are your fender measurements? And how is your clearance for driveways etc?

As you can see from my pic above, I have a sloped driveway & it's kind of embarassing to be scraping every time I leave.

laddsc

Take a camera & have a great ride. Post pics when it's yours.

Ian

[arerrac]

imcarthur,

A quick measurement indicated; (in my parking lot at work)
Front = 23.75
Rear =23.5

Car was already lowered when I purchased it. With the 15" rims and low profile tires and the lowered ride height, the thing handles VERY well and the 50 series tires still keep it smoooooth!
Bump-steer kit weltmeister strut-bar and turbo tie-rods really tighten things up.WOW

Getting in and out of driveways is tricky. I scrape the chin spoiler on almost every driveway I enter. Taking it at an extreme angle so that each tire hits the driveway independently seems to lessen the scraping.

But it's a rubber spoiler and not too expensive to replace. I have an old one that I took an orbital sander to rough up the whole thing so the scrapped areas disappeared . Instead of being shiny black, it's flat black now.


Thanks for the complement!
-Wade

[Jack Olsen]

Tires seem very tall and thus will affect the handling.

Really?

[dd74]

If you want to go to an extreme, Khumo makes 45-series tires for the 15-inch rim. Benefits: 1) closer gearing; 2) lower ride height; 3) stiffer sidewall because of it being a shorter tire -> better handling.

Detriment: might look dorky to some - though you can always claim function over form.

[PorschePilot]

It looks like the welting has been painted on the rear lower fender panels. So is it a repaint?