15 inch wheels for 1972 911T?

[SnakeDoc]

Greetings!

I'm looking for wheels that would replace the stock 15 Fuchs on my trusy old 1972 Sideoiler Targa. Not much luck Googling it, seems everything out there starts at 16 and higher diameter. Anyone had experience finding these little bittie stock size replacements before?

Thanks,

Tom in Memphis

[real550A]

I think you need to be more specific regarding the wheels you are seeking. Factory steel, BBS, Minilites, etc? There are several choices out there. Cookie cutters are a popular alternative to Fuchs.

[Bill Verburg]

Be carefull, You can't go too crazy w/ bigger wheels and tires on a stock body '72

[Gogar]

Don't rule out GAS BURNERS! Came stock on many '72s, IIRC.

15x5.5

[SnakeDoc]

Oh, no...nothing fancy, just something the exact same size. All I really want to do is put the old original Fuchs in storage, refinish them eventually. Any aftermarket that's going to be a direct fit comparison (so I can keep using my new tires) is all I seek. I'm just too much of a newbie to know the stock fit specs for comparisons.

[SnakeDoc]

Although I would like to find a pattern with some "air" in it, since I spent the time to paint the calipers and hubs a nice blue shade...would like it to show.

[twin plugged targa]

I think the minilites are nice if you can find them!
Rgds Ben

[berettafan]

minilites would look good i think. there was a car in one of the british porsche mags recently that had them and i thought it was pretty cool. torque thrusts might look good too but i think there may be a lug issue.

erik

[FrayAdjacent911]

Find some old American Racing Torque Thrust wheels... those would look pretty hot.

My vote, tho, would be for 15x7 Fuchs all the way around. Stinky is wearing (repro) 15x7s, and it looks pretty nice... a nice wide footprint.

[stormmaster]

When I had my 70T, I ran 15x6 front and 15 wide 6 on the rear...Fuchs...why dont you just refinish yours instead of buying a new set?...or you can send them off to have them done professionally. Cheaper than a set a wheels...

[ttweed]

Originally posted by twin plugged targa
I think the minilites are nice if you can find them!

Here's what I would do. Superlite rims from Oz resembling Minilites and imported by Pack Racing Products in AZ. Priced at $162 each and Porsche fitments are available. Call:

Barry Knickerbocker
Pack Racing Products
508 Cheery St.
Prescott, AZ 86301
928-771-1763
928-771-1918 Fax

No affiliation, just planning on some myself one day.

TT

[HarryD]

I would go with Cookies. Period correct and not to expensive. Try the Used places like Parts Heaven, EASY, DC Automotive, Parts Obsolete.

[real550A]

Don't rule out GAS BURNERS! Came stock on many '72s

I'm a big fan of the Mahle's but, I thought you could only get them on deserted country roads in Virginia, in the middle of the night!

Remember this one?
A sad find - Somebody left a 911 to rot

[Zeke]

Excellent, Tom. Those will be on my next car!

[randywebb]

The problem is that no suggestion is as light as the Fuchs for the same width, nor are most of the above as strong.

[ttweed]

Originally posted by randywebb
The problem is that no suggestion is as light as the Fuchs for the same width, nor are most of the above as strong.

If you're not racing, what does it matter? Yes, the Fuchs are the best, but he said he wanted to bail on his and store them. The cookie cutters are heavier, and cast, not forged, but they are plenty strong. Same goes for most of the aftermarket choices. For most normal street driving, a few extra lbs. of rotating, unsprung mass at each corner is not going to kill the experience. It's a performance hit, for sure, but if you're not trying to shave the last few tenths off your lap time, so what?

The Superlites I posted about are definitely heavy in comparison to the Fuchs. But I will use them for street tires and save the Fuchs for the track. At less then $700 for a set, brand new, they are a bargain compared to Fuchs.

TT

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally posted by stormmaster
...why dont you just refinish yours instead of buying a new set?...or you can send them off to have them done professionally. Cheaper than a set a wheels...

Couldn't agree more. My 15x6's were redone by Al Reed and they are PERFECT ....and it is much cheaper to do than buy new wheels. Its a no brainer unless you just GOTTA have something other than Fuchs (which I frankly do not understand particularly on an early car.)

[KevinS]

Phone Dials are the only other choice I'd go with. I have no idea what they cost though, that may be the only draw back. I'd have to say Gogar's gas burners look pretty good........

[ttweed]

Originally posted by KevinS
Phone Dials are the only other choice I'd go with. I have no idea what they cost though, that may be the only draw back.

Cost is a definite drawback for the Mahle gasburners, they are going for stupid $$$, but not the phone dials. I have a set of the 7x15 phone dials and they are as cheap as the cookies (~$2-300 for a set of 4). They are also cast and not forged, just as heavy, but have much better caliper overhang clearance for my Turbo brakes than the cookies or the Fuchs. You have to be careful buying them because they came in two offsets, early and late. Only the early 7x15 ones have the 23mm offset you need for the early 911. The later ones are 52mm offset. AFAIK, there is no 6" size with the phone dials, either, as there is with the cookies and Fuchs, only 7 & 8s were made, I believe.

TT

[randywebb]

"what does it matter?"

- Even the street cars were made just as light as Porsche could make them. Wheel wt. is very important for handling... so if you want to be "true to the spirit of the car" you'll keep the wheels light. Not everyone cares, I'll grant that.

I would get a set of beater Fuchs - they will hold vlaue and can be sold later on. I'd pick out the best 4 wheels based on roundness and balance - get all balanced and the ones with the least balance wts. are the ones to restore. You can restore them yourself with much labor, paint them all black or send them to Al Reed or Harvey Wiedmann.