Fuchs question
 

Hello all,
I have a feeling these black center caps didn't come from the factory. I'm not crazy about the factory "white gold metallic" Fuchs (I'd prefer black), but I can't stand the black center caps. Would this car have come from the factory with these caps, or would they have been "white gold" like the wheels? The car is all original and I would like to keep it that way as much as possible, so if they are supposed to be "white gold", I'll likely paint them. Thanks for any help you have.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280677065.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/532273-911-targa-vs-coupe-2.html

Check out the gold fuchs in this thread. Your black ones just don't look right.

That's not a common color combo from the factory (black car, white gold centers with black hubcaps). Usually if the wheels were painted from the factory, they were painted the same color as the rest of the car. But if you dislike it so much, why not paint the hubcaps white gold, or the wheels black? Are you sure the wheels are original to your car? Or did a previous owner acquire them to replace damaged original wheels?

I have seen those wheels on some special edition 911s like this 1980 911SC Weissach Edition. The color is called "Platinum Metallic" or sometimes "Pongee Beige Metallic" and the black center caps were factory original on some (as in the original example pictured in the link above) although I have seen them with matching caps as well. This special edition 911SC also came in metallic black, but they still used the beige metallic wheels.

http://www.pytlik.com/escape/localpi...1_exterior.jpg
http://vista.pca.org/stl/blkweiss.jpg
http://vista.pca.org/stl/911weiss.jpg
more photos here: http://www.my911weissach.com/

You should do what you like with the caps--it's your car! It's not hard to go back to black on them if you change your mind...

TT

Thanks for all the quick replies. Yes, the odd color combination is factory. I was surprised to see the window sticker showing the "white gold" Fuchs with the black exterior myself:confused:... Someone had poor taste.

I did check out the thread with the gold fuchs on the gold car. Definitely better than the black centers I have now. Just looking through our host's catalog and can't believe the cost of center caps. What is everyone else's opinion:

Paint the center caps gold?

or

Paint the Fuchs black?
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280681186.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280681332.jpg

Cheapest option is to get another set of hubcaps and paint them gold to match the wheels. Then save the original black ones for originality's sake if you want them for whatever reason down the line.

I'd buy a second set of wheels, maybe some BBSs, and keep the Fuchs. Then you could change them back and forth as your mood dictates.:cool:
Honestly I like the gold, and it's original.

You can run without center caps. ;)

Personally, I think the white gold goes really nicely against the black car. Certainly not something you see everyday. If it were me, and those are truly factory finishes on those wheels, I'd be reluctant to paint them, given they look to be in very nice shape.

Come to think of it, your car would look great with a Carrera side script in the same white gold colour...

Terrific looking car in any case!

That's an original M491 option car, NOT a Weissach.

Very rare.

I don't know of any 491's that came with the gold wheels, but you could order almost anything, and HAD to order a M491, so they obviously also ordered the gold wheels. Probably came with black caps too.

I'll bet you can sell the caps (here or ebay) for a lot more than you can buy some plain paintable caps. Or you can mask the Porsche logo on the caps and repaint the black to match the wheels. (I'd probably do that since they wheels are original with documentation.

Try painting the caps to match the wheels, it may look better, you can always find black 7's and 8's if you hate it.

Over $12k for those options was big bucks for those 2 options 25 years ago.

Thanks for all of the complements... I know why you guys and girls love these cars. I haven't wiped the smile off my face since buying it a few weeks ago.

I will probably leave the wheels as they are because they are the originals.

Now what do you all think about loosing the sugar scoops for H4s??? Or just leave it all original. It only has 30,000 miles. My father-in-law owned from 1990 on and did nothing to it.

I really like the combination and definitely would not paint the original wheels. My wheels on my car came as part of a special edition and are painted body color along with the center caps. I bought a set of wheels the same color but not from a special edition car and came with the same black wheel centers you have.

Having something different that came from the factory with documentation is great. Buy a set of paintable centers, match the wheel color and keep the originals. Of course that is JMHO:cool: Do the H4's much better looking and better light. Again keep the originals.

Check those tires for their date code. P7's haven't been made in a long time. Dangerous driving on tires that are too old even if they look good.

These are my factory color matched centers.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280718834.jpg

You can get Bosch or Hella H4 headlights that fit into the sugar scoops. They have the same removable bulb as the Euro.

Same type lens and bulbs as the "Euro" H4 headlights, if you want to keep the 'original' look.

If you put Euro H4's on, be sure to keep the original Sugar Scoops.

I'll STRONGLY second the comment on those tires, they are not safe to drive at speed.

when I first saw your wheel & cap combo, I wasn't quite sure...then when you included the picture showing the entire vehicle, I thought that the whole package really "popped". I think the wheels look great, I wouldn't change a thing.

Tcar says...." You can get Bosch or Hella H4 headlights that fit into the sugar scoops..."

I don't think this is correct. Hella H4's are available that fit inside the sugar scoops. Bosch H4's are the "Euro" style that are the aerodynamic versions, faired-glass and require removal of the sugar scoop trim rings.

No, I'm right. I've had the Bosch (and Hella and Cibie) H4's in my sugar scoops.

Bosch makes BOTH kinds of H4 headlights... the 'Euro' and the type that fits into a sugar scoop.

Here they are on ebay:

Bosch H4 Headlight Upgrade 1968-86 Porsche 911,914,928: eBay Motors (item 400140199869 end time Aug-08-10 12:04:19 PDT)

Michael and TCAR, I took your advice on the old tires and ordered some Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 StarSpec tires.

Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec

Also, after reading all of your comments, I will probably leave the wheels and headlights as they are. This car is all original and just flipped 30,000 miles. I guess it makes since to leave her be. Thanks for all of the compliments!

i would paint the fuchs black but some of you have a good point about keeping it original. never was a fan of gold wheels on any cars.

Good choice of tires. Old tires are an accident waiting to happen and those have to be really old. You can look for the date code molded in to the tire close the rims edge. The first 2 numbers are the week they were made and the second two are the year. The new ones will be better in every way. Make sure to find a good tire installer to keep those Fuchs scratch free.

Just a bigger grin on your face than you already have :D

Personally, I really like the gold wheels on your car. They look great. Generally I am not a fan of gold wheel centers unless the wheel design is particularly amazing, or if the color of the car is somewhere in the range of beige/gold.

I am probably biased because of my car, which is an 81 sc targa that was originally red, but the 2nd owner ended up having a full color change done (and the quality of the job is amazing. They didn't pull the engine and the entirety of the interior, but they did everything else, no orange peel, it must have been extremely expensive). Anyway, the car is now kalahari beige metallic, which looks great on the car and works really well with the contrast of the black targa bar and top.

Also, he had a set of three piece bbs-style mesh wheels installed, painted to match the car. So, with that situation, it just ties everything together.

Anyway, usually on a black car, gold wheels look dated, but that particular gold is kind of a "mild" gold, more of that sandy kind of gold color vs. the deep gold that some wheels are painted.

I'd also concur with others on the centercaps. I'd say to find a used set on the board and then paint them to match the wheels.

Hope that helps.

Michael