why are deep sixes so expensive?

BK911 · BK911's Garage

Keep hearing "one year only".
That doesn't really matter does it?
The important thing is if its date correct for your car, right?
So a 69 dated deep six wheel is only important to those with a 70.
A 72 dated flat six should be worth just as much to somebody with a 73, right?
The cars are worth about the same, so the parts should be too??
Or am I way off?

Daves911L · Daves911L's Garage

Because they are "deep sixes". Part of the internet fueled madness to make things special and thus justify higher prices. As soon as you tag something with a catchy name it instantly becomes worth 5 times what it was the day before, and all the have-nots desperately want to become the haves. It wasn't very long ago there were just fuchs alloys. All the subtle little variations in style/size/date were unknown and uncared about by virtually everyone. A set of 15" alloys was $600. A set of 16" alloys was $1000 (they were much newer). Steel wheels were given away. No one wanted skinny weird looking 4.5" alloys, except the VW guys. Life was simple.

Not one year, but 3 (69,70,71). Deep 5.5? That was one year only, so must be the best right?. Flat 6? well those were 6 years, so of course they must be inferior! Sorry for my strange sense of humor. Deep 5.5's on our '68. I like the way they look, but they're still just wheels.

Anyone who has never read "The Sneetches" (by Dr. Suess) should do so immediately. It explains the current fever over Porsche parts perfectly.

BE911SC · 10-29-2015, 06:13 AM

^^^Well said.

group911@aol.co · 10-29-2015, 07:13 AM

I think it's driven by what it costs to replace them new. Fuchs have always been expensive and probably justified in their quality. In 77 I bought new 9" wheels and at the time, Fuchs were priced at about $100 per inch width. $900 for a wheel was a lot of money then so looking at a deep 6" wheel now priced at about $700 each, it's not such of a stretch for a wheel that was fairly limited in production and seems to have a limitless life.

T77911S · 10-29-2015, 08:22 AM

i would like to see pics.

BK911 · BK911's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daves911L

Not one year, but 3 (69,70,71). Deep 5.5? That was one year only, so must be the best right?. Flat 6? well those were 6 years, so of course they must be inferior! Sorry for my strange sense of humor. Deep 5.5's on our '68. I like the way they look, but they're still just wheels.

There were hearts and non hearts. In 71 there were the non heart deep sixes, and also the flat sixes. So they were half year only wheels. In 73 there were 3 ring center cap and ring style center cap, so each was also a half year only. So the 71s and 73s were all half year production and should demand the highest premium. But it doesn't seem to be the case.

bgyglfr · 10-29-2015, 11:20 AM

Personally, I think deep 6s are the best looking wheel for a narrow early car. Something about the bigger paddles on the wheels just looks right.

Ofishbein · Ofishbein's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daves911L

Because they are "deep sixes". Part of the internet fueled madness to make things special and thus justify higher prices.

Just imagine if they were "barn find" deep sixes!

sixbanger · 10-29-2015, 03:26 PM

Please post pictures of both so we can see the difference.

Shaun @ Tru6 · 10-29-2015, 03:52 PM

getting tires off of them can be difficult.

BK911 · BK911's Garage

LOL!! Looks like you use the same method I do!!

rothaus · 10-29-2015, 05:23 PM

I just took the tires of from a set of deep 6, and I found the best way is to remove the tires from the back side.

Cheers
Engelbert

bgyglfr · 10-29-2015, 06:38 PM

Here are some borrowed pics.

Deep 6s

Flat 6s

tdw28210 · tdw28210's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ofishbein

Just imagine if they were "barn find" deep sixes!

Paid for my lift and then some with a set of barn find deep 5.5s. Was more of a garage than a barn though. 😆

T77911S · 10-30-2015, 02:37 AM

hate to say this but i cant telll the difference....

DougZ · DougZ's Garage

I don't get it either.

bgyglfr · 05:41 AM

If you look closely, the petals on deeps extend almost all the way to the outer rim. Flats have a flat space in between so the petals are smaller. It is much more obvious in person. That said, they never came on impact bumper and later cars so there's really no value unless you have an early car.

javadog · 10-30-2015, 05:43 AM

The difference can't be seen from that angle. You have to look at them from a 3/4 angle, then the difference is obvious. It helps to see them in person.

JR

Daves911L · Daves911L's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by BK911

There were hearts and non hearts. In 71 there were the non heart deep sixes, and also the flat sixes. So they were half year only wheels. In 73 there were 3 ring center cap and ring style center cap, so each was also a half year only. So the 71s and 73s were all half year production and should demand the highest premium. But it doesn't seem to be the case.

Silly me! I for got all about the hearts. Some years back I started seeing this term "hearts". Ads on Pelican, ebay, etc. for deep sixes with hearts. Having had these cars for close to 40 years, I had never heard this term before. I just figured that was what they were calling the center caps. The heart of the wheel, right? A year or two ago I friend was talking about wheels and I asked him about it. He explained that the opening between petals where the valve stem is located has a heart shape on some deep sixes, but not on others. He said "look" and pointed to a wheel. Sure enough, there is the tiniest little bump there next to the valve stem. Damn near had to get out a magnifying glass to see it! If I hadn't been properly educated I'd have got my file out and took care of that defect in short order! Haha!

Oh yeah, mine are all stored in a barn. And they have "patina". I'm counting my millions!

kkinzli · 10-30-2015, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daves911L

Silly me! I for got all about the hearts. Some years back I started seeing this term "hearts". Ads on Pelican, ebay, etc. for deep sixes with hearts. Having had these cars for close to 40 years, I had never heard this term before. I just figured that was what they were calling the center caps. The heart of the wheel, right? A year or two ago I friend was talking about wheels and I asked him about it. He explained that the opening between petals where the valve stem is located has a heart shape on some deep sixes, but not on others. He said "look" and pointed to a wheel. Sure enough, there is the tiniest little bump there next to the valve stem. Damn near had to get out a magnifying glass to see it! If I hadn't been properly educated I'd have got my file out and took care of that defect in short order! Haha!

Oh yeah, mine are all stored in a barn. And they have "patina". I'm counting my millions!

That friend was me! I think this is the only Porsche question I knew the answer to that you didn't. Totally agree with you on it being a stupid distinction. Can't actually tell you if mine have hearts or not.