Alloy Wheels?

[Arlen]

I'm searching for a set of cheap alloy wheels for my '74 914 2.0--where should I turn? Any suggestions, tips or leads?

Also, if your planning on putting low profile tires on your 914, would you want to step up the diameter of the wheel by the difference between a low profile and normal profile tire?

What kind of wheels do you have on your sporty poor man's porsche?

[CoryB]

If by "cheap" you mean imitation, then I have a set of 5 lug 15x7 porsche 911 fuchs. With next to new Brimstone tires on them. If you're interested let me know and I'll see if I can take some pictures of them ;D

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73 914 2.0
corybrown@nctimes.net

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Cheap? Look for VW Bug wheels. Just realize that you may very well be stuck running 165-width tires. You might actually be able to find some 16" sizes. They may or may not fit correctly on the hubs.

Modestly-expensive? Stock 914 wheels. You can fit up to 195-width rubber under stock fenders, or up to 205 on many (most?) 914s. The 70-72 ones will not seat correctly on the hubs, as they do not have the right recess for the "hub-centric ring" on the 73+ front hubs. All of these wheels aer 5.5x15.

If you want any other size than 5.5x15, you have very few options. Panasport, Minilite, and Revolution all can and do make wheels of other sizes that you can fit on 914s. Tom Tatalovich Racing Services, http://www.ttrsracing.com imports Revolutions. I forget offhand who imports Panasports or Minilites, but a Google search should turn them up.

They won't be cheap.

Given the choices, most people opt to run stock 914 wheels and live with the gearing change if they want to run low-profile tires. Plus the change if you're running 205/60-15 isn't that much.

[EDIT--]
You can put Chris' 911 wheels on your 914 for relatively-cheap. But it won't be very safe. The cheap way to mount the five-bolt wheels is to use bolt-on adaptors, and those aren't generally the best thing.

You can have your hubs drilled and have studs pressed in in the five-bolt pattern. That's not that cheap, especially when you realize that the front brake rotors are part of the front hub, and you have to have your rotors re-drilled any time you have to change them.

Check the "five-bolt conversion guide" for more details.

--DD

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Pelican Parts 914 Tech Support

A few pics of my car: http://www.pelicanparts.com/gallery/Dave_Darling

[This message has been edited by Dave_Darling (edited 10-01-2001).]

[campbellcj]

Dr. Dave covered the options well.

IMHO wheels (and tires) are NOT a place where cheap=good. These are the main interface between your car and mother earth for going, stopping, and turning. They take a huge amount of punishment. Your life is on the line.

My vote for a stock/street 914 is the 2.0 (4-bolt) Fuchs. Very strong, light, good looking, and reasonably plentiful.

I have a set of the Fuchs on my car for street use, as well as some newly acquired Panasport Racing wheels (15x6) for track events. The Panasports are a bit spendy, as Dave pointed out - the race version is about $1200/set new (I got mine used). I think there is a street version as well, which is cheaper but not as light and possibly not as strong/well-made.

Please don't use 5-lug adapters and repro "Fachs"...there is a reason that is an unpopular (and not track-legal) way to go. Hey, it's your car, of course, but I assume you're driving on public roads with the rest of us!

Cheers,

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Chris C.
73 914 2.0
70 911E Targa
campbell.chris@gte.net

[SteveStromberg]

I like Mahles. Steve