Wheels
 

OK, lots of posts lately on wheel sizes - here's mine:

I currently have the stock 15" star / cookie-cutter rims with (I think) 7" wide tires on 'em. I'd sort of like to go with 16" rims and run a lower sidewall profile tire to keep the overall wheel + tire outside diameter the same. The manual says 16" rims are approved with 205mm (8") wide tires, but I'm wondering if I can go with 215s (8.5") or if I'm better off just staying with the book-recommended 205s for handling. Does anyone know what % sidewall-to-width I'd have to get with the 16s to preserve the proper outside diameter so my speedo isn't all jacked up afterwards? I suppose I could calculate it out, but it's easier to just ask someone that's done it.

Finally, I assume there won't be any ramifications braking-performance-wise going to 16s (since they're not THAT much different than the 15s on it now and they're approved in the manual) right? Which 16" rims were offered as an option by the factory in early 85? Were they the phone dials of fuschs? Do you recommend something else?

Thanks!

I like to run 16" Fuchs, 7's and 8's with 205/55 front and 225/50 on the rear. I've also run 16x7's w/225/50's all around. The height difference is neglible (a tad shorter) between these sizes your OE 215/60/15s on cookies. Take a look at http://www.dsm.org/tools/tiresize.htm for a good tire size comparison.

iirc, the Fuchs option was 15x7 and 15x8 for the early cars. Not sure when the 16's became an option.

It seems odd there'd be a comment in the owners manual about 16s then, unless they were referring to aftermarkets. . .

How does the 225 rear & 205 front setup affect the handling? Do you get any understeer? Thanks!

They were an option as far back as '83 with the sport package and LSD. I have them on my car, and run 205 50 16 in the front, and 225 45 16s in the rear. Which works out to the same overall tire diameter as a 205 60 15 which I believe is the stock tire size for the 15's

The 205/225 setup does dial in some understeer although with a 19mm rear bar and firm shocks, it tends to be offset somewhat. The car feels better to me with this street setup but it all depends in how you use the car... Back in the 80's, for autox's I used the OE 15x7 cookies with slightly wider/shorter A008R tires to good effect If you're trying to get neutral track handling maybe you could go with 16x8's and 245's all around.

UconnTim97, the stock size on cookies was 215/60/15. Your 205/50/16's and 225/45's are shorter than his stock tires (-4.7%) which would put his speedo off by about 3 mph at 60 and roll an extra 40 revolutions per mile. 225/50's or maybe 245/45's would be virtually the same size as stock (~1.0% smaller).

Btw, very nice looking car!

Thanks. I guess I was a little off on the stock size.

That sounds right to me on the stock size & that's what I have on there now (obviously not the original tires, but apparently it's been kept true-to-stock) - thanks one and all! I use the car for street use (my daily driver) so a LITTLE understeer is okay with me as long as it doesn't too adversely affect that legendary P-car handling. Awww, maybe I'll just run 16x8s all around if that gives a nice ride - think it'd look good too.