17" Turbo Wheels

[daring]

Ok... I know people have talked until blue in the face about putting 17"+ Wheels on 89 - 94 C2/C4's. My question, however, has nothing to do with fitting, but more about Part Numbers....

Did Porsche make a version of the Turbo I (aka. Technology, Turbo Twist, etc.) wheel in 17 inch in the early days of the 993 production? If so, I need part numbers (Front & Rear) that I can take to the parts department at the dealer. Their parts inventory systems are so geared towards 996 models now that anything before 1999 is already obsolete/hard to find in their records. You can't just do a search under wheels and find ALL of the older stuff. If I have part numbers, they tell me that the information can be hidden in their system and will come right to the surface or that they can check to see if they existed in a Europe only market for example. Bottom line... Were they produced?

I don't plan on buying them from the dealer ($$$ Cha Ching!!), but at least I can put this to rest and make my next move.

I would appreciate any and all information that can be shared. Thanks,

DG

[maxnine11]

i have never heard of a 17 inch hollow spoke ( aka turbo twist, technology) only 18. I think the 17 inch twists are off off the boxters and maybe the 996. not much help, i know. max

[Dbelleperc]

You might want to try Wheel Enhancement they are very helpful. Here is their turbo technology twist stile.

[daring]

Hey

David... The picture on the link you shared is right on. So what I am hearing is that ALL 17" are replicas regardless of the claims from people trying to sell them as otherwise!!

Max... The Boxter 'S' Wheel that you refer to has a different center (the spokes don't come together in the middle). Thank you for taking the time to respond regardless.

Darin

[maxnine11]

DG, i did a little more reading on the twist wheels. I am now quite sure that the 17 inch twists were only available on the 996 and Boxster. So you would be looking for a 996 or 986 part number. If you area your friendly neighborhood Porsche dealer, peek into their service bay and see if there is a car up on a hoist that has the wheels you are after. the part number should be on the inside of one of the spokes. some ebay listings and another, with numbers , max

[maxnine11]

Darin, there are (at least) two styles of the 17inch boxter twists. the new S wheels with the 'sharper' spokes, and different version. here is the difference max

[daring]

Max,

Thanks for the research time...

I really have my heart set on these though..... (example car w/Wheels)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2408693003&category=10156

[maxnine11]

Darin, I zoomed in and upped the contrast on one of the pictures from the ebay ad, and it does look like the lettering says ZR17. so, i'm guessing that they are replicas. I have a set of hollow spoke 18s that i'm not using now, but I'm sure they are the wrong offset for your car (they are the widebody offset). I personally do not care for a twist style wheel, but will probably hang on to them since they were the wheels the car was originally equipped with. (i do wish my RUF wheels were as light though!)where in so-cal are you located? max

[daring]

Max,

Well, if 17's are all replicas I should go about finding the best ones!!! I wish more people didn't like those twists, like you, so the price tag was low, low, low.... Kinda like the dirt cheap price those C90s carry, that originally came with my car.

Currently I have 16' Cup Wheels from a 96' 993 Body w/ Front offsets of 55mm and rears @ 70mm. Wheel diameter and spacers makes it a no brainer on the car. 18's, I know have been done, but it seems risky. Just going up 1 inch makes me nervous.

btw... I am in LA County, Santa Clarita more specifically.

Thanks, Darin

[maxnine11]

Darin, the 17 inch twists pictured above are both Porsche genuine wheels. No one (including Porsche) makes a hollow spoke 17' twist as far as I know. You may want to follow this thread over the next few days for a picture. max

[9XI]

Darin,

I'd consider selling my 18s. I'd like to put the correct Cup 1s on my car.

[maxnine11]

9XI, not sure if these are what you are after, or if these are going for the right price (they are, of course, on the wrong coast). Nice car you have there!! max

[9XI]

That is very kind of you, Max, and that is a reasonable price the are asking.

I should have been more specific, however. I want them to LOOK stock, but not be stock. I don't know why they went with 8s in the rear of RSAs -- very strange. I would want at least 17x7s and 9s.

17x8s and 9.5s is what I am really lusting over, but they are quite rare and expensive. At least then I would have a similar footprint to what I have now with the 18s.

The cats meow would be Carrera Cup magnesium wheels, but they only came on the european Carrera RS. I almost lucked onto a set a year ago, but no dice.

[Dbelleperc]

Speaking of 18's I did a post on 18's and it is possible but some people don't like the idea and they bring in the "Porsche has not approved 18's on the 964 yet thing," but here is a picture that I think says it all, and the Carrera rims WILL fit onto norrow body car also.

[maxnine11]

those lightweight 18s look great on the black turbo2 !! that wheel looks good on a 993 as well. A lot better looking than on the 996 (on which they are originally fitted) IMHO. max

[maxnine11]

here are a few examples of the lightweight 996 five spoke on 993s. max

[daring]

9XI,

Thanks for the hinted offer!! I just know I would be in trouble with those. My 16's look tight in the front wheel wells (Top has plenty of clearence, but back of well is barely clearing now when you turn). I know I can make up some of the difference by narrowing the tire profile, but that may not solve my problem.

Your RSA looks great!! I'm not well versed on this, but word is that steering limits incorporated into the RSA's as well as your '94 having more "tolerant" wheel wells than the earlier 964's allows you to get those 18's in there. Out of curiousity, What size Yokahamas do you have on there?

D

[9XI]

Thank you for the kind words. I don't know about the steering limits; however, I do notice that my turning radius is VERY long. It may be that the prior owner installed some restriction on the steering system to accommodate the larger wheels. Don't know....

I just switched to S-03 Pole Positions from the Yokohama AVS Sports. Very notable improvement! The Yoks were too soft. You could really feel the rear tires roll on corners and it made control more difficult. Just one more variable to calculate into your approach to the turn. The S-03s are exactly the responsiveness I wanted and the car is now much easier to control and drive fast on the twisties. A lot less tramlining too.

Sizes are right out of the 964 owners manual for 18s. Front -- 225/40/18. Rear -- 265/35/18.

Best regards,