Another Porsche alloy question.............

[65bug]

Hi guys,
      I have raised my raer end back up on my 65 bug to almost stock height. I have the American eagle 7 inch wide alloy replicas.
      My Goodyear Eagle GT'S are 205/65/15 size. The tires stick out a little bit past the rear fenders.
      I do not like the way this looks, as a matter of fact I hate the look. I want the wheels tucked under the fenders. When the rear is lowered, they tuck under the fenders fine. But traction and ride sucks!!!!!
      It seems to me that the VW needs rear suspension to throw the weight onto the rear for optimal traction.
      Question: Did Porsche ever make a wide 7 inch offset alloy?? If so, I am looking for two rears.
 Thanks

[Dave Conklin (Cornpanzers)]

Yes they did, It was the 7R wheel and they sell for about $1200 each when they show up.  Pretty rare stuff!

How much did you change your ride height>  Almost sounds like you have positive camber now.

[Zach Gomulka]

I dont know what the backspace is on those wheels, but my friend used 7" wide fake fuchs (I think they had 4 3/4" backspace?) with a 235/60 tire, short axles and discs. It just bearly fit. Do you still have the short axles?

[Alan Uyeno]

I'm assuming you have short axles unless a previous owner swapped the before.

Get some 15x6 fuchs and they will tuck no problem.  I went with 16's for more footprint and it opens up more variety of performance street tires.  15's are really phasing out if you talk to the tire reps.

negative camber will give you even worst traction when the car squats when launching.

Bruce T  is running NON 911R original deep dish 15x7 fuchs on the street. His REAL set of 911R's are light and cherry!!!! He's selling me those for 100 bucks each CDN......I wish!

[65bug]

Thanks Dave and Zach,
        Well, thats just my luck! Those sound like pretty rare rims indeed. As a matter of fact I do not think I have ever seen a set!
        I think I am right at about a inch lower then stock right now.
  I could probable go another notch and see how it looks. When the tires stick out like this, it just takes away from the body lines of the car. It looks out of place to me.
        So what do you guys recommend? I know I have these options:
1. A 2 inch wider rear fiberglass fender.
2. Take my stock axles out, put in sway aways narrowed and have the torsion bars narrowed.
3. Get stock size 6 or 5.5 alloys.
      I like the wider rims and tires for better traction and handling if at all possible I want to keep this size.
      Hmmm, I wonder if a narrower tire would work on these rims? Here's another question: DID Porsche make a offset 16 inch newer alloy that is 7 inches wider?
    Thanks alot guys

[65bug]

Hi Alan,
      Hey thanks. Glad you could chime in here. I appreciate it! Alan, do you know off hand what the length of the stock 1965 VW axles are?
      The 15x6 alloys may be the answer!
   Thanks

[Alan Uyeno]

Todd,

You dont have to complicate things. Run short axles.

CIP1 has the length listed for a short axles as :

61-66 BUG/GHIA W/SHORT SPLINES (26-11/16IN LONG)

As long as you have short axle housing/tube your ready to go!!

With my 15x6 fuchs I have to actually space out the wheel with my M&H slick. Cant recal the amount but they do not have the offset like a fake fuchs.

With stock height my 16x7 fuchs with 225/50/16 fit perfectly.

[65bug]

Alan,
     Hey Thanks, so what if I just switch to the 225/50/15 tires? Would that not narrow it up a bit?

[Alan Uyeno]

Alan,
 Hey Thanks, so what if I just switch to the 225/50/15 tires? Would that not narrow it up a bit?

offset of wheel dictates how much it sticks out.

Another consideration is to take the existing wheel to a machine shop. Get them to inspect the amount of material where the wheel contacts the drum. If safe to do so (shouldn't be a problem whatsoever) I would get them to remove some material so it sucks in the wheel. This would be the cheapest route. Do some research on the offset of a real fuchs.

My 16x7 fuchs tucks in nicely with 225/50/16's. There is alot of sticky tires available in that size. After 5+ yrs I'll throw away a tire regardless of how much tread is left. My Yokohama AVS sports over the years became rock hard and became extremely sketchy on the street. Trying the Hankook RS-2's and they stick extremely well. Look for a 200 or 180 treadwear and your safe and sticky.

With my factory stock hieght ass end putting on kyb "white" gas a just gave me some positive camber.  Put in some Nakata stock shocks and the ride height and camber were perfect once again.

off topic but if you want some real nice polished fuchs lugnuts check out this site:

http://www.boothedesign.com/

Ralph sells  beautifully polished lugnuts for an awesome price.

[65bug]

Alan,
     Thanks, I never thought of having some material shaved off the inside!
     That's a great idea. I think I have some good info now and I will keep everyone posted!
      Oh, I have the real Magnusium Porsche lug nuts already. Go a complete 4 wheel set on ebay for 40.00. Man these things are light too!
      I am gonna try and get some pics on here........

[65bug]

One more thing: So for best raction I want the tires to set straight up and down when I am not in the car?
  I am mixxed up with neg., pos. camber! Pos is the when the car is dumped and the bottoms are angled out?
   Thanks

[Bruce Tweddle]

Todd, I wouldn´t remove any material like Alan suggested.  Your Fake Fuchs are not that strong to begin with.  I have seen several cracked fakes, removing any material there just makes them weaker.  Your best bet is to look for some genuine 7x15 Fuchs.  Those will fit a short axle swing car with EASE.  Your fakes must have some non-stock offset if they stick out. 
6x15 Fuchs on a short axle swing car really need a spacer to look right.
A 225/50 tire is wider than your 205/65, so that won´t help you.

[65bug]

Thanks Bruce,
      So the Porsche wheels are really that much stronger huh? Well, I will tkae your word for it. I know they are welded together, where as mine are probably cast one piece.
      Would you recommend me taking a measurement of the inside diameter of the wheel from the base to the outside lip in the inside?
      I will take a picture and post it here shortly.
     

[Dave Conklin (Cornpanzers)]

Just to clarify - Positive camber is when the top f the tire tips out.  Negetive camber is when the tops are kicked in.

Porsche Fuchs are a 1 piece forged wheel and the replicas are cast.

Your 65 should already have short axles

[Alan Uyeno]

Todd,

check your wheels for cracks in the corners of the cutouts.  The corners seems to crack but I dont think the backside cracks (wheel/drum contact)

Do you have 1/2 inch of offset sticking out???

Bruce is right about strength. The original fuchs will be stronger and lighter than a replica wheel.

[65bug]

Thanks Dave for clarifying that! Alan, I am not quite sure I understand what you are asking about a 1/2 inch of offset sticking out. You mean the rim past the fender lip?
    The rim does not stick out past the fender, its just that little bit of tire.
     I worked on the car for 4 hours today. Man, time flies when you are working on the car.
     I am still messing with raising and lowering the car. Thinking I can come to a happy medium here.........

[fast54vw]

do you have drilled drums or adapters? this will definately push the wheel out

[Bruce Tweddle]

I think John must have hit it.  7s should fit a short axle car with ease.  I´ve even seen 8s on short axle cars with small tires.

. ...The corners seems to crack but I dont think the backside cracks (wheel/drum contact)

The fakes crack a lot from the center hole towards the lug nut holes, then to the large triangle holes.

[65bug]

Hi guys,
     Sorry I did not get back sooner. Yes, I have drilled drums. I am going to snap some pictures today and tell me what you guys think.
     So what the norm for lowering the rear end and still getting a descent ride and traction? 1 Inch? 1 1/2?
     Bruce, I am looking for some real alloys now for the rears! You got me worried now about cracks!
     I inspected mine and no cracks that I can see. Mine are the older American Eagle alloys.
     Do you guys have pics of your rear ends with alloys? I woul;d love to see the stance of yours and how far the tires stick out.
     I will say this, lowering the car can be a real pain in the ass!
 Thanks again

[65bug]

BUMP

[65bug]

[Zach Gomulka]

Picture no worky...

[65bug]

Zack, anyone,
   Hoe do I upload my pics on this thing??


 Thanks

[65bug]

anyone, help pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese..................need picture upload help

[rick m]

I have a 57 Oval I am working on at this time with real 15x7s in the rear with short axles and 205/70x15 Pirelli 3000s on them. I actually had to use a 1/4 spacer to set the wheel and tire where I wanted it to be out to fill the fender. The rear fenders are stock steel OEM VW fenders and the wheels and tires clear nicely and look right, filling the rear fenderwell. 

You don't need to get flared fenders to get real FUCHS under the rear of your car.  A 65 bug has stock length axles and unless you have type 3 drums or something that changes the offset to make it wider, 7" real alloys will fit fine.  I tried a 215/70x15 tire and it was too much so I went back to the 205/70.  Depends on what you are looking for.  I wanted the rear tire to be out close to the fender but still tucked neatly inside it.

If you are trying to do it without drilled drums and are using adapters,  you will have trouble because the adapters usually push out the wheel another 3/4" to 1".  So, if you are using drilled drums, you should be fine.

Send me an email and I will send you some shots of my car to look at. The motor is not in it right now but you can still see that the rear 7's will tuck nicely into the rear fenders.

Rick M
rick@teammpi.com