Changing Wheels For The V8

Quick typo there, Ron! P6 4 cyl cars came from the factory on 165/82 tyres - except they didn't write the /82 bit at that time cos there wasn't any alternative. Nearest available today are 165/80 X 14, but almost everyone goes up a size.

Chris
 
I should start a "geoff's wheel finds thread"

I found these, stud pattern is wrong but offset and styling for the period look is about right.

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.p ... HRE-Wheels

HREw_Cap1.jpg
 
So that leads neatly on to the "how to cope with different stud patterns" discussion. I've been having a think, and It think it would be pretty straightforward to replicate both front and rear hubs from Aluminium alloy - 7000 series or similar - bar of the approximate same diameter as the wheel mating face of the hub. This would produce a significantly lighter hub of the same or better strength as the cast steel one. And because you are starting from a blank, the stud pattern would be completely free. The downside is that there would be a large amount of wasted material from the bar, so the price is likely to be quite high, driven by the material cost. I don't see the machining cost as being that great.

Any takers?

Chris
 
G'day Chris

as I have alluded to on here, I have a couple of 70's Mazdas, which mostly came in the 4x110 stud pattern. This was used pretty much by Mazda and no one else, so what a lot of Aussies do is have the hubs changed to 4x114.3 so that we can use Datsun wheels (some people mash 4x108 Ford Escort wheels on but you have to bend the wheel studs slightly and although a great mate of mine in Wales does it and hasn't had an issue, I have seen some sad looking Mazdas with damage and wheels missing after the studs have broken).

I know of people here in my home city that can whip up some autocad or similar drawings for hubs, or if I pull my finger out and go rip off the hubs from the Rover in the wrecking yard that Al and I know of, I could get the stud pattern changed on the factory ones.

I'm interested in what people think is a better stud pattern to use. If we went 5x114.3, then that's Australian Ford, Nissan and a few others. 5x120.7 (I think?) is Jaguar and Chevrolet.
This is mostly why when I do a search, I've been searching for "15x6" +40 in google and seeing what comes up and what is popular. For you UK guys, I think some BBS wheels would do the trick nicely.
 
Isn't there enough meat on the hubs to drill the desired PCD between the existing holes? If you are going for a smaller PCD it should be simple, for larger then you may find edge clearances a bit of an issue.
As an alternative to the aluminium 7000 seires hubs, why not use steel? It will be cheaper to buy by a good margin and that should compensate for the slightly higher machining costs over the ally.
 
Unfortunately you can't make intermediate stud holes as the OE item has bosses cast to the back of the hub to take the standard holes and there isn't enough metal between.

Yes, I suppose you could use steel bar, but if you're going to the trouble of making new ones I'd rather get the unsprung weight down a bit while I was at it.

Chris
 
PCD adaptors are most definitely out at the rear, Richard. As you say, already not enough room and too great an offset required, PCD adaptors would tip that instantly into no wheels available at all!

Chris
 
Yes the adaptors would be nice, but then it would make them +50 offset (or so).

I have a secret love of V8 Aston Martins, while daydreaming/googling I found one with "Gotti" wheels.

these:
http://www.gbsalpine.com/wheel/gotti/eng/j55a.html

I think would look good in a dark colour, plus they do custom fitments. If you google "porsche gotti" you'll get a rough idea of what is available.
 
I don't disagree that it can be done, Ron. I just don't like the idea of welding up cast steel on principle. It really isn't good engineering practice and you only ever do it if you have no choice and access to really good stress relieving facilities afterwards. And machining through a mixture of cast material and weld is pretty hazardous.

Chris
 
I've seen it done on Mazdas, my 1300 has a Toyota Hiace van diff with the PCD changed from 5x114.3 to 4x110. No problems at all.
 
I reckon those Will fit! There's enough meat on the rear mating face to have 5 mm away to take the offset out to 40mm and then you're sorted! Reasonably attractive too. 7J might be just a shade wide, but nothing too serious and 16" a definite plus!

Chris
 
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