Miker

I recently came across a set of wheels from a Boxster(98?). I think they are 17x7.5 front and 17x9 rear. Does anyone know if I can use these on my 87 Carrera. Is there an offset problem? If they can be used, what would be the correct size tires?
This car came from the factory with 195/65R15 tires on 7J x 15 rims in the front and 215/60R15 tires on 8J x 15 rims in the back. <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

Bill Gregory

Yes, the offsets are different. Your Carrera's wheels are around 23mm offset and the Boxsters are around 50-55mm. That means you'd need significant spacers, like 30mm give or take, for them to fit. If you decide to go that route, confirm the offsets before ordering spacers.

Steve 96C4S

Personally, I think your car would look alot better with the CORRECT wheels, the Fuchs - the originals! I never liked the look of a 79-89 Carerra with the "improper wheels" of a newer 911 or Boxster. I love the "correct" look to these cars. Why change a good thing? Plus, the black Fuchs are the easiest to clean wheel of all time.

I have a friend that put Boxster wheels on his 97 Convertible 993 and I think it looks a bit odd.

Just my 2 cents.

Steve
RL 020204-3367

Ed Bighi

I find the fuchs to look more proper myself. Especially 16x7&9. Besides not needing any spacers. Cleaning them is a joke. After a track day, I get a paper towel and run it around the silver part and that's it.
<img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

madvex

IMO, Stock FUCHS are just plain ugly. "Correct" or not, rims make a car. If you want the classic look, that's all fine and good. But a 911 w/ nice looking rims looks much better and cleaner than w/ fuchs.

My '85 was aged and ugly looking with the stock rims, even when they were polished up. One simple rim change and it looks 100% diffrerent - read sweet! The rims I went with do not need spacers though as they are made for the car.

I went with:
Front:
Rims: 17x7.5 Mille Miglia Cup 3 Silver
Tires: 205/50ZR-17 Bridgestone Potenza S-02 N4

Rear:
Rims: 17x9 Mille Miglia Cup 3 Silver
Tires: 255/40ZR-17 Bridgestone Potenza S-02 N4

My tire sizes will be the same for the Boxster rims you are looking at. The entire package (rims and tires) ran about $2k w/ Porsche OE center caps.

As for cleaning - laziness should not drive a decision to make your car look better. Clean your rims every time you clean your car and they will always look good.

I say - if you want the Boxster rims, get the measurements you need for the offset and go for it. Else, buy some aftermarket rims that are made for your 911 and have no offset worries.

RANDY P

3rd vote for Fuchs (unsolicited, I know!)
If you go the Boxster route, make sure you lower the car - it'll look jacked up otherwise.



OEM wheel will be the highest quality you can find. If you can make them work, then use them.

Rob in WA

Fuchs, I'm w/ stever.

J-McDonald

I'm with Madvex - Fuchs may be "classic", but they're only 16 inch, which IMHO makes the car look dated. One of the first changes I made to my car was giving the stock 16" Design 90 wheels the heave-ho and replacing them with 17" Turbo Cup wheels. The visual difference was startling.

NapTownSpeedy

Gotta say I love my Fuchs, but I'm looking for replacements. I can't get over the improved tire technology you can get with new wheels.

Madvex: It is a big change. Whether people like the look or not, you need to lower that girl. She's riding high like a tractor. It's an easy DIY job (well front anyway), oh and you'll need an alignment. But definitley lower to Euro spec!

Alan Herod

Fuchs!!! And if not Fuchs get real track wheels like Fiske or Kinesis. More then one place puts Fuchs centers in three piece wheels.

MikeF

Remember...Fuchs are "forged" lightweight wheels. The aftermarket wheels mentioned here, including "Boxster" wheels, are "cast"...this means heavy. The heavier the wheel, the greater your unsprung weight. This will impact steering response, braking, etc. For around town it's probably not a big deal. Take it to the track or Auto-X and there's a noticeable difference. Also, if your suspension has been updated with larger torsion bars, stiffer shocks, etc...17's can make the ride a bit too harsh for the street.

My vote goes for Fuchs. Black for the track and a polished set for the street. Anyone got a nice polished set for sale???

RANDY P

Anyone looking to sell Fuchs, lemme know, I'd be interested.

rjp

JackOlsen

[quote]Fuchs may be "classic", but they're only 16 inch, which IMHO makes the car look dated.<hr></blockquote>You can make 17-inch Fuchs, and they're lighter than their 16-inch counterparts (at least, if my bathroom scale is accurate -- 18 pounds for each <a href="http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads/00NewFuchs01.jpg" target="_blank">10x17</a>).




My solution: 8x10x17 with 235/275 tires, under SC/Carrera flares. $1,700, including $400 cost of 4 6x16 donor Fuchs, from Lindsey Racing in Oklahoma.

Ed Bighi

Fuchs, Fuchs, Fuchs, forged, forged, forged. As far as new tire technology, I run it in the form of the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup. The best combination of durability and grip on the market today. If in doubt, read the latest pano. The true advantage with larger diameter wheels is fitment of larger brakes, unless you listen to the rice boys. I'll worry about diameters when Formula 1 starts using diameters larger than 13" and Cart larger than 15". The reason being the smallest wheel that will clear the brakes since rubber is lighter than metal. Everything else is appearance oriented. If one isn't worried about weight, the only cast wheel that will come close to a Fuchs wheel in strength is RUF, made by Speedline. But there still isn't a wheel made that is stronger than Fuchs.
<img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

Richard Bernau

Ed,

FWIW, Formula One use 13 inch wheels because they have to, not because they choose to (don't know about CART but it is probably also regulated to 15 inch rims).

IMHO, a nice way to update the look of Fuchs is to paint the centres silver rather than black. A 16 inch Fuchs rim with a silver centre looks quite a lot larger than a black centred Fuchs. It is some optical illusion type of thing. Using spacers to push the rims out a little also helps with the optical illusion.

Just my $0.02 worth.

Richard

<a href="http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/Richards3.2.jpg" target="_blank">http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/Richards3.2.jpg</a>