glenny

Hi - I'm just new to the Forum. I have an '83 and an '86 944. I'm trying to confirm the wheel size (or sizes) of the 16" Fuchs that came with the '83 944 I just acquired. According to the car's option list of Option 395, the wheels were a factory option for this particular car. But without pulling the wheels off, I haven't been able to determine if the factory wheel size for '83 Fuchs was 16x7 for all four wheels or 16x7 for the front and 16x8 for the rear? Any help is truly appreciated. Many thanks.

odonnell

I have them on my car. 7" all around. IIRC it's the 951 16" Fuchs are staggered, 8" rears.

glenny

Thanks for the reply. It's most appreciated. Now I can buy the proper tires.

924srr27l

Hi welcome ,

Are the rear Tyre sizes wider / different than the fronts ?

If not, there's a high chance they are all 7x16", whats the tyre size 205/55/16?

R

Van

I didn't think 16" fuchs came on any early 944s - just the 15" ones. The 16"s came on the '86 turbo as an option (over phone dials).

924srr27l

Option 395 (16" Fuchs)


https://www.stuttcars.com/technical/option-codes/944/


R

Butters944

I thought the same until a buddy of mine's NA 86 had the option code for 16" fuchs. His were actually 16x7/8 stagger though.

mrgreenjeans

ALL '82/'83 - 944 normals came with one of two sizes of wheels only......

And this may be confirmed in your owner's manual for each car. Or your build code tag.

In the case of the very earliest of the normals with no power steering and manual sunroofs, ( the '82 built model year '83s for North America, and the '83 built model year '83s ) the wheels were 7 x 15 ATS Cookie Cutters in cast wheel, and if one ordered out the forged Alloy FUCHS wheels you could ONLY get them in 7x16. Squared up all around, no stagger.

The '84 cars thru the '85.1 model ( square dash or 924 interior ) came with the base wheels as 7x15 in cast alloy ATS Cookie Cutters OR the 7x15 fronts and 8x15 rears in Forged light alloy.

Other options could be had across the parts counter those years, but this was all one could order the car out with.

Again, verify what your car would take by the white build code tag showing your options and by the corresponding tag in your warranty book in the glove box OR look at your owner's manual. The sizes are all listed there for each model specifically.

This has been a bit of a bone of contention on various forums for many years, but by simply doing a little homework with one's own car, many of these questions can be checked out against known documentation arriving with your vehicle. Rest of World cars I can not speak to with regard to how they were built, but the same should hold true for the option stickers.

glenny

Definitely my '83 is an early build car -- assembled in April '82. The white sticker near the spare tire indicates Option 395 -- 16 Forged alloy wheels. The sticker on the gas filler door also displays one tire size only 205/55/16. The Fuchs on the car are in amazing condition, because the car only has 74,014km or 45990 miles. Thanks for the replies. Through feedback, I've deduced each wheel is 16x7. Cheers.

mrgreenjeans

That is an amazing looking car ~

Original paint ?
What does it show for the last four digits on the serial number ?
I am going to go out on a limb and guess it reads something like around 0950 - 1100.

( I own #2406 built in the month of July, 1982 )
Guards Red, black full leather Recaro Sport Seats, LSD, M456, FUCHS, 5 speed, and carrying 50,000 original miles .....

How does yours option out ?

BEAUTIFUL car by the way !

Van

Cool stuff, guys.

glenny

Thanks. One respray 20 years ago in Meteor Grey Metallic. No evidence of accidents. I assume it was a clear coat issue.

Serial #1003.

Options include:
- Sport steering wheel with elevated hub
- 16" Forged alloys
- Front and rear sway bars
- Leather
- Headlamp washers
- Rear wiper
- Canadian delivery

mrgreenjeans

Thanks Van

Coming from you, I consider your comment quite impressive.....(-;}

Original poster:
You mention tires to purchase. So, just a couple of comments.

I also own several '84 cars with original FUCHS wheels as well in the staggered 15s.
I run the same 215-60/15 tires on those which it states in the gas door as required ( and what came on my Guards Red double to my '82 car ) front and rear. I also use them on the '82 build car with the 7s and have no issues, when I could get the 215 in a 16. The last set I bought were Kumho Ecstas and they are 225 / 16s. These may not be available any longer as the tire companies keep switching available stock sizes around for our cars. Just relaying some info regarding fit and comfort level with those sizings in relation to what I own; and may not be relevant any longer when you go to order them out.

If you ever have opportunity to compare your early build '82 car to something a bit later on in a series one car, especially what came along later in '84, you will be surprised at the various running changes made in small things like trim or gauges. They are slightly different.

In fact, there is a slight difference in the brake light indicator on the center console with the lens as a whole unit, not a split red lens like later. You will have the prop rod slot on the inner front fender as a carryover from the earlier 924 made without hood struts. The vinyl graining on the doors and side panels in rear, as well as the pattern in the rear seat will be coarser. Seat belts are different, decals under hood different, the handle for the hood opener changed. There is no electric release for our hatches like later, and of course the sunroofs are manual as well as the steering. Green vacuum canister under hood on early vs. black on later cars. Plastic fuel filler doors showed up much later on series two cars vs. metal on the early. No upshift light on early cars, but appears on '84 and '85.1. Open rubber channels on the a-pillars on windshield exterior. FUCHS are staggered later in the '84 offerings. Tool bags on early cars are a brownish red vs. black with yellow tags on the bag on later cars. These swatches sometimes changed to red, blue, and green later, and if the bag was bought over the parts counter as a replacement, sometimes had no tag affixed.

And, I believe you should have the PORSCHE script door tops on the interior as I learned they were dropped about 100 serial numbers before my July built #2406. There are at least 50 differences between early cars and later ones which gradually changed thru out the run.

The biggest visual changes were in the dropping of the very unique color offerings available on the early cars like Gabun Gray, or Ocean Green Metallic, or Pasadena yellow. Rare colors then and even rarer still today to be seen in their original state. It seems for every unique color there had to have been made 10 Guards red ! Since every car magazine of the day was testing these cars in that color, and all Porsche Adverts seemed to express it, the public may have had undue influence. I know it did with me when I ordered out mine. I never even considered a different color than Guards Red, but now when searching for similar cars to the ones I collect ( the M456 Sport Suspension, LSD, Sport seat, and Sunroof Delete cars ) the unique colors only add to my desire to obtain them.

Again, Beautiful car. Please keep it in good form and treasure it. It seems it's becoming a rarity to find them in such good condition and originality. Over the last 20 years of searching these out, there has been a steady decline in good candidates to buy and store up or drive and show; to even consider an effort to preserve. For every GREAT car I have found, 100 more are not even considered good enough to drive and see; kind of heartbreaking such great cars as these have become so neglected and ill respected. Especially when we had to wait a year and a half with big money down and money paid OVER sticker to buy.

924srr27l

Looks in Great condition and a cool shot in the snow ...............

So your question has been answered after all, Your car new was bought with the the option code you quote is for a 16" Fuchs set and all 4 wheels are 7J wide.

This Tyre size is a common size in Europe (205/55/16) and with Such a 50/50 weight balanced car it does't need a wider rear anyway.

As you mention the condition of the rims is amazing, but then not many wheels have a clear hard anodised finish on the outer part, which lasts far longer than any wet or dry Lacquer.

I 'm currently restoring a set of these Fuchs which are in a very bad state:

Originally they were black centre, but somebody decided to go for a an off white! at some point, from this shot you can see the outer rim is heavily stone chipped..



Closer up[ even worst


I can machine this on a lathe to erradicate it, but the holes are quite deep and hence the metal thickness starts to get too thin !

So the customer has decided to play it safe, not remove metal and to have two tone Silver & Black paintwork




This shows you how deep the holes are when the thick powder coat is flatted down !




Your wheels really have been well looked after a set of these here in the UK
in this condition would sell for $2500+ ! and looking at the classic market car values your car would probably be up for sale for $15,000 +

R

odonnell

Crappy washed out phone picture, but here are the 7J 16" Fuchs on my '83 from back when I had US bumpers: