Parnelli Joneser

I think I've found somewhere to express what's on my mind without getting blank stares and silence from people- So, here we go-

First- I desperately need a wheel, a BBS RS 016 9Jx16 H2 ET36
This is the classic early BBS wheel, busy mesh style.

OR- ideas, options, opinions on 16 inch wheels wider than 7 inches, something that won't break my wallet yet still fill the wheel well (rear, anyway). We'll come back to this.

Now my story, which in a sense is quickly becoming a chataqua, so this is just a prologue.

When I bought my first car, at age 16 plus 2 days, I thought of it and subsequently it became "the Shark", not aware of the same label widely applied to 928s. It was and still is my 64 Mercury. 928's were at their pinnacle then and I put them in the fantasy catalog of Cars to Have...

Already a Krautophile, I took three years of German im Schule, joined the Army with a garranteed assignment to Europe and before turned 19 I was having the windows sucked out my 1200cc Corolla by blurs of varying color on the A6 near Mannheim. Needless to say, I was in heaven.

Fast Forward to February 2004-
In my early 20's I'd went the Datsun 510 route. I was in college and poor, etc. and had a ball with them, and have owned 16 altogether. The aging and decreasing support for 510's made me seek out something closer to new lead me to early Rx-7's. I found two complete GSL-SE's and parked them out back waiting for my time.

Then in the local paper- a lightning bolt "1983 Porsche 928, extra engine. $3000 OBO Call..."

I called. I went to the shop of a local trucking company to see it. A journeyman mechanic owned it, and it had just sat outside through 10+ days of the worst snow/ice in history. Horrid sun cracking on the hood/ fenders. Every tire a different brand, then the owner says it has a salvage title from Alaska, can't get anyone to insure it because it's euro VIN won't load into US insurance computers. More later...

Andrew Schauer

Do you have any pictures of what that BBS wheel looks like? I have BBS wheels on my 928, but I don't know what model number they are. There's a picture of one in my avatar at the left.

Andrew Schauer
1980 5-speed

Parnelli Joneser

That's the wheel I have also. If you take the center cap off all the numbers are inside. I'm betting you have four RS 017 8Jx16 ET 62, of which I have three with one 9 inch wide oddball, but I'd like to match the wider one for the rear, it really filled the fender nicely with a 255/50-16.

Andrew Schauer

Yep, I have four 8 inch wheels. If you do end up finding a matching 9 inch wheel for your rear, please let me know, as I may be interested in two for myself, or purchasing an 8 inch for a spare. I'll also keep an eye open for the both of us.

Andrew Schauer
1980 5-speed

PS- I run 245/45-ZR16 on the 8 wheels, and a 255 width isn't a whole lot more. (8 inch = 203.2mm)

Parnelli Joneser

I had ordered a pair of 225/50 and a pair of 245/45's and as much as I didn't want to, I went ahead and mounted them on what I've got. I will let you know if I find something. I'm hunting for some factory discs, but holding out for the 8 inch rears.

But to continue a bit with the story on this car- it's kind of wacky, but I'm so glad I bought it.

The owner, a diesel mechanic, had it and found water in the oil. He took the advice of a "expert" and bought an entire engine out of a wrecked car. It was going well and completely in until he hooked up the oil cooler. Then subsequent discovery of water in the oil made him none to happy with his "expert". The car also has a rider on the title saying Previous Damage- Alaska.

Close inspection of the car by myself and my "expert", a genuine European car mechanic and close friend, made us believe the car has not been the subject of major damage or repairs. I mulled it over, did some research online and otherwise, and bought it a few weeks later, with the original 300hp engine out of the car and the US motor in it. It has a three speed auto box, and it died on the five mile trip home. Ignition just stopped. Got home, looked at it for a minute, then started it back up no problem. Then it quit a few minute later. Investigating the wiring revealed some extra things scabbed in...
When I bought the car i got a bill of sale, the registration card and one key. I went back and asked the PO,
"Do you have the code for the alarm?"

"What alarm?"

"You mean to tell me that you never had the immobilizer kick in and kill the car?"

"What immobilizer?" Great.

We ended up pulling out TWO aftermarket alarms, a big box full of ****. And along the way we've found someone's attempt at Americanizing the car, **** canned that too, I'm not subject to inspections and unless I destroy it, I doubt I'll get rid of it. It's a project alright, but I just drove it to town and out on the freeway, about a 20 mile loop, runs good, the tranny is in need of some work but my mechanic says it's curable and OK for easy driving, We're digging into that next weekend.
Badly sun damaged Guards Red and black interior. Think I'll put Trans-Am screaming chicken hood decal on it for the summer and make sure i hit as many Porsche rallies as i can while it's still in the project stage. HAHA. You'll know me when you see me!

Lizard928

please dont do the transam thing bad Idea, if it is a auto make sure you check the thrust plate for pressure, dont wanna fry a block