That makes me think of my father. He was an engineer and working on a contract providing space shuttle switches. When his boss told him he has to start using "planned obsolescence" in his designs, he couldn't do it. He promptly quit and took another job. He couldn't bear to think he was putting someone's life in danger designing switches.
Now, back to the OP post...

 

I can tell I'd like your ^^ father, Brian!
Michael-- Yes!

Check out the "futuristic FUCHS fans" thread for photos of 18" Fuchs on a RLer's Turbo, a cab, & a NB coupe; plus photos of 18" 'Fuchs' sold by a RLer's company & much more.

 

Two people recently told me, why did you put modern wheels on your old Porsche, after seeing the factory cup 17...somehow the 993 doesnt really qualify as modern anymore and thus seems to enter into Fuchs territory.
Emmanuel, can you post additional pics?
I'm interested in the 17 Fuchs. I think they work well a few cars, terrible on others. I guess, this is all preferences. I like them on the boxster spyder on their website too.

 

Ed,
You'd need to know that Fuchs, the company, never ceased to exist and has produced forged rims continuously since the time of the 911 Wheel. 928, 944 Clubsport wheels, Merecedes, BMW M series, Opels, VWs, to name a few. The 997 Turbo wheels are also Fuchs.
So the name is not "out there again". They are still here, they still have R&D capacities that Zuffenhaus and Jeff Alton can only dream of (not to depreciate their efforts). And, getting a TUV approval is very difficult, yet for Otto Fuchs, it is part of the business.

So I'd wager that the Fuchs available from Otto Fuchs today for the 964 and 993 are the best quality one can imagine.

 

Refer back to post 7, and the statement that those were the wheels he liked. Then, the comments after on "why repros vs "originals" "....that is what prompted my statement, and I stand by it. That one piece forged Fuchs wheel was long gone before they brought the basic design back into their offering a couple of years ago. And the Fuchs name, as a current producer of wheels for the vintage look has been missing from discussion in air-cooled Porsche circles for many years, so YES, the Fuchs name is "back out there" on this board and others, more now than in many years.

That original design is also what prompted Jeff to develop the repro years ago, and one of his primary goals was to be true to the original, so I don't know why you even bring up R&D, that was never part of the conversation.

The repros from Zuff or Jeff are also the best quality one can imagine.

 

Of course R&D is part of the conversation, since you mention that you believe Zuff and Jeff Alton have TUV approval (which I'd like to get confirmation of).

And to further the "long gone" part, not really. Fuchs has been making batches of the 911 rim on and off ever since they were no longer fitted as std (in 1989). Now the production is back on again, in 16, 16, 17, and 18" diameters. There have been Fuchs wheels that fit the 964 up to 1994. The 928 slot style was even optional on the 964.
It also happens that my interest in Fuchs wheels does not stop at the 911 design, having owned MBs and BMWs along with Porsches that take the 928 and 944 offset Fuchs offerings, since the 911 version was no longer on the 911s.

So I repeat, Fuchs has NOT been out of the Porsche subject.

 

I did say I believe that Jeff got that-I didn't state it as being 100% certain. It may be that he tested to and met TUV standards, which of course isn't the same thing. It was probably 7 years ago, when he started the project, and over 5 since i got my set. It is also a somewhat boutique wheel, so full TUV may not have penciled out.

Since we are talking about the original Fuchs forged 911 wheels, and I did state air-cooled Porsches, which is what this board is about, I couldn't care less about 928's, 944's or MB's. The subject here is a specific design. I also do not believe Fuchs still forges the "old" wheel from a one piece billet.

I will also state again, Jeff's design is one of the best wheels one can put on an air-cooled Porsche. Zuffenhaus has outfitted many a very special car with these.

 

So we are both puling at the same rope, only not in the same direction.

We agree that Fuchs makes great wheels, and never stopped. We don't know if they are still one piece fully forged (which I believe they are, et least the classic 911 model).

We agree that Zuff and Alton make great wheels, but don't know if they are TUV approved, which changes *everything* in law and inspection riddled Europe.

The 928 and Clubsport wheels fit the air-cooled 964 and 993 perfectly (remember that in Germany the 1994 993 came std with 16" wheels).

Peace.

 

I second this, well said! And they are one piece fully forged!

"TUV" approval is the mark of quality because its so stringent as is FDA clearance in the US for medical devices. Most other approval bodies are just bureaucratic bs or like ISO are useless since they are voluntary and the applicant pays the approval body. Most after market wheels made in the US would have difficult time being cleared by TUV.

 

Hahaha that's classic !

 

So, is someone organizing a "Group Buy"?

 

If such a scenario exists I would be a willing participant especially if we can get a quantity discount and shipping breaks
Count me in those brushed 18s have PORSITA written all over them - simply stunning