Re: alfa-digest V7 #693 - Wheels to fit Alfa Spider

[AlfaNeely@domain.elided]

	I am running mid 80's Mustang GT 15 x 7 wheels on my 82 spider with 
225 50 15 tires.  I had to flatten the wheel well lips for clearance.  My 
spider is also lowered with Centerline springs and yellow Konis.  And yes, 
they rub with two people, a full trunk and a bumpy road.
	The Alfa bolt pattern is 4 x 108 mm.  The Ford four bolt wheels are 4 
x 4 1/4 inches.  4 1/4 inches times 25.4 mm per inch = 107.95 mm, or darn 
close to 108 mm, so they do fit.  To my knowledge, any Ford wheel with four 
bolts is 4 1/4 inches, so Escort, Thunderbird, Cougar, Mustang, etc. wheels 
will all bolt on... almost.
	The inside of the Mustang wheels I have had a bevel that will not 
clear the end of the axle stub on the rear.  You need to add wheel spacers, 
or better yet, cut the bevel in the wheel out square to fit over the end of 
the axle.  A friend cut his with a Dremel tool, I used a lathe.  The wheels 
are not hub concentric, so the cut is not critical.
	The Mustang wheels are also thinner than the five spoke Campagnolo 
Daytonas.  With the long lug bolts on the Alfa, the stock nuts hit bottom 
before the hit the wheel.  You need to go to any wheel store and buy deeper 
lug nuts.  If you have steel wheels, your lug nuts will work, but the extra 
shoulder that holds on the hub cap will look funny.
	The Mustang wheels also have more offset than the stock wheels.  This 
means your track will be wider (Remember Pontiac's Wide Track = Stability 
ads?).  It may also make the car more twitchy on rough pavement.  I feel the 
additional offset make the spider look better as the wheel wells are filled 
by the tires.  The stock tires sit back from the fenders too much and look 
... well they could look better, in my opinion.
	Several styles of Ford wheels are available.  The Mustang LX is a 15 
x 7 that looks almost like the early Giulietta wheel.  I like the Mustang GT, 
with its turbine styling.  Others are available, including some 16 inch 
wheels on the Mustang Cobra, maybe???  I have no idea if 16 inch wheels will 
work.  I have acquired several wheels from Mustang racers who have converted 
to the later 5 bolt hubs.

	Also see Willie R's web site at 
http://hem.passagen.se/veloce/MECH4.HTM#rims
He lists several models of European wheels that will fit, but most are more 
rare than the Alfa, at least here in the USA.

	Now, if you replace your Campagnolo Daytonas with new wheels, I am in 
the market for them.  I am required to run 14 x 6 wheels on my ITB Alfa race 
car.
Ciao,
Russ Neely
Oklahoma City



In a message dated 5/6/99 4:45:49 PM Central Daylight Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:

<< Date: Thu, 6 May 1999 15:27:41 -0400
 From: "petrellaj" <petrellaj@domain.elided>
 Subject: Replacement Wheels for 85 Spider
 
 I would like to replace the stock wheels on my 85 Spider with something a
 little snazzier.
 The problem is I don't want to spend a bundle doing so. I'd like to scavenge
 a set from the
 junkyard, my question is are there vehicles with nice wheels that would fit
 on the Spider requiring
 little or no modification? What would be the year, make, and model? Thanks
 for helping out a cheapskate!
 
 
 John Petrella
 Atlanta, GA
 
 73 BMW 2002 (down for retrofit)
 85 Spider Graduate
 94 Infinity J30 (wife's)
  >>

------------------------------