Wheels from Vintage Wheel Works US

[martrogers]

Tire Rack - Your performance experts for tires and wheels

Fred Helmuth [fred@tirerack.com]

Regards
Martin

[400TT]

The HTR Z IIs are very good tyres. I've heard very positive comments from people using these.

The review comparing the new HTR Z IIIs to it's competitors sounds very promising.

A New Name Challenges the Max Performance Summer Category

Aus RCRs are supplied rolling with HTR Z IIIs where sizing permits(basically for everything except some of the very large rear rims).

[Merv and Sharon]

Brilliant! Thanks Craig and Martin. Will order in the next few days!

Merv

[400TT]

Merv, I've just ordered some more Sumitomo's from Tire Rack. 58 to be exact. Got your order in yet?

[Beejay]

No sense in doing things by halves Craig!

Ben

[Merv and Sharon]

Thanks Craig. I just had an email from Fred H at Tire rack:

The 235/45/17 Sumitomo HTR Z III is $92.00 per tire.
The 275/40/17 Sumitomo HTR Z III is $111.00 per tire


So I haven't ordered yet but was going to do it over the next day or so. Is there a best way to reduce/avoid duties and taxes?

Merv

[Tenrocca]

Will work out under $1000 so no duties or taxes

[stephen low]

Merv

I am led to believe that if you keep the purchase cost below $1000, AUD I assume, you avoid paying GST?, I might be wrong. I know the $1000 figure is right for avoiding something!!

You also need to have stickers on the outside of the box saying made in the USA to help eliminate or reduce some dutiable value I can recall. To do with so import relationship with the US.

Hopefully someone with far better knowledge can ping in an illuminate us both, as I too am looking at rims and tyres import at some stage.

Cheers

Steve

[stephen low]

Missed by that much.....

But I've just found my notes <$1000 AUD no GST payable, made in the USA no import duty payable.

Multiple material orders then need a bit of finesse as to how many shipments, and cost, versus what you can avoid paying here in duties and taxes for less than $1000 imported.

Anyone know how hard do they look into containers importing cars back from the US?

I have an opportunity via this method that will not cost me any shipping but I don't want to stack the car with too many goodies and get my mate in the sheite!!

[sambo]

Originally Posted by Merv and Sharon

Bill sent me the details of the ones he ordered for his Harrison (his tyres are: 235/45/R17 Front and 275/45/R17 Rear.

(2) Vintage 60 17x8 with a 4-7/8" backspace / GM bolt pattern $599.50
(2) Vintage 60 17x9.5 with a 5-1/4" backspace / Ford bolt pattern
$639.50

This question goes to people who have fitted 17" wheels to their Harrison - Merv, Schipps, etc - and particularly those who used the offsets Merv (and others) provided, above.

Using a straight edge ruler and spirit level against a 17" wheel fitted to my car, the front wheels using Merv's offsets would stick out a good inch at the top of the front guard. Rear wheels looked OK.

With Eli's (Vintage Wheel Works) help we worked out that the offsets for my car need to be:

6" backspace on the front (vs 4-7/8")
5.5" backspace on the rear (vs 5-1/4")

I know Schipper's wheels were cutting it mighty fine on clearances, so just wondering whether others have had a similar experience with the offsets on a Harrison? The fronts are almost 3cm too wide for my car which just doesn't seem right.

Thanks

[Merv and Sharon]

Could be Sambo. Bill G used the same wheels and tyres as mine and was registered OK up here and my engineer had no problems with mine (but I have not done QT as yet). They seem fine on my body but are very close to the margins. Harrisons can vary a little also.

Merv

[Merv and Sharon]

Your backspace may be fine.

Merv

[Rob. Smith]

Originally Posted by stephen low

Missed by that much.....

But I've just found my notes <$1000 AUD no GST payable, made in the USA no import duty payable.

Multiple material orders then need a bit of finesse as to how many shipments, and cost, versus what you can avoid paying here in duties and taxes for less than $1000 imported.

Anyone know how hard do they look into containers importing cars back from the US?

I have an opportunity via this method that will not cost me any shipping but I don't want to stack the car with too many goodies and get my mate in the sheite!!

Steve, way back I was buying bits for a mustang and was dealing with a bloke in Sydney. He was a bit slow in bringing my bits back so I rang. His missus told me that he was being held up in California with export problems.
I waited another month and rang again. Same story with apopogies. So I asked for my money back.Got it and forgot about the problem. I went on to find other importers. Finally found one really good man who actually bought the parts himself then sent them home from the USA. He told me that the other bloke was in jail in the US for trying to export a stolen mustang. He was finally released and forbidden to return to the USA for ever. The customs and police regularly check containers. They have a dedicated "team" that does only that task. That was about 12 yrs ago. I doubt they've got slacker.

[martrogers]

Sambo

I have 17" Vintage Wheel Works wheels but not on a Harrison so I dont know if this will be of interest to you.

Anyway, I got Eli to send me dimensioned cross sections of the rims - it turned out that the backspace is measured from the inside of the rim (where the tyre presses against). The rim then turns out 12mm and the tyre bulges out beyond that.

This is probably important if you're tight for space.

Let me know if you want me to send you the diagram.

[sambo]

Thanks Mart. Yes we suspected that might be the case and Eli confirmed it when he wrote back saying the 8" wheels were actually 9" and the 9.5" are 10.5".

We worked out my frontspace using a wheel of known offset with tyre fitted, allowing for tyre bulge to clear the wheel arch. But it would be great if you could send me that diagram please - helps put the mind at ease! samps8@hotmail.com

Thanks

[Krait]

Hi Paul,

My Harrison has Vintage Wheels Inc knockoffs mounted with Sumitomo's.

Fronts 17 x 8.5 with 5.00 backspacing
Rears 17 x 10.5 with 5.00 backspacing

I have the fabricated IRS so may not be valid for a Nissan rearend. The knockoff adapters may also screw up the measurements

Cheers

[sambo]

Thanks Geoff. I seem to remember someone saying the Vintage wheels wouldn't fit the standard Harrison setup (eg, R32/33 rear end) but I might send them my measurements anyway - their wheels look even better than the ones from Wheel Works.

Edit: just had a look and their maximum backspace of 5" on the fronts wouldn't be enough.

[07cob]

Originally Posted by sambo

Just had a look and their maximum backspace of 5" on the fronts wouldn't be enough.

Hey Paul

Have you painted your car yet? If not, would you consider extending the front guards to accept the Vintage Wheels? If I recall correctly, it is only the fronts that would cause a problem and the 5" max backspace would leave the tyre around 1" proud of the arch. I have seen other vehicles with extended guards that look quite nice.

Just a thought ...

Geof

[sambo]

Thought about that too Geof but prefer not to at this stage due to the added cost of those wheels and body work. Might rethink after the tax return comes in!

[Merv and Sharon]

Is this an engineering check item or a QT one? Mine seem to be OK since the suspension has been aligned.

Merv