Vintage 18" FIA wheels on ERA 427?

[lippy]

I've decided to go with FIA style wheels on my ERA 427 because I like the look. Would these 18" ones work: FA18 wheels PLUS adapter spinner kit ADTRSET : Welcome to Vintage Wheels, Online Store ?

Also, any opinions on the look of this specific wheel (and not 15" vs 18") would be appreciated. Thanks!

[ERA Chas]

It will be 'too much wheel' with the thick aluminum webs and the tires will look like rubber bands.
Only open lace 17's and 18's look less offensive. But totally out of character for a 289 / 427. A 50 year old car does not wear brand new-trend duds successfully.

[tboneheller]

I would not imagine that it would ride very nice.

[RodKnock]

The original looking Trigo has a concave (dished) appearance. The 18" wheel seems flat faced to me.

It's not a look that I would want.

And there's research that shows that there's a "diminishing returns" effect with handling and then ride harshness goes up dramatically.

[vatdevil]

Good looking wheels.....you might want to black the centers to tone down the wheel size. What tires do you plan on for 18s? I suggest Nittos, depending on your use.

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by lippy

I've decided to go with FIA style wheels on my ERA 427 because I like the look. Would these 18" ones work: FA18 wheels PLUS adapter spinner kit ADTRSET : Welcome to Vintage Wheels, Online Store ?

Also, any opinions on the look of this specific wheel (and not 15" vs 18") would be appreciated. Thanks!

18's in my opinion will make the car look like a modern day "hoopty" or "donk" (do an internet search if you do not understand), 17's barely look good on an ERA/Contemporary/SPF/Kirkham/Shelby,

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by mrmustang

18's in my opinion will make the car look like a modern day "hoopty" or "donk" (do an internet search if you do not understand), 17's barely look good on an ERA/Contemporary/SPF/Kirkham/Shelby,

I'm not as hip as Bill I guess. I had to look up what a hoopty and donk were. Nothing like a little hyperbole for the new ERA owner.

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

I'm not as hip as Bill I guess. I had to look up what a hoopty and donk were. Nothing like a little hyperbole for the new ERA owner.

You are just upset that you could not fit 22" dubbs on your Cobra

[Cobrakeith]

FIA style yes but Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo on the 18 inch wheels on a Cobra. Just my .02 worth.

[lippy]

I like the look of the 15's, but I'm worried in 5 years I won't be able to get tires anymore. And aspect ratio aside, the compounds and construction of the modern 18" tires are far better. But I appreciate the opinions.

[DanEC]

It's personal choice - build it your way. I'm taking my chances with the 15 inch wheels that I think look correct. I would not go bigger than 17 inch.

[tkb289]

lippy,

You are correct in considering rubber choices for 15" wheels, there fewer and fewer choices as time goes by.

As mentioned above, rather than 18" wheels consider 17" wheels. Decent tires are available and they do look pretty good on a Cobra. A wheel bigger than 17" is not advisable (IMHO).

FIA wheels are a great choice and black centers look good!

[lippy]

I agree 15's look better than 17's, and 17's look better than 18's on that car. But it seems the choices for 17's are almost as thin as the 15's anyway, so I might as well go with the 15's... The poster that noticed that these 18" FIA wheels have a "flat face" brings up a great point, by the way.

[RodKnock]

I don't think Avon is eliminating their 15" tires anytime soon. There are several companies still making vintage-sized tires for vintage cars. Why not worry about it if and when it happens? Tires only last so long anyway.

[jolsen42]

To each his own said the old lady, as she kissed the cow.

John O

[jualwatt]

In the end it is what you want or like on your car that really matters. I have 18's on my cobra, but I was not going for an "original" look which is obvious.



Finish on the wheels will make a big difference to how they look on the car.

[vatdevil]

The only real high performance 15 available is the AVON....at $400 or more a tire. 18 is a better choice vs 17 for tire selection, if that's your ptirity. The 18 tires that fit good are Vette sizes, so long term availability is good. Both SPF and BD offer 18s with Nitto tires now, check out their web sites for pics. Note that they both supply them with black centers. Polished centers will overwhelm the car. I was hesitant at first to go with 18s, but I get tons of compliments on the looks. Personally, I love the look with 335s on the rear, very aggressive stance. And the Nittos tires will outperform the Avons, picked up an easy 1-2 seconds on same course.

[Jeff Frigo]

18" Wheels do not belong on an ERA period. Sell it and buy a FFR.

[lippy]

So I've decided to go with the 15" FIAs. What does or doesn't "go" isn't that important to me. But I decided I don't like the look of that particular wheel because it is, as someone else mentioned, "flat faced." If I could find an FIA that I liked cosmetically, I might go that way. Thanks to everyone for their opinions.

[Jeff Frigo]

Good job!!! 18" Wheels on an ERA would be a disgrace.