17" Wheels

[Kenm4187]

Hi All,

I have a new SPF MKIII on order, it should be here next month. I am looking to change the wheels to 17". I would like to put 10" on the front and 11-1/2 on the rear. I will be using it for Auto-cross and some street. Who is the best source for wheels? I have heard about PS Engineering. Also what sizes have you been able to fit? and offsets?

Thanks,

Ken

[CHRIS DAMSCH]

I believe vintage wheels (they advertise here) has 17" wheels. I order an extra set of 15" rears for my spf from them. Nice product, quick service.

Give them a call. They should know what offsets would work.

[Kenm4187]

I saw them, but I only found 8" in front and 10" in back.

Thanks,
Ken

[Jim Vander Wal]

Ken,

I have 17's from PS Engineering. Not sure how wide the wheels are but they are appropriate for the tires.

Running Goodyear F1 GS-D3s 275-40-17 front and 315-35-17 on the back. I am real happy with these. Great on dry and the best in the rain. I have put 19,000 miles on these. I'll be changing the rears for next year, well before hitting the wear bars. Keeping the fronts for another season of approx. 8-10k miles.

There are SPF cars with 335-35-17 on the rear w/o problems that I've heard about. The 275 fronts will rub on the front inner frame, nothing you can do about it except spray paint unless you want to restrict the travel. This solution isn't advisable as the turning radius isn't that tight to begin with.

There are a number of cars with one or another 17 race tires. These are great on the track. Generally same sizes as I am running.

I have changed to poly?? sway bar bushings, SS braided brake lines and a different track/street brake pad. This will most likely be the extent of my suspension changes. Olthoff has a race set of shocks but the reports are that these are a little stiff for normal driving with 17s. I'm sure personal preference will determine what is comfortable. Olthoff also has specs on more agressive competition alignment settings. You may want to call them.

Normal ride height is about 26.5", ground to top of fenderwell. With the 17s you can run a little lower but too low and the cowl around the oil cooler, bell housing and a few other undercarriage points will be real close to the ground.

Hope this helps.

Jim, SPF 1855 in Grand Rapids, MI

[Rodney]

I have a set of Vintage wheels with Michelin pilot sport 275/40/17 amd 335/35/17. Suspension is lowered and I don't have an issues with rubbing.

I like the advantage of higher performance tires, still unsure of the looks though

Rod

[Kenm4187]

Thanks for the info. I am auto-crossing and looking for as much tire as possible. I will have 15" for the street.

Ken

[Madmiles442]

I'm running 17x9 wheels with 275's in the front with 17x10 and 335's - Michelin Pilots all around. With the shocks set soft, an a hard launch, the tires will slightly rub the top of the fenderwells due to wheel hop. Shocks set hard, they're fine. On the front, they'll rub in the inner frame on a full wheel turn. 75% wheel turn and you're fine. The 335's on the rear hook up a TON better than the previous 295's I had. The thing turns like it's on rails!
I switched from 15's and I'll never go back. The 15's rode bouncy while the 17's are firm, but tolerable. On good roads, the 17's really come into their own. Good luck with your search.

[aldersonjames20]

There are two companies with 17 inch vintage reproductions which are very close in name. The first is Vintage Wheels US ( http://www.cobracountry.com/vintage/home.html ) and the second is Vintage Wheel Works ( http://www.vintagewheelworks.com/products/wheels/v60 ). The second offers sizes up to 11 inch for the rears you are looking for. I have a set of the V45's (9.5 up front and 11's in the back with 315 rubber) on my car and am looking to replace them with the V60's this coming season.

James

[greg schroeder]

I picked up a set of 17s from Vintage Wheels. The service was well above average. One wheel was damaged in shipping and it was replaced promptly. The tires I purchased at a local shop and went with Yokohama A032R soft compound 315/35 17s on the rear and 275/40 17s on the front.

After receiving the 4 good wheels I had tires installed at the local tire shop. Apparently the A032R have a very sturdy side wall and the tire shop bent most of the wheels during installation. I had to buy more wheels and start over. Be careful who you have mount your tires. There are plenty of hack shops out there. Watch them spin your wheels on their balance machine to look for bends before you leave and look for scratches.

Here are a few pictures.

[jeffrey jackson]

I tried to find a32r tires but i found out that they have been dicontinued. what a bummer. Jeff

[Madmiles442]

Hey guys, since we're talking wheels and maybe someone knows:

I bought a set of used wheels from a gentleman off this site and turns out one of the fronts is out-of-round and needs to be replaced. But I don't know the manufacturer. Based on these photos and descriptions, can anyone identify this? The seller said they were 17x9's.

Polished 17x9:


Here's the back. (no, I don't clean the back of my wheels...)



Note all the wheel weights trying to balance it.



On the inside is stamped: T17X09 OJDOTARE 2PCE 0599 007 S1 1
I might guess that could mean Trigo 17x9 2 piece wheel made in May of 99? Um, and sold to James Bond 007?



Here's my setup. Please disregard the leaking coolant on the frame beyond!



Thank you in advance for any help anyone has to offer.

[greg schroeder]

Madmiles442, Those wheels look quite a bit like mine, but polished. Not certain. I'm thinking there are quite a few Cobra guys going down the road with bent wheels from having tires installed with a pry bar in such a way that torques the lip of the wheel inward. The other day I was watching another Cobra drive down the road. All of his wheels were all torqued up and wobbling about. I don't think some even know it when they have this condition. Think about it. The wheels don't look bent when you walk around the car before you hop in to drive. Not many of us see our Cobra with wheels spinning. The guy you bought your wheels from very well may not of even known one was bent.

The problem is any tire shop might have people which will perform a task perfectly. They may have a guy or two that won't. This reminds me of a day when a certain tire shop put a set of four brand new tires on an old Suzuki Samurai that I had. The shop installed 3 tires of one brand and size and a 4th tire of a different brand and completely different size. LOL

[nblumberg]

What are the best options for a track day set of wheels/tires? I'm boggled by the lack of options, have been thinking about it for months now, and still can't figure out what to do. Seems like most people use 15" /w bias ply slicks?

-n

[JCoop]

Vintage wheels makes a 15" BRM style that is lighter and offset's a bit wider than the Trigo/Halibrand type. Then if you mount GoodYear hand cut slicks from Roger Kraus, that's a pretty good set for track days. I have a pic of SPF1052 with BRMs and these slicks in my gallery.

Originally Posted by nblumberg

What are the best options for a track day set of wheels/tires? I'm boggled by the lack of options, have been thinking about it for months now, and still can't figure out what to do. Seems like most people use 15" /w bias ply slicks?

-n

[nblumberg]

jcoop - how long do they last for you and what size are they?

also, what meatballs do you have? They look like a good size - I thought about cutting mine for the doors like that but thought it might prompt that small section to fly up.

[Morris]

BBS Wheels ....18" X 12"..... Pilot Sports tires.....

[JCoop]

Originally Posted by nblumberg

jcoop - how long do they last for you and what size are they?

also, what meatballs do you have? They look like a good size - I thought about cutting mine for the doors like that but thought it might prompt that small section to fly up.

These wheels are actually available now in 17", which will give you a better selection of tires. Hoosier has a 325 X 45X17 that would probably last longer.
Depends on the track but should last maybe 3 track days at Lime Rock. These tires are 26.5 X 8-15 and 26.5 X 10-15. $185 and $195 before hand cutting. NLA with white letters. They come with yellow letters now...
Those meatballs are static cling, a set I got from:
http://www.gochecker.com/htmls/lettering.html
He made a mistake as the set was supposed to be 2 smaller (10") roundels and 1 big one for the hood (12"). He sent 2 big ones, which actually worked beter for me. The cut piece on the door held up pretty well. I applied them first, then cut with a fresh Xacto blade. Cut flush with the front fender lip, then wrap the extra material around the door lip with a heat gun (carefully)

[nblumberg]

morris - were the bbs wheels expensive? whered you find them?

[Morris]

n

Yes they are expensive ..... but they are the real deal ...... with a 3 piece wheel you can get your scrub radius where you want it.....

We had them made for our car and the center sections are different from front to rear......

Morris

[Kenm4187]

Morris,

I like those wheels. Who did you get them through. It looks like 345 on the back, any fit/rub problems, what offset? What size did you get for the front, offset? Cand you safety wire the nuts?

Thanks,

Ken