I'll be calling John Purner either today or tomorrow to put my order in for some new wheels.

Just wanted to get a quick opinion from you guys on which finish you think might look better on my car...just for kicks.

I'm leaning toward the black with polished lip and center cap.

Wheels are first. My car is next.

http://store5.yimg.com/I/supra_1746_4792352

http://store5.yimg.com/I/wotmstore_1752_4875973

http://community.webshots.com/photo/...62763594dwILws

http://community.webshots.com/photo/...53744964qaJcoF

http://www.ladylivewire.com/enuttage/73quarterpass.jpg

http://www.ladylivewire.com/enuttage/7fronthead.jpg

http://www.ladylivewire.com/enuttage/7profile.jpg

-E

 

After seeing your car in person I say go with polished all the way. Personally I think the black centers would look goofy on your car.

While you're there, pick me up a set too

 

I agree with DamonB. Please get the street version, not the race version CCWs. John uses better hardware for the street versions, and the exposed bolts aren't as Frankenstein-like as they are with the race versions.

 

Go either all polished, or even better, all black. Remember Max Coopers car? I think his looks hot, and the color of your car would give it a similar look.

 

Wow.

I expected more folks to like the silver on black. Shows what I know.

Damon, if someone slips a winning lotto ticket under my door, I'll be sure and buy you one set for street and one for track.

Sleep, don't worry, these are for street use, and John knows I want the shiny bells and whistles.

Cooper's car *does* look good. That's kinda why I was leaning toward the silver on black.

But, since the car is already eye-candy (or an eyesore depending on who you ask), maybe a little more swank would be nice.

Thanks fellas!

More commentary is very welcome.

-E

p.s. John's saying I can go with 17X9.5 up front and 17X10 in the rear to give a better fit for the tire sizes I'm looking at (255/40/17F and 275/40/17R). Would you guys concur?

 

polished!!! all the way.....

 

Yeah, I concur, IF you're going with 275/40-17s in back. IMHO, you're better off with 255/40-17 wth 9.5 x 17 all around, for rotating and preserving the neutral handling. There's no real reason to have 275/40-17s in back, short of looks, or for putting down 400 rear-wheel-hp to the ground on a road course...

 

Please post pics when you get your wheels/tires mounted!

 

Sleep, wilco on the pics.

And I *am* putting down pretty darn close to 400rwhp, which is the only reason I'm even considering running tires that wide in the back. Wheelspin is both annoying and dangerous at this point. I'll take whatever extra grip I can get.

-E

 

Sleep,

Just re-read and realized you said "road course". Is it your opinion that the 275s wouldn't really help all that much on the street? I feel like they would, but I'm out of my league on this one...

-E

 

Not on YOUR car. The wheel should complement the car, and I think the polished will do that and the black won't. Now on Max's car I like the black, but on yours I still say thumbs down to black.

 

The contact patch would be larger, so it should help with some of your wheelspin problems ... but is it worth it for straightline acceleration only? That's your call. I think that you'll find that fresh tires can make a world of difference.

BTW, Beth has an almost brand new set of Kumho 712's in 255/40 17's for dirt cheap.

 

Wow. Hadn't seen these until just now. I'm not going the 18" route, but they look pretty damn good.

http://vca2.viperclub.org/forums/sho...rue#Post302535

-E

 

Read on in the thread. 19" only. AND $2800/set. Very nice looking wheel but ouch.

 

Ah, gotcha.

I thought it was an 18" minimum. Helps when I re-read something.

Looks like John is starting to branch out with his design a little bit though. I think that's good news for everyone.

-E

 

Yup. 400 rwhp on tap on a road course calls for big tires in the back last ye spin off course backwards!

 

Is it just me or has anyone else read that contact patch area does not change with tire size. A smaller tire will deform more to get the same contact area as a larger tire that deforms less. It all comes down to lb/in^2.

 

Up to a point maybe that'll work with the math, but after a certain upsizing (say 225 to 275) you're going to run out of rubber...

-E

 

This is true in part. Wider wheels and tires will change the "shape" of the contact patch, but you are correct that the weight transfer to the tires is what impacts the "size" of the contact patch. The more weight you can transfer to the tires doing the work, the larger the contact patch, and the more grip that is available (until you reach the tire's adhesion limit of course).

I can undoubtedly admit that moving from 225/50-16 on 8 x 16 (or 245/45-16 on 8.5 x 16) to 255/40-17 on 9 x 17 (road tire compounds) added more grip at open track events. This is especially apparent when I test drive FD Rx7s back-to-back @ my open track events @ Putnam Park. Going from my car to radkins car (400 hp FD with stock suspension/wheels/tires/brakes, upgraded LaBreck bushings) is night and day. radkins car has much more power out of the turns, but his car won't settle down mid turn, and consistently wants to leave the track tail-first. My car is much more settled and confidence inspiring (wider tires/wheels, Eibach sway bars fr-rr, H&R springs, J-spec Type RS brakes fr-rr).

I'd be willing to bet that 255/40-17 on 9 or 9.5 x 17 is the point of diminishing returns, such that going wider and larger, only adds more weight, but not the proportional amount of grip (assuming the same road tire compound used).

Having posted the above, you can't beat the "look" of going with 295/30-18 on 10.5 x 18 (rear) and 265/35-18 on 9.5 x 18 (front). This setup can be done with Volk CE28N, 44 mm offset for the 10.5 x 18 rear, and 47 mm offset for the 9.5 x 18 front. 265/35-18 and 295/30-18 tire sizes are OE Porsche rear fitments, and are available as Pirelli P-Zero Asimmetricos or Continental Sport Contact 2s. Talk about the ultimate in meats...We're talking Corvette Z06 tire sizes on a 2750-lb FD Rx7 LOL

 

How much for the street wheels sized17X9.5 up front and 17X10 in the rear? I am considering getting some new rims down the road and the tire size you mentioned is what I currently have on my car. I would go polished all the way with the paint you have. If you had more of goldish green tint instead of the purple I would strongly consider a black center with a polished outer ring.

 

Should be right around $1860 for the street trim wheels in those sizes. And if you need new tires, John can mount, balance and ship most of what Tirerack has available also. Apparently he keeps a supply on hand (or is near a warehouse or something).

-E

 

I like these now.

http://www.bcforged.com/home/wheels/BC02/

10 x 17, 2-inch offset, 7.5-inch back space, 21 lbs each, $475 each. Tire size would be 265/40-17. This will work with 2.5-inch coil springs all around.

With stock style springs, probably will need 9.5 x 17, 2-inch offset, 7.25-inch back space, if you want to run them all the way around with 255/40-17 tires. No pricing or weight on 9.5 x 17 though...

 

hmmm...

I like the 04s and the 05s. Wonder how strong they are.

Also wonder if they could get some real pics on actual automobiles.

Certainly the weight and price are right.

-E

 

Yeah, the photoshop is a bit cheezy LOL

 

BC wheels don't come in half sizes, so 10 x 17, 2-inch offset, 7.5-inch back space is your fitment IF you have 2.5-inch coil springs.

I guess it's back to the Enkei NTO3+Ms for me in 9.5 x 17, 44-mm offset. These weigh 20.5 lbs. Price is probably cheaper.

BTW, Discount Tire handles the Boyd Coddington wheel line. I got a response from Todd Holzwarth. You can email him at THolzwarth@discounttireco.com FWIW, he appreciated the fact that I was fitting a '93 Mazda Rx7...I guess he's a fan of the "wonderful rotary" as he put it Since 10s won't work all the way around for me (stock style springs), I asked for the NTO3+Ms. I'm sure Discount Tire Direct handles Enkei....