Date: Thu, 17 Apr 2003 13:19:04 -0700
Reply-To: Bob Elliott <bobe@WEBTIDE.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Bob Elliott <bobe@WEBTIDE.NET>
Subject: Re: 15" Wheel Question
In-Reply-To: <1a6.131df4e6.2bcb8a70@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed
Thanks for your response Ben and that fine piece of wheel information on
your site. I'm better informed thanks to you. I've done a bit more Net
exploration and I have been in contact with Foreign Auto Supply in Maine, I
live in Canada BTW. FAS has 15 X 6" ET30 "Genuine VW steel wheels" for my
Vanagon. They're identical in style to the original Vanagon 14'' steel
wheels and according to Jon from FAS they don't need spacers, adaptors,
boring, drilling or new lugs or bolts. I'm seriously considering a
purchase. the price $445.00 USD + freight.
The wheels can be seen at
<http://www.foreignautosupply.com/Vanagonaccessories.htm>
I'd appreciate any comments on my tentative purchase of these wheels and
any tire recommendations for them that Ben or anyone else has. Also has
anyone dealt with FAS in the past and if so how was the experience?
thanks
bob elliott
At 11:52 PM 13/04/2003 -0400, you wrote:
>In a message dated 4/13/03 7:04:02 PM Pacific Daylight Time, bobe@WEBTIDE.NET
>writes:
>
><< 'd like to add a set of 5 BOLT 15 X 5 1/2 steel wheels to my '80 Westy
> Vanagon but I can't seem to find the style I'm looking for. I'm looking for
> the style of wheel that's on Porsche Speedsters and 356's. They have fewer
> and larger vent hole around the outer diameter. I've found a 4 bolt
> pattern wheel in this style at California Imports
>
><http://store.cip1.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=cali&Categ
>ory_Code=13-06>but
> I'd rather stay away from having to use adaptors. I also found this style
> at Mangels
> <http://store.ineedparts.com/store/comersus_viewitem.asp?idProduct=7585>
> but again it was a four bolt pattern. Anyone know where I can get this
> style of wheel?
>
> BTW My hesitation about using adaptors is whether or not they can take the
> weight of the a fully loaded Westy. >>
>
>Bob,
>
>The reason manufacturers to 5-lug is fir strength and not styling. So going
>from your 5 X 112 mm to 4 X 130 mm (the wheels you are looking at) is not a
>good idea. Locate some Mercedes alloys for the earlier W123 bodies for a 15"
>wheel for your van. Unfortunately you will have to go with 6" width as that
>is commonly what they came in. Those should be ET23.
>
>You can also go with Audi or Passat steel rims which will require spacers
>(not adapters) to correct from ET45.
>
>The bad news is they all come with circular rather than oval holes around the
>perimeter. They also come painted rather than chrome. You can get them
>chromed if you so wish. But is it really economically practical?
>
>BenT
> <A HREF="http://hometown.aol.com/bentbtstr8/myhomepage/index.html">Vanagon
>Cafe</A>
Webtide Information Service, Inc.
voice: 1 (604) 737-2835
fax: 1 (604) 737-2701
http://www.webtide.net/
| 
