A five-lug wheel and tire odyssey: 205/55 to 195/65 to 185/70, Going old-school, in terms of tires and wheel finishes... Options

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So I've been on a return my car to 1973 kick... and the wheels and tires are the latest step. Next up, NARP reflector removal.

Anyway, I searched and searched and found few threads that offered me a chance to really look at the various choices.

So... here's some pics I took along the way.

First up is the car as it's been since 1992, on 15x6 "Deep Six" Fuchs with polished lips, silver painted centers, and 205/55ZR15 tires (in this case Yoko ES100s, which I hated with a passion).

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And...last one.

All up, I dig the new look and the fact it is period-correct, but I do miss the "uniqueness" of the old silver wheel with polished lip look. However, I like the fact that the wheels now complement the rest of the 914's bright and black finishes.

I also miss some of the aggressive stance contributed by having 205s filling out the fenders. On the other hand, I dig the fact the taller tires fill out the fender cut-outs both vertically AND horizontally, the latter being an aesthetic "problem" with low-profile rubber on 914s.

I'd be tempted to move to 195/65s or 205/60s to fill out the fenders, but there are none I like in terms of vintage-looking sidewalls and non-alien tread patterns. I think I am leaning towards thin spacers in back and fairly aggressive spacers up front to fill out the fender wells, a problem that's most noticeable in the photo in the post above. And this is with 911 front suspension. The narrower 914 four-lug setup would be even worse!!!

I know there are others who could care less about sidewall and/or tread pattern aesthetics (I used to be among them), but I am starting to view my 914 differently. I don't plan on driving it any slower, but I do like the idea of tires that look like they're from the period and, more importantly, accentuate "feel."

Now, if I get a killer motor, the only way to fly might be a set of Yoko R-compounds in 205/60R15. The good news with those is the sidewalls are simple...

Hope this is an informative thread for someone trying to visualize differing options when it comes to 914s...

[McMark]

On the other hand, I dig the fact the taller tires fill out the fender cut-outs both vertically AND horizontally, the latter being an aesthetic "problem" with low-profile rubber on 914s.

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The new stuff looks GREAT! Nice move Pete!