the owners of 914s equipped with riv's take an occasional jab on this board. even one of this month's very nice-looking "featured cars" has a token disclaimer!

i've got my own reasons for disliking them (and am finally getting rid of them on my own car), but i'd like to hear what other people have to say. afterall, if you've owned more than one 914, you've probably owned a set of riv's....

I think they are ugly. Too "Chunky" looking. They look like a poor 70s aftermarket wheel - oh, they are!

I have 2 914s, 3 total and no riv's (on purpose) 2 sets of fuchs, 1 set of mahles and 1 set of fakefuchs.

1) there's about a dozen subtly different flavors,and finding an actual matching set of 4 can be a challenge.
2) eleven of those are VW offsets, making fitment of all but the OEM-spec 165 tires a challenge. (i fit 195-60's on my car once, but yes it did in fact require a hydraulic port-a-power to aggressively stretch the back fenders...)

What about the real bastard wheel of the oem stuff? Ya know the Pedrini.

i like them,,,,,,,,,,,that's what makes my car look like a "hotwheels",,or
'matchbox" car. really like the look.
in fact,,,, my spare is a fuchs,,,,,,,,,,lol

I don't like the rivs much... but I've seen them on 1-2 cars that they "worked" on... black cars pull them off better...


I just think they are uglier than others.. I prefer fully polished fuchs (not the painted ones, the painted fuchs look as bad as rivs or worse..)

if you like them though... GO FOR IT!!!

Not exactly sure why..... but I guess I prefer the wheels that look "taller". Something about the design... if you see them on a car.... the Riv's just have a "smaller" appearance to me.

The fuchs look the tallest
then the mahles
then the pedrinis
then the Rivieras

Just my opinion.. Just the way I "see" them.....I could be wrong.

Hence, the reason my credit card is burning a hole in my wallet over those 17s I saw today

Here's one that's uglier.

theres another uglier I saw... black 4 spoke... think someone called them MOMO, but I didn't think momo made anything that ugly! they looked like a 4-pointed chinese star from an old kung fu movie! I'll have to find a pic!

Some look different than others to me for some reason. I've had 2 different sets of riv's. I didn't like ones that came on my car but I swapped another set which I got for basicly nothing that I think look decent on this particular car. I'm still looking for a bargain on fuchs or a 911 front end for a 5 lug conversion but since I'm not racing, I don't mind the riv's until I get the cash.

People don't like them because they are not Fuchs.

Same reason people don't like anything that is not OEM on the cars.

It's good to some extent because yes a lot of upgrades are tasteless and I would not want them on my car, but at some point it gets to be too much...

Rivs are fine and can look cool. The real reason not to like them is because I don't think you can fit 205's on them without rubbing as easily as Fuchs (without flaring the fenders).

Jeff, I think you hit the nail on the head. They aren't liked because the offset is incorrect. The fender lip must be flattened or rolled when running 205's. Big deal!

The first teener I ever owned came with a set of Rivieras. I guess I'm the odd man out 'cause I like 'em.

This is not my car, but if you take off the rear wing and add a negative side stripe it would be.

Had a set for 2 years. Didn't put them on a car because I didn't like the looks of them, didn't like them in pics of cars with them.

Finally put them on a car and liked the way they looked - go figure

The hurricane style Western Wheel above - I have those and think that they look good. A few other folks saw Fuchs, Mahles, Rivs that I had and the westerns above and all liked the westerns better. It is all personal preference.

allow me a conjecture: aside from issues of fitment (which can be alleviated by obtaining the correct wheel!), i wonder if they are disliked primarily by association: i.e. because they've been on more beatup, rusted to hell, barely running, single-carb converted, $700 left-to-die 914's than i can count?

too narrow

I'd have to say offset/fitment issues as well...

design wise, the center section is too large compared to the size of the "spokes"...the ratio is just "wrong" and thrown together.....


at least these are lighter than the riv's and better looking....and best of all, they fit correctly, even with bigger tires

To me they have always represented the guy who drove a 4 but wanted a 6. When dad bought his nearly new six back in 74-75, our nieghbor had a brand new 1.8 four. He told us that he put them on as they looked like the 5 spoke wheel that came on the sixes. That conversation tainted my view of rivs ever since. To me they are on the same level as the fuchs style hub caps they used to sell. Just the fact that they have other embosses to look like the lug holes seems to say that the designer wanted a 5 spoke wheel, and wanted to hide the 4 lug mounting.

The five lug look nevered appealed me,ever!Since on wheels,How about them Empi's,I love mine!They ain't beauties,so what? I simply love 'em!

As far as what looks good on 4 lug cars.
It's a tough decision and a toss up between 2 litre fuchs and minilights.

I replaced my cherry set of original smooth cast riv's for real fuchs for numerous reasons:

1. Riv's are cast, Fuchs are forged
2. Riv's are heavy, Fuchs are light
3. Riv's have wrong offset
4. Fuchs are real porsche wheels and unique to 914's etc....

Ive got some Riveras I would GLADLY trade for fuchs replica for not. I dont like them at all, but its what the car came with and I would rather put the money in the engine, suspension, and paint for now. Hey, if you want my POS riverias you can have the 165 snow tires that are mounted on them too! I'll be looking for some fuch replicas or maybe real ones some time soon so I can mount 205s without molesting my fenders.

I must have a rare set of Rivs with the correct offset. They came on the car with 205/50s, and I replaced them with 205/60s. Both sizes fit under stock fenders on my '74. clearances are close, but no contact except to the inside front fenders at full-lock turns.


In general, I'd prefer Minilites, then Mahles to the others being discussed. What's wrong with Mahles? No one seems to have said much for or against those so far...

When someone gives you a free set of Rivs and you in turn give them away........ what are they worth??? You do the math.

Some Riv's, well restored, on a good clean car look OK to me. If I didn't find my Mahle's I would put a set on until I could find better. (anything is better than my old VW style moon caps) they are Fugly)



Hey I got a couple of those with my parts car. Where they really from the factory?

Ok here is ugly.Ugly Rims on ebay

they are the red headed step child of the rivieras!

if those were polished up they might be ok... not any worse than rivs in my book...

I just read somewhere that the riv's are 15x4.5", does that sound right? I suppose i could go measure them...

.tim

I dont know...I think mine look good...or maybe its just that hot guy next to the car....
in all honesty though..I am waiting for a good set of fuchs...(aaron...)

I had rims like the ugly ones. They are aluminum, have a wide offset, have the valve stem in a wierd place (middle rim), and are..... ugly.

Rivs are 15 x 5.5

Offset, is another thing though.. Dont know those numbers.. (I have some rivs for sale.. lol)

Andrew

me2..500 hundred and there yours! lol

Have you guys ever seen a 4 lug phone dial? I'm pretty sure they were aftermarket but they look really odd with 4 lugs and 5 holes.

John

Last time I checked we found 5 different Rivs that where made over the years.

Yes.. they have a 15x4.5 Riv, but your car doesnt have them Tim.


B