Teeners! Our 74 had AC installed when new. This takes up a lot of Frunk room. The spare is a full size Mahle and tire. I'd like to find a modern mini tire to help with space. Has anyone found an appropriate four bolt space saver than would work?

I’m having my local mechanic take a collapsible spare off a 944 turbo spare (outlaw) wheel. It looks to be in very good condition. I can post pics once he removes it. Porsche guys have used these collapsible spares on Fuchs to match their road wheels. Not every tire shop likes to do them but the owner of my local shop said he has a tire machine just for these type of tires. He has six different tire machines in the shop and I’ve known him for 30 years, so I believe him. I’ll know more on Monday or Tuesday when he’s done.

* Using a collapsible spare means you need to carry a pump. 911’s came with one but you can buy a generic one online.

I had one and when I blew it up the tire was warped and was unusable. I ended up using the wheel and getting a standard tire installed on it. They don’t last forever.

Anither option is to i stall your full size soare in the eear trunk. There is a threaded insert for that purpose.

Those things don't yield much extra space. Take the original spare & strap on the roof. You'll be the talk of the town.

Where? Now I need to go look. For a "73?

You are correct. I found it (complete with a white plastic cap). Thanks for the insight!!!

Roof? Rarely on.

I have a full size spare (225x15x7") in the rear trunk and the top still fits just fine.

And as an added bonus, i use the inside of the wheel as a container for all sorts of smaller tools and spare parts.

That's excellent info! Thank you, Sir!

I HATE the space saver spares. The ONLY thing they are good for is "shop tires" for a race car. I'm talking about the always inflated minis here. Not the fold away junk.

The real problem with the "emergency" tires is their limited top speed (commonly 55 or 60 MPH) and their tiny, tiny service life.
The manufactures state 50 miles TOTAL use.
They will live a bit longer but not much...

I bought an early 911 skinny steel wheel from mepstein for my 5-lug swapped car.
The stock 914 tire will fit on it fine.
I have a spare tire that is exactly the same diameter as the run set, has no 60mph speed limit on it, and can go coast to coast multiple times before it needs replacement...

Now I know it will fit UNDER the top in the rear trunk!

I did a serious search regarding the fold up tires as those look SO cool sideways in the frunk, especially mounted on a Fuchs wheel.

I could not find new ones...
Everything is 10+ years old.
They too, have stupid short service life.
IMO an old fold up is a "one-use maybe" solution that will be expensive to replace in the future and maybe not even available...

I'm going to stay with my skinny ass brand new spare tire that can run 20K+ miles and doesn't need special machinery or training to repair.
I'm just going to carry it in the rear now...

can you even buy a space saver new?
If not, they are far too old to use safely.

I’m with Andy. Put a thin tire in the rear truck with your tools.
The rear trunk gets pretty hot for anything else.

I bought a boxster spare tire, but I have not looked into to see if the tire is replaceable.
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I was planning something similar with the boxster one...should have a foam surrounded tool kit that fits in the wheel too.

It is much easier to accomplish if your car has a roll cage.
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I have the same thing. I had to go to it because the 15 inch collapsible spare I had wouldn't fit over the Boxster calipers.

Gave away the space saver spare. The person who got it said when they tried to use it, it would not inflate. It was too dry rotted to hold air.

I have the same boxster spare. That reminds me I need to check the pressure before the road trip.

I just knew it!!!

Sometimes these just look cool IMHO

Bob B

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How far can you drive at regular speeds with that thing?

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Same as a donut. Not over 50 and just to get you to a safe spot.

I need to figure out something with my spare as well. Sourced a stock 911SC steel rim and mounted I think a 195/65/15 to it = mistake. It makes the cover sit higher and probably isn't the same rolling radios as the 205/55/16's I'm running.

Would love to source an early 944 spare rim and mount a real tire to it. But 356 guys gobbled those up and now they are $$$.

I had the same problem with my '74 until I removed the entire A/C system. Best decision I ever made. Car lost 67 lbs., had more room for the full sized spare, and my feet no longer get caught up in the cramped pedal area due to the blower motor. Interior looks better also without all that plastic superstructure for the vents and controls.

Osnabruck914

i store a boxster spare + foam jack insert up front, it fits great in either trunk. i needed to use a coupling nut to extend the tie-down bolt.

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Does the spare play any safety role in a front end collision?

I was hit in the front right a few years back. The spare, unibody, and skinny stock tires (allowing the car to skid) seems to work in concert to absorb all the energy.

Does the Boxster spare offset work on our 914's? I guess the rim/tire are narrow enough, probably doesn't matter.

Yup

I was told by a couple people (guys that I’ve always felt were more knowledgeable than myself) that it does provide some protection and was part of the design. Now we would need to put it on our roof to match up with most SUV bumpers.

This is from my 928 group. My 86.5 928 has a non painted Alloy in colour
Part Number on Rim = 951 362 131 00. but the wheel and space saver are 15 inches while the car came with 16inch wheels



928 & S 1978 - 1985
= steel rim ( very heavy)
Part Number on rim = 928 361 018 03 ( stamped on steel wheel )
Size = 15" X 55 ET X 5" wide


928S 1986 (Brembo Brakes), 1987/88 928S4 & 951 (944 Turbo 1985-1987/88)
= Trick one piece split rim, not cast ( very light) & non painted Alloy in colour
Part Number on Rim = 951 362 131 00
Size = 15" X 30 ET X 5 1/2 " wide
Pictures from my 86.5 my Favorite color

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Pictures from my 86.5 my Favorite color

928S4 1988 or 89 ? - 1991 & 951 from about 1988 or 1989 ( like the S4)
= cast wheel & painted red ( a bit heavier than the 951 version)
Part Number on rim = 928 362 030 02
Size = 15" X 30 ET X 5 1/2 " wide


928GTS 1992 - 1995
= cast wheel painted red
Part Number = 965 362 030 00
Size = 16" X 5 1/2 " JET951 is offline

That spare in the frunk is awesome

the tire is very narrow, yes

Found a used Boxster Spare that hasn't been used off a 1998 986. I currently have a 911SC steel rim with tire up front. This should fit better (thinner) as my "floor" covering is a bit high.

Didn't buy the 986 jack, but do want one.

The old spare from a 911. Says 7/74, 5 1/2 x 15. It takes up a bit of space (height):

Dropped in the 986 spare, sits much lower, gained couple if inches of trunk space and lost 15lbs:

Side-by-side, the old is a 195/65/15 to try to match the 205/55/16's I'm running. I think the 986 spare is also very close in rolling radius.

Yes, it does (contribute to energy absorption) and to my mind (even more importantly) is the matter of weight distribution. The car as engineered had (has) excellent weight distributions specs and any radical shifting of weight masses fore or aft will alter that set of specs by a significant margin.

It would seem to me that far more owners are unconcerned with the weight distrib impact on handling than on the aesthetic ("pretty") nature of the arrangement and appearance than should be. As an old Air Force hand who had a number of multi-engine loadmasters among my associates, I would always be more focused on the functional performance aspects of my car than the concourse potential, LoL.

PS: Regardless of energy absorbing potentials in a crash, just one look at the massive BLUNT FORCE front-end of a FURD F-250 'TREMOR' and imagining the effect of one of those grossly over-the-top dinosaurs taking on a 48" tall 914 head-on, instantly dissipates any concern with crash survival stats (and replaces them with concern over where you want to have the funeral home bury you in your '2 cubic foot' Porsche 914 coffin...)

Not sure prices of these pumps in the US but in my country they sell for crazy money ,found the 944 pump sells for a lot less ,I have Boxster wheel and series 1 944 pump which came with a parts car I bought years ago ,they are good pumps.

Or just use a modern electric pump and keep it in a bag. You can even do a battery operated one.

why not just vertical spare? I have some pictures and the part on my website cheap

I use the Boxster 986 in the 914 and 987. They take. 60 pdi

Jims got the set up. Don't need a pump and it comes with the tray and jack set up.
Or even this set up in the rear trunk.

Best Bob B

Here is the front of my 914 race car on its last day. I hit a Miata that lost it on the inside of a corner and skidded cross-wise into my path. I was going at least 40 mph in closing speed.

The front end collapsed up to the bulkhead. I did not have a spare in place, just ducting for a front oil cooler. No damage to the fuel tank. My cage kept the cabin intact, but the floor did have a slight buckle in front.

The impact was hard enough to bend the engine cross bar and snap both mounting ears off the trans case. I had a sore wrist where it banged the steering wheel.

In case you are wondering, here is the car before the wreck. At that time I had been running a set of Minilite magnesium wheels, one of which broke in the impact.

That is what I have in the 3.2. A bit concerned about safety but mostly from the rear. I have a 944 space saver and a battery pump. Wonder if it will hold air?

I have seen lots of the space saver spare tires in the recent past. All of them are dry rotted past useful life. You may be able to inflate them. But personally, I wouldn't go over 5mph with them. My pickup had the factory original spare on it from 1988. It had good tread, and held air. When I went to use it, it made it 20 feet in a parking lot before blowing with a very loud bang.

For a 4 lug car, stick with a factory rim and a new tire. For a 5 lug conversion, get a Boxster spare.

Just my $.02.

Has anyone found a confirmed source for replacement rubber for these collapsible tires? I hear rumors but no actual success stories that are recent.

Most tire shops refuse to mount them.

Some might...

Tires can be difficult to find.

The usually solution to a worn out space saver is to get a new tire and wheel combo or find one in a recyclers yard.

Space savers have a stupid short service life. Many say "50mph or less for 50 or less miles".

I bought both an early 911 steel wheel (stock 914 size fits fine) and a boxster space saver.

Steel will end up in the narrow 75 and the SS will end up in the 76 916 clone.

The non-folding space savers tend to work ok out to 20 years if they have never been used and have always been inflated. They still only last 50 miles (maybe less!).