Been thinking... for cars with alloy wheels, did the spare wheel match the set or was it a steelie?

Mine did as far as I know, but I bought the car used from a guy in MN. Five Pedrinis all clean as a cucumber.

As I understand it, all five wheels matched but dealers were known to scavage alloys from the trunk of multiple cars to create a full set they could then sell as optional equipment.

According to the late Wes Hildreth, when he worked at the dealer, all 914s with alloy wheels came with a matching alloy spare. But the dealer would get 20 alloy lug bolts from the parts department, and swap out the spares from 4 cars with the steel wheels to put a set of alloys on a car that never came with alloy wheels from the factory. Then they could mark the price of that car up for the cost of the alloy wheels, and it didn't cost them anything but the price of the lug bolts.

It causes an issue when you try to use the alloy wheel bolts with the steel (spare) wheel. The long bolts stick too far through the caliper and lock the wheel tight.

Harvey Weidman was one of the people who told me the same thing.

My 74 1.8 came with spare alloy matching the on-car four. Part of the appearance group package.

My '73 2.0 came w/ 5 Fuchs, but who knows how it came when it was originally purchased.

Thank you, gents. Looks like I'm in the market for a 4-bolt Fuchs.

I bought a '73 2.0 brand new from Ely Porsche/Audi in Hayward in early '74. It came with 5 of the Fuchs wheels.

always matched always.


However many dealers removed the spare, put a steel wheel in its place and then after four 914 sales had a set of alloy wheels they could sell to a customer who did not have alloys

I got a 14in x 5in Fuchs for cheap for my spare wheel.

They didn’t earn the name Stealerships without reason.

excellent term!!!!