So I had a chance to bleed my brakes tonight and hook up the emergency brake. Good news is that now the brakes feel great and my car doesnt roll down the driveway. Bad news is that I found out my tires are in worse shape than I thought, cracks and bulges and it makes me so nervous I'm not driving it until I get new tires.

Anyways, I have a set of Western wheels on it right now, which are in good condition, i just dont like the looks that much. I was given a set Empi's with the car, that I like the looks better, but the set isnt all the same color, so they look a little weird. Right now, the Westerns have 165/60 which I believe is the stock size. My question is that I want to go to the Empi's eventually, just not until i get a chance to paint/detail them. I plan on running on 195/60 on the empi's, will that size tire fit on the westerns to use in the meantime? what about 205's? I tried to search but i didnt find much...

thanks everyone

oh and for brakes that work now!!

I've got empi's and I have 195/60-15's on all four wheels. I don't think you'd get a 205 to fit without rolling the rear fender lip or flares. I think I've heard that there are SOME 205's that actually run smaller... so the tire "name" would be a 205, but I think they would actually be closer to the 195. My 195's are pretty tight at the back.

thats the look i'm going for, and thanks for the info on the 205's, i figured they wouldnt fit but wanted to make sure....195's it is.

now does anyone know if 195/60's will fit on the western's? i really want to refinish the empi's before i use them, but i dont want to have to buy 2 sets of tires...

I have a set of 205x50 Fulda's on a set of Empi's. When I had them mounted it took a couple guys to get the tire on the wheel. That was the 2nd shop, the first shop could not get them on. 195x60 should be fine.

The empi is just a 5.5 inch wheel just like Fuchs or Mahles or Pedrinis.
A 205 tire will fit on it just fine....that is not the problem.
Most aftermarket Empis (American Eagle etc) are a VW offset so the wheel sets out further towards the outside fender lip.
With a 195 you will probably have to pull the fender and/or roll the inside lip.
With a 205 on that same wheel you will definitely have to do the above.

Some folks have to do the fender to put a 205 on a Fuchs or Mahle or Pedrini.

The bottom line is that the 205 vs. 195 has very little to do with whether the tire will fit the wheel. It all depends on the wheel/tire combo and your particular car...none of these cars are identical. What fits on one may not necessarily fit on yours.
I have had 4 914s and every one has had a different fit with the same tire wheel combos on the rear.
ON my current car, it came with 195s on empis and the fender lips were rolled sligtly with very litte clearance. With 205 Kumhos (victoracers, are very wide), they fit fine on Fuchs with more clearance.
The offset of the wheels makes all the difference.

thanks for the replies...

does anyone know about the 195's fitting the Western wheels?

Yep, I had a set of Yokohama street tires 195/60 on my western weels. Not totally bulged out, good fit. I am a fan of westerns/Dan Gurney wheels.

i've got 205x60's on my western/dan gurneys and i love the fit. i did however roll the wells slightly they are close but have NEVER rubbed
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thanks for the info guys...

i'll run the 195's on the westerns until i get a chance to go over the empis, i'll also clean up the westerns and decide which one i like better later.

just wanted to make sure if i got tires, they would fit both set of wheels.

ok, I got new Yokohama YK520's on today (195/60) and what a difference, better ride, smoother turning and no shakes at freeway speed any more...although i did notice a rather annoying vibration whenever i run over pothole cover or rough spot in the street, but I think (hope) i have an idea of what causing it.

i knew tires would make a difference, but not as much as they have:)

Nice!!

Pics?

I have 185's on an empi and t you cant get your finger between the rear fender and the tire, but there is enough space!

no pics yet...but they are coming:)

Helo...its hard to see from the picture, but what kind of center caps do you have on the Empi's?

does anyone make a porsche crest center cap for the empi's or will i have to make my own?

lol,

Those are the plastic center caps available from ebay. They don't come with any logo or anything in the center so I printed vinyl decals of the club badge and put those on there. Ebay also lists a 'puffy' porsche decal that will fit in the center.