Wire Wheels - Seeking Input

[Frog2Spider]

There just doesn't seem to be anything that 'screams' Sports Car, like wire wheels.

So, I am considering a set from Dayton Wheels. I already know that they are expensive, and a cleaning nightmare. However, Dayton's claim to have eliminated the spoke tightening or 'truing' issues of the past.

One consideration I have is wheel size. I'm 'thinking' 14", but wondering if i should go 15". I don't mind raising the car a little, but I'm concerned that 15" wheels will change the excellent way the car now handles. I have 13" wheels on it now, and staying with that size would save me the cost of a new set of tires, however, the tire size selection is so much better in 14" & 15".

I welcome any additional information, based on your experience or knowledge.

Thanks,
Dave

[zachmac]

There just doesn't seem to be anything that 'screams' Sports Car, like wire wheels.

I welcome any additional information, based on your experience or knowledge.

Thanks,
Dave

Dave, with all due respect, IMHO there is nothing that screams period WRONG like wire wheels on a Fiat Spider. Most all of the sports cars of that era did NOT have wire wheels (including Maseratis and Ferraris from that era) as everyone had discovered magnesium and (after they realized magnesium burns) aluminum. jaguar realized it even during the heyday of wire wheels; all of the racing D-type jags ran on Dunlap solid disc wheels. Wire wheels are okay for 1940 through early fifties. And certainly no one in their right mind ever tried to go fast and hard on a set of Dayton knockoffs (hardly Borrani or Dunlap / Jaguar quality wheels).

My advice is find a nice 15" aluminum wheel you like and go with that. Worlds stronger and trouble free AND it will look (depending on the wheels you choose) like a proper late 60's / 70/s sporty car. Again, just my opinion.

BTW, if you Google images of Fiat Spiders with wire wheels you won't find many and when you see them you might understand why, just doesn't look right on a Spider (again JMHO). If you like that look, go for it.

[bradartigue]

Agreed +1,000,000, they're wrong on a Spider.

[zachmac]

Agreed +1,000,000, they're wrong on a Spider.

...or a 60s / 70s Ferrari Dino / Daytona, or a 60s / 70s Maserati Bora or Merak, or a 60 / 70s Lamborghini 350 / 400/ Espada, etc. etc. etc.

[bradartigue]

My mom had them on a 1981 diesel cadillac. Yellow two-door monster of a car. They were fitting on that car.



The door was 20 feet long and weighed 1,600 pounds. The trunk lid was 18 feet long and weighed 800 pounds. 0-60 acceleration was about a minute. But once it got rolling...it never stopped. The NOX was higher than all of the VW TDIs made, ever.



These are not pictures of our actual car (or jet; our jet is silver).

[Exit98]

Dave, its your car and you should do just what you want with it.

But if you are asking for opinions, well, I've got to pile on. Unlike their British competitors Fiat Spiders were never sold with wire wheels.

The first Spider I looked at buying 6 years or so ago had a set of Dayton's on it. Had I bought that car they would have been off in a flash. Aside from any other aesthetic the fake knockoffs extended out beyond the wheel wells.

Fiat always offered a Cromadora alloy wheel option as an upgrade to the steelies.

[zachmac]

I vote for a set like this!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dw9gReqREPE

[mscafide]

That does look right on a Buick because it does not clash with the design of the car.

[Frog2Spider]

Well I'm diffently feeling the warmth here!

The thing that pointed me towards the wire wheels is that I don't like the looks of ALL the Alloy wheels offered, IMHO.
That, along with the very limited design and style choices, has all the Spiders I've seen wearing the same shoes!

So I thought that the wire wheels might set the old girl apart from the crowd, but I have no intention or desire of making
it look like a Pimpmobile or Low Rider.

Thanks for your honest input. I'm reconsidering.

[aj81spider]

I thought about the wire wheel look - to the point where I bought a set of steel rims and the Fiat wire wheel looking hub caps.

Sadly I ended up agreeing with the opinions here about the look. On the plus side if you decide to move forward with a wire wheel look I have a much cheaper option: I can sell you a set of steel wheels with a full set (spare included!) of wire wheel hub caps with a Fiat logo in the center.

PM me if interested!

[dreavis]

I have always been drawn to the wire wheels and have imagined them looking great on a spider. The Ferrari that to me looks most like the spider is the 19464-66 275 GTS and I think that car looks great with the Borrani wire wheel. Now I'll have to google Spiders with wire wheels.
Then again, it would probably look great with pin bunny slippers.

http://www.topspeed.com/cars/ferrari/19 ... 19345.html

[zachmac]

I personally like the more modern look of these, but then I am biased as they are what I chose.

[baltobernie]

The Ferrari that to me looks most like the spider is the 19464-66 275 GTS and I think that car looks great with the Borrani wire wheel.

I agree, and also with those that say, "It's your car; do what you want." I personally find nothing more hideous than the look of a bumperless Spider, yet they are all over this forum. One of the great things about the Spider is that it is relatively inexpensive, so your wheels or his bumper choice are not million-dollar mistakes.

If you lower the aspect ratio of the tire as you increase the diameter of the wheel, the overall height of the assembly (and the car) will not change. I think 205/60-14" would be a great combo for a wire wheel on a Spider; the OE size of later models. The wheel will draw a lot of attention, and 15" or larger might garner the wrong kind of attention.

If you go this route, I think the rest of the car Must be period-correct, or the result will not be successful.

[DUCeditor]

When I put the Panasport "mags" on mine back in the late `80s I got a similar reaction. "They look British" being the the most common comment/complaint.

Frankly I didn't care a whit. I liked 'em then. I like 'em now.

If mine was a show car, or even masquerading as one, then sticking with what Fiats came with (the to me not very pretty Cromadoras) would make sense. But its isn't. It a fun driver, nothing more, nothing less.

Dave, if the arguments here change you opinion that's cool. If, OTOH, they merely squelch you, that'd be too bad.

-don

[Frog2Spider]

Thanks baltobernie!

The 1966 275 is the car that inspired my thoughts of wire wheels after my endless and unsuccessful search for a alloy wheel that I liked. I also agree with you on the bumper-less Spiders. But as you, and others have pointed out, each to their own!

The strength factor of the wire wheels has been mentioned in earlier posts and does raise a concern. However, the people at Dayton have assured me that they are every bit as strong as any wheel made. Plus their build technology has iliminated the spoke adjusting to 'true' the wheels.

I also like (and for the same reasons) the look of a 205/60 tire on a 14" wheel.

While a decision has not yet been made, and I'm still interested in hearing from others, your reply has put the wires wheel back in the 'Yes' column.

Thanks,
Dave