Sharing wheels between Mini Cooper and beetle?
 

Ive done some research here, and trying to fully understand what i want/need to do to put some 17" wheels on my 1974 standard beetle.

In reading I have noted that the 205/45/17 rubber that is on my 4x100 wheels which are mounted to my 2002 MINI CoopeRS is the ideal tire size for my bug..

The hard thing im trying to figure out is the whole backspacing with/without spacers in order to make them work.

My car is a 1974 standard beetle, front end lowered 2-2.5" using an adjustable front beam, and will soon have the rear lowered to match. Also, will be using stock fenders from my car.

In order to run 17x7 or 7.5" wheels on my Bug, with 205/45 tires, what is the ideal backspacing to run to go without spacers? And if i decide to share wheels with my MINI (which have a ET40 / 5.75" backspace) what (if any) spacers would i need front/rear to make it work smoothly and not have to worry about damaging my wheels/fenders/etc

thanks in advance.
Ive searched, and spent the last 3 nights reading everything i can find relevant but have had no luck finding exactly what i want.

I've seen 16x7 ET23.3 Fuchs with 205/50's on them, and they JUST fit the back of an otherwise stock IRS car with stockfenders - I'd recommend a bit more offset, 40mm is comfortable...but you must grind down the chassis bump stop and modify the forwardmost springplate bolt in some circumstances.

I can't recommend anything wider than 6" under a stock fender if you're going to drive the car, you run into steering interference (tire hits the swaybar/control arm/shock tower/body) at ~5" backspace...and you can't have very much frontspace before the tire hits the fender ~1-5/8".

so my current wheels wouldnt be an ideal choice. Not a big deal. Just a novel idea.

Stock fenders, on a 74 standard, redrilled drums for 4x100, what exactly WOULD be the ideal size 17"?

17x7 x ET ?? and which spacers would be needed?
I want to change as little as possible, and still be able to put 17s on with a 2-2.5" drop all around

oh, and I plan on putting on drop spindles up front if that makes any differnce to spacers, etc

roughly and from memory of a conversation with machine 7 you can use an off set of 55m straight on.

I think it might work
 

From the research I have done it looks like there is a good possibility they may fit. If your wheels are factory wheels though then the offet should be a minimun of 48mm. I have been looking at Mini wheels as an alternative to Porsche wheels because of the large offset.

Offset of Mini wheels
 

Sorry, I don't think I was clear on the last post. The Mini factory wheels range from 45 to 52 mm. The Porsche wheels I have seen as deep as 68mm which sounds like way too much to me. I am just not sure of the Center bore size fitment of Mini wheels on a Bug hub and whether center rings would be needed.

the wheels are an aftermarket wheel


17x7.5 et40 backspace 5 3/4"
bolt circle 4x100 & 4 4 1/2

hub clearance shouldnt be an issue.

just the width

they have 205/45/17s on them. very stretched looking. Quite skinny at top

I have a spare set of drums, I think im going to have them drilled out, and see what happens. A friend will do the drilling for a case of beer, and I have plenty of lug bolts around. All im out for trying the beer, and and an afternoon. If it works out, I will have Flat do me a set of studded drums and some custom front brakes.

Possibilities of using same wheel on both cars means 2 sets of custom wheels to choose from :)