Fitments for my Ghia Coupe

[Mikey]

I think the Cup II's are popular with Ghias.

I'm putting a set on of Cup II's on my Ghia now. I've got a whole set of 17" x 7's ET55. They all fit good. I'm going to try to stuff either a 9" rear or a pair of 8". I won't know what will be required untill I get the wheels. I've got a 2in narrowed/adjustable beam and drop spindles. I'm thinking of .5" spacers on each side to move the wheels back out. Since they hit the inner fenders bad. (I have pictures, but they're too big to post. )

[70Ghia]

Mike,

Here are some pics of my Cup II's, they are stock 17 x 7 boxsters. I tried giving you some idea of the space.

Chris

[Mikey]

Thanks for the pictures, your Ghia looks Awesome. :righton:

It looks like a lot of room on the inside, but I'll probably run into the spring plate before I hit the inner fender. And if I decide to run Porsche brakes, I'll have to either narrow my trailing arms or buy some. (If I can't narrow them enough.) I measured my Ghia too. That's why I think I can fit 9's in the back. For them Not to fit, they'd have to hit both the spring plate and the fender lip. If they don't hit both at the same time, you can get the wheels moved in or out to make them fit the wheel well. It would be a lot easier to move the wheel out (spacer) than it would be to move the wheel in, but it can be done.

Is any of this making sence? I'm no expert.

*I forgot to mention, I'm building a '64 Ghia, which has lower rear arches than the late model Ghias. So the rear will look lower and MIGHT have more room. That's just a guess.

[Mikey]

Finaly, I figured out how to resize. The first 2 of my front after I put in a 2in narrowed beam, drop spindles, and adjusters. This is the lowest it'll go, I'll raise it up an inch or 2 for final ride height.

The last 3 are after I put the rear wheel on today. I think it looks good, and I have no clue what possesed me into thinking a 9" would fit. A 9" rim with no tire maybe. The inside will hold a 9" wide wheel, but you run into the spring plate, then the shock tower. A narrowed rear tortion would fix that. But that's almost too much for a 2inch wider rim. 10"s maybe?... Either way. This is what I have right now. The back will settle a little more and I'll lower it more too.

What you guys think?

[70Ghia]

looking good Mike,

I started out with drop spindles on mine too but the MBT brakes didn’t really look or sit right on the caliper, so I went back to the stock ones and a adjustable beam. I also installed a 1/2" spacer to bring the wheels out more.

The rears I would leave alone, you know your going to get the urge to throw that GL Ghia into the corners and have fun , got to have some room for tire movement.

If your looking for some hard to find parts, let me know I have sources here.

Chris

[brujo65]

GetAttachment.jpg

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this is my 74 with custom Forgeline 7 1/2 front and 9 rear with out any
flares

[DORIGTT]

Originally Posted by Mikey

A 9" rim with no tire maybe. The inside will hold a 9" wide wheel, but you run into the spring plate, then the shock tower. A narrowed rear tortion would fix that. But that's almost too much for a 2inch wider rim.

So are you saying that if the spring plate was thinner (or bowed for clearance), and the shock tower were shortened, that the 9" would fit in your opinion?

[Mikey]

Originally Posted by DORIGTT

So are you saying that if the spring plate was thinner (or bowed for clearance), and the shock tower were shortened, that the 9" would fit in your opinion?

I don't think you could get that thin of a spring plate. or bow it almost 2 inches.

hmmm.... You'd have to basicly take an inch or two out of the rear torsion housing. (just like narrowing a front beam.) In effect it'll move the spring plate/shocktower closer to the tranny. With that you're looking at either adapting stock vw torsion bars, a custom torsion bars, or coil overs. Then, and probably only then, would you be able to fit a 9" rear wheel with no body mods. There is plenty of room from the wheel to the shock tower in the original position, but it'll be almost impossible or too much work to move the spring plate and not move the shock tower.

If I had more skill in shaping metal I'd just widen the rear fenders, and put a set of 9" in the back. But then again, I'd widen the front too so I can use a stock beam.

[hpw]

Originally Posted by Mikey

Finaly, I figured out how to resize. The first 2 of my front after I put in a 2in narrowed beam, drop spindles, and adjusters. This is the lowest it'll go, I'll raise it up an inch or 2 for final ride height.

The last 3 are after I put the rear wheel on today. I think it looks good, and I have no clue what possesed me into thinking a 9" would fit. A 9" rim with no tire maybe. The inside will hold a 9" wide wheel, but you run into the spring plate, then the shock tower. A narrowed rear tortion would fix that. But that's almost too much for a 2inch wider rim. 10"s maybe?... Either way. This is what I have right now. The back will settle a little more and I'll lower it more too.

What you guys think?

Mikey, new to this forum, usually post on the samba, but I was wondering

if you had any updates on your car?

[flat_iv]

16x6 1/2 wheels 205/45/16 tires on the front and 205/50/16 on the rear. Dropped Spindles and 1 spline lowered in the rear. The offset on the wheels are 46ET. No wheel spacers on the front and 5/16 spacer on the rear. Carefull on the tire cross sections. All tires are not created equal. For example I found some 205's that had a cross section from 7.8 to 8.4. Doesnt sound like much on a normal car but on a Ghia its a mile....

Originally Posted by flat_iv

16x6 1/2 wheels 205/45/16 tires on the front and 205/50/16 on the rear. Dropped Spindles and 1 spline lowered in the rear. The offset on the wheels are 46ET. No wheel spacers on the front and 5/16 spacer on the rear. Carefull on the tire cross sections. All tires are not created equal. For example I found some 205's that had a cross section from 7.8 to 8.4. Doesnt sound like much on a normal car but on a Ghia its a mile....

Sweet ride. What wheels are those?

[vwbao]

Originally Posted by flat_iv

16x6 1/2 wheels 205/45/16 tires on the front and 205/50/16 on the rear. Dropped Spindles and 1 spline lowered in the rear. The offset on the wheels are 46ET. No wheel spacers on the front and 5/16 spacer on the rear. Carefull on the tire cross sections. All tires are not created equal. For example I found some 205's that had a cross section from 7.8 to 8.4. Doesnt sound like much on a normal car but on a Ghia its a mile....

hi, is it narrowed beam? does it rub?thanks