8" rears question

[Evil Sid]

I have access to a pair of 8x17" ET52 Porsche Cup II alloys. I would like to fit them to the rear of my late 1303 beetle (planning to lower it 50mm). The questions I have are -
will they fit at all without too much unreversible modification? (I *really* do not want wider fenders/wings)

and if they will fit what is the best brake conversion I should do to the rears so I don't have to run spacers?

many thanks

[volkdent]

Using the search function should provide you with abundant information regarding your question.

Jason

[Dasdubber]

I have no idea of the space you have to work with on the 1303 as I've never owned one. I run 17x7.5 ET 52 Cup 3 replicas on swing axle (short axles) with CB performance rotohub discs. You can see the problem - and the bolt surface wasn't even close to seating on the disc surface.


I ended up having to run 35mm spacers (that bolt to the hub, then studs for the wheels - all approved by the certifying engineer) to get the wheels away from spring plates (but still under stock fenders).


And finally finished...


hope this helps just a little maybe. but yes the search function will help.

[Evil Sid]

May I ask what tyre size you're running?

Thanks greatly for the info and pics. I have searched extensively, and there are several comments about 7.5" wheels fitting and 9" wheels requiring wider fenders of the order of 1-2" but there are no comments around 8" wheels that I could find for a 1303. My problem is really once I get them I have no choice but to keep the wheels.

[nbturbo]

A work of art Alan.You could have run the longer Type3 axles and tubes and done away with the spacers.

[1303mark]

my 1303 is currently being fitted up with 17, 9,55 porsche wheels.

running a cb performance rear disc setup, with 65mm ish wider wings.

i am using 15-20mm spacers, (still not decided yet as i dont have my final choice of tyres fitted yet)

with standard wings i think you will be very close.

you never will really know until you buy the discs, studs spacers and start trying to biuld it all together, using washers as spacers until you are sure.

i can easily fit a 225/45 tyre, but i am going ofr 255/40 later this week

[Dasdubber]

Originally Posted by Evil Sid

May I ask what tyre size you're running?

205/40 fronts and 215/45 rear - Falken FK451

Originally Posted by nbturbo

You could have run the longer Type3 axles and tubes and done away with the spacers

Yeah Gary, before I got drawn into the german look, I was going to run 15x6in Porsche Fuchs with 205/65s so having the short axles would have worked out well....of course plans change, and rather than finding new axles and tubes and repainting, I decided to just go the spacer route. All is good in the end (just another AU$330 for the rear spacers - certainly learned a few costly mistakes during this resto!).

Evil Sid - as stated above, no matter how many calculations you make and people you ask, you'll never really know until you get it all bolted up. I got all mine bolted up and looked great (on front) until I realised turning circle was non existent - what do you know, more $ to narrow another front beam, then get another pair of spacers....such is life

[nbturbo]

"certainly learned a few costly mistakes during this resto!)." Tell me about it-I have enough new wheels,mudguards,body bits and pieces,sound systems,motors,transmissions etc. all discarded along the way as the plan kept changing.I had 2 X 5lt ice cream containers full of bolts,washers,brackets etc that I had zinc coated.Last week I spent a couple of hours sorting them into relevant areas of a Beetle and bagged them all together.I have enough bolts,wave washers and plates to bolt 3 Beetle bodies to floor pans.
Evil Sid- good info given to you here-but I went to VW shows and started asking questions and once you find a car with what you like-you can get all you need to know at the source.Good luck with your car.