GT4 with knock-off wheels

Can somebody fill me in on the history of wire wheels and knock-offs on GT4's? Seems to be a very rare option. Just looked at a car today that had them and am pondering a purchase.

 

Dealer option.

 

I don't think any of them had genuinely knock-off wheels as the wheel hubs don't suit. I think there are some replica wheels which look knock off, but are in fact secured in the normal 5 bolt fashion and the knock-off part is just a glorified centre cap.

 

Elvis had a GT4 still at Graceland with wire wheels, and I have seen at least 4 GT4 with boxer wheels but with bolts!

 

206 and early 246 had knockoffs, but by the time the 308 GT4 came along it was all bolt-on.

 

there was a 76 or 77 308 GTB/GTs that had the wire wheels on it from the factory for sale about 2 years ago. there were pics of it somewhere. i cant say they would be anything but a minus to me as a buyer. i would rather have BBS or Superperformance 16s than wire wheels, 390s or 14's.

 

I would love to have a set of Boxer rims for my GT4! Given the years of the early GT4's; It's seems to me, that would seem to be one of the best and most logical upgrades you could to to the vehicle, to make it more like those of the same vintage but far more apprecited.

Closest I could find to that type in a 5-bold pattern though, are the coffin wheels they use on the Stratos. Where can you get the Boxer wheels with bolts?

 

Did the car you looked at have original style borrani knock offs? In other words, a tri-spinner holding the wheel onto a splined hub? Or was it a wire wheel with lug nuts on the standard hubs?

 

It had the tri-spinner setup, although I did not take them off to look any further.

 

Hi Dave,

Boxer wheels, in some ways (period, for sure) seem like the ideal wheel upgrade for a 308gt4, BUT, I understand, then you have the guard clearance issue to deal with - that is, the wheel won't fit without flairing - so you also get into issues of how unoriginal you really want to go.

Also, on the 308gt4, they drive so well (nimbleness in particular) with standard wheels but when you go to really wide wheels you risk geting steering issues like tram-lining, and, of course, this kills the purity of the drive which is so essentially 308gt4, so be careful.

As for wire wheels, in what seems a lifetime ago, I had an MGB with chrome wire wheels and they really did look fantastic but they were always snapping spokes and so replacing and balancing them was a veritable pain.

So, to each his or her own, and good luck, but...

Cheers,

Grahame

 

This has been discussed a few times, but I haven't seen it concluded.

It is certainly possible to fit knock-offs to a GT4/GTB/GTS with the use of fabricated adapters or hubs.
Maybe one could even use Boxer parts, but I haven't looked into that.

The next problem is that you'll have a very limited choice of rims to fit, unless you go with custom examples, as it is not only the mounting, but also the off-set of the rim that is important, the wheel has to be 'in the right place'.

That said, a 308 with original design knock-ffs would look fantastic.

 

This is a project that I really wanted to take on when I bought my GTB. That is until I found a set of Boxer wheels. Twelve grand U.S.
Admittedly, they were NOS, but I doubt you'd find used ones inexpensive enough to make the project financially viable...

 

My 1978 308GTS had wire wheels on it when my friend purchased it in 1985. He was told only 2 308’s were shipped from the factory in 1978 and this was one of them. Ferrari denies shipping any 308’s with wire wheels. They are Borrani wheels held on with a knock off nut with the center spline bolted to the hub. My belief is they were a dealer installed option by the original owner. Since I have never driven another 308 I can't say how the wheels effect the car. Randy
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Is that the Malmstein (sp?) car?

 

No... Yngwie's old car is a QV.

 

Nope, my friend, Bob Miles bought in 1985 (2nd owner) in Phoenix and I bought it from him just before he died from malignant melanoma in 2004.

 

Probably doesn't effect the handling much.....

They have safety issues for hard Track use but should be fine in a normal driving application.

 

G'day & ciao tutti.
I have a copy of the Route Borrani Catalogo Generale of 2006 in front of me. For the era in question, there are 3 listings. 246, GTB, & 400 Automatico. I expect that the 206, GTS, & GT4 can be included. All have the Rudge-type, splined, centre-lock bolt-on hubs, are 7.00x14s, & 72 spokes. The 400A has 7.50x15 rims. 3-eared or hexagonal nuts may depend upon protrusion past the tyres. The Borrani Listino Prezzi has, for all of the above, E7.500 for 4 wheels & hubs. A 5th wheel is only E1.100 extra (- no 5th hub). Effective through to 31 December, 2010.

I would dearly love to have a set on my GT4 recently acquired from the land of convict transportation, but first, it needs some roadworthyness added. I'll be choosing the wheels for the 400A, and, most likely, use them on the road only. Alloys for the track.

I can hear all of those fingers hovering over the keyboards just waiting for the website info. Ready, set, www.borrani.eu , GO!

You'll probably have to wait a few days to get a catalogue from the importer in Golden, Colorado. TAW Performance. Phone number's via Borrani's website.

Ciao, dudes.