Wheels and Tires for 308

I just purchased my first Ferrari. It's a 1983 308GTSi QV
My question is about tires and wheels. I looked at 10 other 308's before buying this one and they all looked like they had a lower profile tires or bigger wheels?
I measured the rim on mine and the tape measure read 16"
The tires that came on the car read 220/55 VR 390 R8 witch I have been told is a Euro size and is becoming harder to find.
I would like to take them off and put them in storage until it is time to show the car or sell it.
So why do mine look so tall and balloon like.
I want to buy the exact same LOOKING wheels (5 point star) but I want the lower profile look.
I have found and have seen several online places that say they have 16" wheels for 308's-328's. They look just like mine.
Could someone please help me before I go out and spend $2000-$3000 on wheels and tires and have my speedometer misread or bottom out the car.

 

Well rims were originally a 16 inch on your model. Be glad I have 14s on my 78. As for the tires, you can get at least a 235/45 16, maybe a 245/45 16, on there to drop it just slightly without seeing the wheel well and make the tire wider to get rid of the balloning.Not to mention a set iof tires for it would probably be less that $500 (unless you get Perellis =] ) and still look factory but a little sportier.

 

The tires suggest you have metric rims. Are there any markings on the rims? Typically it will say 7 x 16" if they are 16" rims.

If you have metric rims, you will need metric tires (expensive), or buy a set of non-metric rims.

Dom

 

According to your tire size you have metric rims 390 mm diameter.
390 millimeter = 15.3543307 inch

If you plan on keeping the car and need tires for everyday use I would buy some QV 16" rims (or reproduction QV rims) and put some modern rubber on your car.

I run 225/50-16 in the front and 245/45-16 in the rear. They are speed rated (168 MPH) Yokohamas AVS ES100's and cost less than 100.00 each.

Overall diameter is almost identical to the 14" wheels and ballon tires I removed. Ground clearance is pretty much the same too.

The handling is way better.

 

I have the same wheels and tires on my '83 QV as well. I even took them out on a few autocross and open track days. They're HORRIBLE tires. I fully intend to replace mine as well. I wonder if anyone makes a 17" wheel that looks like the originals.

 

I haven't heard of one yet but I have seen some 288 style replicas. Not sure of diameter though.

 

Thanks again Spasso. Tonight was my 1st time on FerrariChat and I learned more in an hour that I have in weeks.
I hope we get to talk again.

Devin

 

Devin, congrats on your purchase. Tell us more about the car!! how many miles? color? how long had you been looking?

 

Todd,

Your standard wheels are a metric design and WILL ONLY TAKE MICHELIN TRX TYRES. The TRX design was a concept developed by Michelin in the early 80s and differs from "standard" rims by having a sloping seat for the tyre beads, rather than a horizontal "flat" seat. The idea here is that regular tyres make the sidewall work unnecessarily hard, as it starts at the edge of the tread and curves out & down, past the middle of the "bulge", and then has to curve back in again AND END UP VERTICAL where it contacts the rim seat.

This puts the sidewall into "double curvature" like an S-bend, rather than "single-curvature" like an archery bow. Double-curvature puts a higher stress into the sidewall & makes it stiffer => poor ride, more lift-off of tread under camber changes, etc.

So Michelin created the TRX series. It uses matching rims & tyres, as the tyre beads sit on the rim in a different manner to normal. You CANNOT fit non-TRX tyres to these rims, and I'm guessing that by making them in a non-standard "metric" size Michelin tried to make sure no-one did.

TRX tyre are rare, and v.expensive. They are also 80's technology. Other manufacturers didn't join Michelin in developing TRX (maybe licensing fees too high?), so the whole thing became an orphan by the 90's.

You will need to source alt rims, and (much cheaper & better) tyres. Not all models at the time came fitted with TRX. Some cars came fitted with 7x16 (front) & 8x16 (rear) with regular rubber instead (205/55-VR16 & 225/55-VR16 respectively), and you should be able to locate such rims in the 2nd hand market if you look.

Beyond that, try going to 17" for a more "low-profile" setup. Some have gone to 18" or 19" but that seems too extreme IMO. Any good tyre shop will give you options on what tyres will fit with the same rolling radius as the normal 16" setup. The hardest part is finding suitable looking rims. Check-out 2 or 3-piece suppliers - there are some 5-start designs around v. similar to your std look.

For example: (Simmons brand, Australia) ...
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I would recommend you do what Spasso suggests...get some 16" QV wheels (what I did) or replicas. They really look good, and "appropriate" to the car. You can go 17", but you will have to get the "288 GTO" look wheels, which to me, don't look as good.

There are still PLENTY of high performance tires in the appropriate sizes for the 308/328. As mentioned, you can go stock size (205/55/16 front and 225/50/16 rear) or up size to 225/50/16 front and 245/45/16 rear. Would not recommend the 245/50/16 on the rear as then you are getting larger than original diameter....though it will still physically fit, it starts to get that "balloon" look you mentioned....

Regards,
Dave

 

How much would the 16" original rims cost?

 

Used and usually in need of refinishing, 2,000 to 2,500 USD. Check Ebay or Ferrariads.com.

New reproduction QV wheels run 1,500 to 1,900 depending on who you buy from and where you ship to.

 

Again, Spasso is right about on the money....I paid $3k for freshly refinished, like new ones. Original magnesium 16" QV rims are a bit lighter, and will likely retain their value better than the repros. But from 10 feet away, the repros look fine to me; and seem to be a better value.

 

Barbo1 : I just purchased the 308 three days ago. I have been seriously looking for around 2 years. I found a great one! The price was $39,900 39,000 miles on it. But, here are the best parts. For that price the local authorized Ferrari is doing the 30,000 major service, new cluch & new brakes. Also, all the leather in the car was completey redyed. THE CAR LOOKS BRAND NEW!!!
Two years of search as paid off.

 

geekstreet,

Thank You for all the info. I will put it to good use. TODD

Your standard wheels are a metric design and WILL ONLY TAKE MICHELIN TRX TYRES. The TRX design was a concept developed by Michelin in the early 80s and differs from "standard" rims by having a sloping seat for the tyre beads, rather than a horizontal "flat" seat. The idea here is that regular tyres make the sidewall work unnecessarily hard, as it starts at the edge of the tread and curves out & down, past the middle of the "bulge", and then has to curve back in again AND END UP VERTICAL where it contacts the rim seat.

This puts the sidewall into "double curvature" like an S-bend, rather than "single-curvature" like an archery bow. Double-curvature puts a higher stress into the sidewall & makes it stiffer => poor ride, more lift-off of tread under camber changes, etc.

So Michelin created the TRX series. It uses matching rims & tyres, as the tyre beads sit on the rim in a different manner to normal. You CANNOT fit non-TRX tyres to these rims, and I'm guessing that by making them in a non-standard "metric" size Michelin tried to make sure no-one did.

TRX tyre are rare, and v.expensive. They are also 80's technology. Other manufacturers didn't join Michelin in developing TRX (maybe licensing fees too high?), so the whole thing became an orphan by the 90's.

You will need to source alt rims, and (much cheaper & better) tyres. Not all models at the time came fitted with TRX. Some cars came fitted with 7x16 (front) & 8x16 (rear) with regular rubber instead (205/55-VR16 & 225/55-VR16 respectively), and you should be able to locate such rims in the 2nd hand market if you look.

Beyond that, try going to 17" for a more "low-profile" setup. Some have gone to 18" or 19" but that seems too extreme IMO. Any good tyre shop will give you options on what tyres will fit with the same rolling radius as the normal 16" setup. The hardest part is finding suitable looking rims. Check-out 2 or 3-piece suppliers - there are some 5-start designs around v. similar to your std look.

For example: (Simmons brand, Australia) ...[/QUOTE]

 

davehanda,

I'm with you and Spasso. I'm going with the repros and putting the ones that came with the car in storage until I sell it it show it.

Thanks, TODD

 

I like that wheel design, but it's only available in 16"... too bad it's not in 17".
www.simmonswheel.com.au/b45_16lrg.html

 

You won't regret it. They will look terrific, and there are many very sticky tires available to fit. Be sure and upsize!

Shop around, as there are "deals" to be had with the repros...

 

Actually the 16 inch wheels didn't appear until the 84 model years. 1983 was metric and was a carryover from the 2V models

 

T Rutlands has 16" reproduction wheels for around $1400. I looked at their set last week and they looked just fine.

 

I think $2000.00 to get some tires on the car is out of line. I'm opting for the 220/55-390 metrics from Tire Rack. The last set lasted for 20 years and this set will too.

 

Yes 2k is a lot if all a person wants to do is put rubber on the car. The whole idea behind going to the 16" wheels is to allow the use of current technology rubber versus TRX technology from the late 70's.

I can out handle my buddy with TRX's by a mile with the Yokohamas I have. But then, if all a person wants to do is putt around then 800.00 for a set of TRX's is the way to go...........................................I guess.

 

I do like to just putt agound I guess!!!

 

Well, me too sometimes.

Other times I have the daunting task of trying to keep up with 355's and 360's on winding roads. I need all the help I can get when it comes to "energy management" in the corners.

 

Well I'm lucky as I own the only two Ferrari's in the area so all I have to do is keep up with myself!!!