Original rims are usually better looking

As most oe rims look ok/decent, I think most of us that change wheels are looking for more aggressive offsets for a meaner look.

Bear in mind this statement has nothing to do with track or race use...just appearance.

 

I don't mind some aftermarket wheel sets, so long as they are the factory size and have proper center caps. Just my preference.

 

The problem is that Ferraris today rarely come with beautiful 5-spoke wheels.
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I agree. With a couple of exceptions- 348 and 360 - I think the designers knew best.

The five spoke wheels on the Daytona, Boxer, concave 328, 288 GTO, and F40 are particularly good, IMO, as are 512 TR. But OEM always seems to beat aftermarket.


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Stock 360 wheel could use improvement. Swap in a set of 430 wheels..really works well.

 

A 360 on challenge wheels was beautiful. Especially ball polished.

 

I agree Challenge wheels/grilles make a 360 perfect for me.

 

I love stock wheels always

 

Same is true from Lamborghini....

Now here is the problem, as cars age the TIRE availability shrinks down to nothing, which will necessitate going away from OEM towards larger aftermarket wheels,

Both my cars (Ford GT and Diablo) are on life support for available OEM tire sizes.

 

I agree that the original wheels usually look the best, but those aren't always 5 spoke. Something to consider is that on older cars they didn't have really large brakes and colored calipers.
On my 328 I have never seen anything I like better than the 5 spoke.
On my 430, I think the challenge wheels look way better, that's why I paid for the option.
On my Portofino they used a modern version of the 5 spoke ( split spokes) and I think it looks much better than a traditional style wheel would because it shows off the CF rotors and large brake calipers.
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Maybe depends on the size, but I had no trouble sourcing quality OEM size tires for my ‘56 Porsche, or my 308 QV and 328. I assume you checked Tire Rack? The original bias ply tires from the ‘50s are (thankfully) unavailable, but there are classic size radials available for anything I’ve searched. Plenty of good options for my ‘93 911.

Boxer owners would know better than I do, but IIRC Michelin even offered a continuation of the XWX.


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Be assured we look everywhere. In both cases there is only 1 OEM left and only make them periodically. In your case, they made tons of 911s and the tires are small and might even fit other cars, while my cars are rare with huge tire sizes.

 

Good to know. I thought there were enough Diablos to keep tires available, but apparently not. Hopefully they’ll be reproduced or relaunched at some point.


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Thanks Jon,
In fact you inspired me to search for some Diablo tires at 1 AM this morning instead of hitting the rack. Absolutely no fronts available, did find a place that has 3 rears allegedly in stock. Will call this morning, but usually it's because they don't update their stock.

Did find a couple of FGT rears a few months ago so should be OK there for 2-3 years until the fronts age out.

 

I would have been fine with the original rims appearance on my mondial qv. The TRX requirement would have had me replace them. The period Etoile rims I am refinishing are good looking imo. Even better since I can put normal tires on them.

 

I think what often looks silly is an older Ferrari with new generation rims, i.e. 360 rims on a 308, etc. Reaching too far. The designers worked hard on the 308. Let it be, for the love of humanity.

 

This. Nothing worse than 19” rims on a 308/328.

The only aftermarket rims I ever thought were passable were the BBS in a Road & Track 308 feature with Bob Bondurant back in the early ‘80s (IIRC).


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What could be better than knock off alloys?


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Polished alloys.

 

I sometimes wish they would just have 2-3 options across all models to identify a generation (maybe 6-10 years) still. I think the stradale/monolitic wheels were one of the best designs ever and it looked great on the 360, F430, 612 and 599. Why try to (literally, lol) reinvent the wheel over and over. Create a homerun, adapt design to fit across models, then sell the bejeezus out of it.

 

If you want wheels with classic 5-spoke beauty,my favorite is the Fikse Profil 5. And go to turrinowirewheels.com to see Borrani-type wire wheels for today's cars.
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Whenever someone says this I wonder if they just lack exposure to the range of aftermarket options. There are a lot of trash wheels, and a lot of gems...both OEM and aftermarket. The original wheel is hardly the best option and the is list is comically long that supports this:

1. Even Ferrari thinks 16s looked better then TRX or 14s on the 308. Early 328 wheels look great and are much better then TRX wheels. Personally my favorite 308 wheel is the stratos style (see below)
2. Testarossa looks much much better with 360 modular wheels with better tire selection too. Even Ferrari agreed 18 was the better size with the 512TR redesign. There are many 18s that look great in the aftermarket.
3. The 456 OEM 17s look great on late 328s. In fact I really like 17s on that chassis overall.
4. The OEM 348 monoblock is awful. Ferrari agreed with the alternative modular design.
5. The 550 18s look better on a 308 they they do on the 550 (which looks much much better on barchetta wheels), though 18s on that chassis is bling (I say having run 575 18s on my old 328...in retrospect I would run 456 17s if I could do it again but that car is long gone)
6. The 456 OEM wheels are adequate (I actually rather like the design) but pale vs either 575 modulars, 550B, or 575 18s. And then you have NF2s which blow nearly all of them out of the water.
7. The 360 starfish is an interesting if polarizing design....but is a joke vs the NF2.

The list goes on and on! I just literally made that while waiting for my take out to be ready and I have not even started on the hideous early 5x114 wheels ferrari started using in the mid/late 2010s

Just goes to show what they say about generalizing

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20 or 22...you decide ( Either way it only takes 20 bolts to change them) Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login

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I loooovve Fikse wheels! Do you have pics of the whole car with the Profil5's?