1982 Mondial Wheels and 308 wheels the same?

go for 16"


not only it will improve handling but getting the actual tires will be easy. 14" tyres with the proper rating are (very) hard to get.

Even better, go for 17" with regard to tyre availability.


any pics of your car?

 

Congrats and welcome Gardner308! would you mind posting pics of you car, thanks.

 

If I read his post correctly, he's looking for two sets of wheels: one for driving (16" QV wheels) and one for show/originality/resale (14" wheels).

 

Welcome, congratulations on your GTSi, and kudos on choosing the 16" wheel/tires. Many consider the 16" drivability to be better, they definably look better with the lower profile tire, plus you have a greater choice of tires at decent prices.

1975-1982 308s had THREE available choices of wheels. Between 390mm, 14", and 16". most 308 cars shipped to North America with 14" wheels, so folklore considers them the defacto standard.

Homologation papers (official design documents submitted for government approval to sell, plus service bulletin alignment specifications verify this. Incidentally, alignment is slightly different for all three.

IIRC my 14" Campanello wheels (affectionatelly known as Campys) were aluminum, my 16" Chromodora wheels are marked Lego Magnesio cast into the back. Ten years back I sold my 14" wheels for $550 (got shipped to Australia for another $800) and bought freshly painted 16" wheels for $1700 and tires $600 - (all sets of 4). I've recently seen the same 16" wheels go for $3800 (freshly painted).

 

Wouldn't an 82 Mondial have different TRX wheels to a 308 - also NOT 14 in

I'd concentrate on getting a set of non-metric wheels for starters then if you want a set of 82 308 TRX cluttering your garage thats a later project - unless of course you don't plan to drive the car....

 

I'd beg to differ. I prefer the old school look of the originals. I think they suit the lines of the car very well. I really like the look of the older treads, too.

I don't believe the driveability difference would be huge unless you're tracking the car. The original profiles can easily cope with spirited driving.

 

Absolutely don't mean to sense of beauty. Just that when I see the 14" wheels with 70% tire profile, I cry out for WHITE WALLS on them. Totally agree my Eagle F1 tires have an over-the-top tread design.

 

I also like the vintage with all that sidewall. They look so fantastically vintage and they feel so period correct. But that is just another mans preference. It would also make you stand out a bit. 16s look good as well. I know of a 512bb with original tires and tall sidewalls, It's like looking back in time. Love it.

 

Mondial wheels have a different offset than 308 wheels.

The 80-81 came with the 390mm metric wheels, and only can use the replica TRX tires. You're better off switching to the 16"

 

I too have an 82 308GTSI. It is a US market car originally sold in CA. It has TRX metric wheels, not 14 inch. Be advised the TRX tires for these are quite expensive. I have recently purchased reproduction 16" wheels from Superformance in the UK as tire selection is so much better and less expensive. And I like the bigger rim better. I will likely be selling the original wheels. Although like you I am tempted to store them. PM if interested.

Best Regards,
John M

 

I would love to sell my TRX wheels - you can't give them away..

 

Shhhhhh Argento! That is supposed to be a secret! I was thinking the good used TRX tires are worth more than the wheels.

Best Regards,
John M.

 

The bolt pattern will line up but the wheels won't stick out from the center of the car the right amount. I think to put Mondial wheels on a 308 you would probably have to remove the brake calipers to get the wheels to clear. Although the unsprung weight savings would be good I still would recommend against it. You could use spacers to get the wheels pushed back out wheer they belong but I doubt it would be worth the hassle and cost.

 

Mine have great rubber and I still can't give them away and I have 5 practically brand new tires... Come and get 'em!! *dinner bell sound*

 

See? lol

 

Great car and congrats on the purchase. I am already enjoying getting dirty on mine and getting her up to spec. Doing a clutch now.

Be glad to exchange email with you. Pop me a Private Message with your address or email me at jmduncan01 at aol dot com. If Argento is really giving them away...take him up on the offer! My wheels are in really nice shape overall. Finish has really held up and they look very nice...especially for a 30 year old car.

The OEM QV 308 wheels from 84 and 85 I believe are the 16 inch wheels you want. I believe the 83s...at least some of them had these TRX wheels like on my 82....so be sure to confirm 16" wheels.

OEM QV are superior to the reproduction wheels in that the rears are deeper dished. Its the same width rim though with similar back spacing as far as I can tell. Just deeper dished in the rear of the OEM in appearance. Also the OEM QVs are probably slightly lighter than the repops from Superformance/Rutlands. The KN repops from Superformance weigh 21lbs for the rear, 20 for the fronts. The orginals, as far as I know, were a lighter mag alloy rather than the aluminum alloy repops. Fit and finish is good on the Superformance repops. The silver is though lighter than the original color of my TRX wheels, and clear gloss top finish as opposed to more of a satin finish on the TRX wheels. The repops require the use of a hub-centric adapter on one end of the car....while the OEM QVs require no adapter. These adaptors come with the Superformance repops...as well as new OEM Ferrari center caps (at least mine did ordered last month, in the Ferrari plastic bag and all). Cost wise, the Superformance repops are considerably cheaper (shipping from the UK) than Rutlands in this case, and much less expensive than the OEM QV wheels on the open market. Superformance total will be 695 for the wheels/center caps/adapters and 125 in shipping and a 1-2% credit card fee since this is an overseas transaction. Thats in pounds. Conversion today would yield a total around $1350 USD. You'll need to buy metal valve stems (or any valve stem) for them as none come with them. In contrast, Rutlands you be around $1850-$1900 shipped...and I don't know if that includes center caps. And QV wheels expect to come in minimum around $2500 shipped...if not considerably more. Let me put it another way....if you can get them at $2500...that's a great deal.

Tire size...your spare size is correct. 220 55 VR390 for front and rear. Its on my car...and on the original decal on the bottom driver's side corner of the windshield. Offset is not bolt spacing to your question. So a mondial wheel will bolt up...this is bolt pattern. But the offset is how the wheel is centered within the wheel well. Incorrect offset could cause rubbing on the inside of the tire to the inner wheel well or suspension part....or rubbing of the outside of the tire to the fender lip. Or it just might make the tire/wheel look too far tucked in....or leave them sticking out beyond the fender. You can correct inner rubbing/tucked too far in with a spacer. But I'd probably scratch them off the list and move on to 308QV 16" wheels just to be safe and not having to experiment.....unless I heard back from someone who has been there and done that successfully.

Best Regards,
John M