My Wheel/Tire Project: Going Where No Man Has Gone Before

A big downside to using much wider tires is that they will be much heavier than less wide tires with equivalent sidewalk height. Similarly you will need much wider fitment for the rims, again adding a lot of weight. Did you also check for clearance lock-to-lock? The end result of added unsprung weight is slower acceleration and loss of some steering response. It’s a bit like running on a pair of bigger, heavier shoes.

You also need to manage changes to the scrub radius, camber...etc to balance the wider contact patches or else handling will be negatively affected. If such changes were all positive Ferrari and professional tuners would have already done them. Still, I agree they would look cool and I hope you enjoy the muscle car theme.

BTW, you might want to look into removing the distraction caused by our ugly North American side markers and reflectors.

 

I enjoy modding my cars too, I’m firmly in the do what you like camp, it’s your car after all.
Keep posting your mods Redneck, I’m sure that there will be plenty of people like myself who enjoy looking and commenting on what others do to their F cars.
Although i like my wheels and tyre size as standard (well option 20” fitted) for all the reasons that 4th-gear listed, i am intrigued to learn more about how they give you more performance, i do however understand the driving pleasure comment and presume that you are referring to the new “look” of the car after modification.
Cheers Andrew

 

The reason why I mentioned the side markers is because they are not part of the original design for the car - they are only there to fulfill nanny DOT requirements and the Euro market cars don’t use such reflectors. IMO they stick out like sore thumbs.

Carmakers try to blend them in but this unfortunate nanny requirement results in an utilitarian busy look. The original design had to be “bent” to satisfy a silly DOT nanny ideology because all performance cars of every brand in Europe obviously never had them, never needed them and never suffered from not using them. This is an unmodded left-over DOT eyesore IMO.

I searched for a source of clear or black versions for your car but haven’t found any. Given the availability of 3-D printers and printing plus the fact these are just plastic items, you’d think someone could easily 3-D scan them and print them in those common clear and black plastic materials. FWIW, I used clear markers on my old 540is and also use clear ones on my Cali30. I also tried to import UK-spec clear turn indicator covers for a Napier Green 675LT but the factory wouldn’t allow it so I bought a Tarocco Orange car instead and used the body colour to blend in the amber turn indicators.

Sorry if I appear overly critical but the nanny DOT requirement was and is clearly overreaching and stupid, much like the way they totally screwed over the front bumpers on the 308 and the Countach.

 

You could have them markers tinted in any colour, there are already the products available on the aftermarket specifically developed for one way tint in any finish Matt, satin or gloss

cheers
Andrew
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Take them out, wrap with window tint of your choice and done. Reversible and easy.

 

Nice. Do they stick out at all? Would love to see how those fitted on 488, F8 or Pista. Road cars always can benefit from more front end grip. (Note to any TdF owners, this is not directed at you lot).

Would be epic if such a size would fit in the front of a mid engined sports car.

 

Ah. Do you think if you were to redo it, a wheel with say a 42 or 44 mm offset could pull it off? Perhaps even 812 wheels with the 48.4 mm offset?

What kind of offset do you use in the rear?

Thank you.

 

I wish I knew if this set up would work on our Cali T without rubbing. I'm about to pull the trigger on some BC Forged going 295/35/20 and 255/35/20 because hard to get a decent match on the diameter of the stockers. The 22/21 combo on it now (315/25 and 255/30) sucks. . .

 

Unfortunately I don't have the stockers but I'm trying to get the specs on these aftermarket wheels. It's been a major pita trying to suss out what path to take. I want to fill out the arches with no less than a 30 series or more than a 35 series and retain as much width as possible. Performance isn't a huge issue (although ride is) but the look of it matters. What can I say, it's my wife's ride. :-|

 

Well 19's will fit on a Cali T of course, but I can't imagine getting that much rubber into the wheel wells front or rear without rubbing. I used to run 345/30/19 (r) on my CTS-V race car and that was a widebody!

 

You are bold brother. No doubt about it. I'm going to have to pull the wheels this weekend I think to get some measurements. At this point I'm dizzy with numbers trying to use a comparison calculator to see "what will fit. . ."