[RAAMaudio]

I just hauled a Silver St, Recaro, sunroof(prefer to not have one due to weight up top but our dogs need the air)......back to Utah from CA, going to mod it tastefully, best power gains that are reliable, suspension, brakes if needed, wheels and tires of course.....

Considering RPF1, I have had them on many cars and still love them, I ran them on the first 1zz turbo Matrix in the US, SM class autocross, took many third place finishes, could of been second but never made a perfect run, that is FAST for a FWD in SM though!

I build the cars the way I want them the run whatever class they happen to fall into and had many second place cars including a Forester XT in SM in Utah a few years back, I like underdogs as I used to win all the time back in the 70's and that got old, to easy to just build the best platform....(XT had 18x9.5 track and 18x10.5 NTO-3 autocross wheels

I have had track and street/track Miatas, Vettes, Scion tC, a ton of 510 Datsuns, BMWs, selling off my latest BMW in fact, 332ti with 300 HP, all apart on the lift right now.

ST is on hell of a car and I want to optimize it's true potential even if I pick up a bit of torque steer as I find it a bit of the fun at times

---------------

I have a fender roller and can mod inner fenders, control arms, etc if need be, I have a full shop, tubing bender, sheet metal brake, dimple dies, etc.....

So, looking for a good source for the wheels and machine work to make them fit, I feel pretty sure they can handle the load but will take any pro or advanced advice I can get.

I will consider other wheels if I must, forged are not required, any wheel made as well as the Enkei is all I need and prefer.

Since the RPF1 is 35mm offset I might have to use something else after all but then again to fit an 8" wide wheel I might have to run that offset....Once I get the 318 shell off my lift I can get a better idea of what I am dealing with.

I will also be looking at wider than 8" wheels as well, I am into just the right stretch to optimize the tire, real performance with some nice style is how I build all my cars, never for just looks.

Thanks, have a great day
Rick

 

[Mightymango]

That was a lot of information.

Are you just looking for a place to re-drill the wheels to fit on the FiST?

 

[rodmoe]

Welcome and congrats



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[RAAMaudio]

After careful consideration there are just to many issued in doing this.

1) proper 225 tires in 16", I only want the very best ultra performance summer tires and not much out there

2) getting replacements while traveling all over the US to drive on the tracks of my dreams

I am looking into the Motegi RM125 in 17x7.5, 4x108 +42mm and 215/40/17 Yoko AD08 R which seems the best choice for now.

I have fit many wide wheels and tires on many cars, 18x10.5 on a Forester, 19x13 on the rear of a Vette(easy after I put on the widebody) and am pretty sure I could fit a 17x8.5 with 235 tires on the ST but they would be to tall and I would have to find a way to change the final drive ratio. I do have an Eastwood fender roller, heat gun, experience at this and there is some room to move them out a bit(I build my cars to my taste and if I race them in autocross, TT, etc, it is for fun, fast fun, if not in the right class no worries as I have won many events in the past, it is more rewarding to do very very well in the wrong car for the class, which I have done even more of

I am going to post a new thread in hopes it gets more exposure and seen by the right parties.

Rick

 

[rodmoe]

Well let me know if you have any tips or tricks as I will no doubt need to do something after seeing my 15x8 offset 35 TD rims on my car (still waiting on tires) Rims are about 1/2 inch out of the fenders.



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[airjor13]

Looked into re-drilling RPF-1's to 4X108, in short the advantages in weight do not out-weigh my worries, need function over form

 

[RAAMaudio]

Absolutely function over form, been doing that all 46 years of modding cars but I have to consider replacements while traveling all over NA and running every track I can get on, love driving over the curbs, etc.....

If I end up redrilling wheels I will have two more wheels done and take them with me everywhere in the trailer. I am going to ditch the factory spare and carry a small compressor and patch kit for road use and certainly no spare on track.

I wish I could get the RPF1 in a 17x8.5 to redrill into 4x108 from 4x100. I think in the right offset I can fit an 8.5 wide wheel just fine with rolled fenders possibly 9" wide but that is pushing it, would take some serious effort.

I am not into pretend performance so a slammed car with a ton of camber and skinny tires, looks silly to me and in real performance they are worse than silly, I just want all the width I can get in tire and wheel to maximize the handling yet still be streetable in the real world and great on track

Rick

 

[RAAMaudio]

For now I might just get the package I listed and live with 215 for awhile.

I have a local buyer it seems for my 332ti CA, 300 HP S52 project car, just sold his son my other ti and a guy that is supposed to fly out to look at my Studedvette pro tour project(02 Z06 chassis, 53 studebaker body). If I sell them both soon I might just get something custom built but hard to spend that kind of money on a $25k car(I have had ubber high end wheels on more exotic street and and race cars)

Thanks
Rick

 

[RAAMaudio]

I just talked to my favorite high end wheel builder, they are looking into the St fitment with me, I have to provide most of the info and see if they can make the parts.....
15, 16 or 17x8.5 or even 9" wide, two piece, around $2k

 

[airjor13]

I just talked to my favorite high end wheel builder, they are looking into the St fitment with me, I have to provide most of the info and see if they can make the parts.....
15, 16 or 17x8.5 or even 9" wide, two piece, around $2k

$2K for set of 4? Please do share info if you go that direction.

 

[94Gt5.0]

I just talked to my favorite high end wheel builder, they are looking into the St fitment with me, I have to provide most of the info and see if they can make the parts.....
15, 16 or 17x8.5 or even 9" wide, two piece, around $2k

CCW? If so, already talked with them and with alot of their 2-pc wheel designs (due to the concavity and "standard" lip) even at a 7-8" pushes the wheel out too far with what offsets they can do. If you go to a 3-pc there is alot more play.

 

[RAAMaudio]

When I start out I measure the stock clearances, tires, wheels to the fenders, struts, turned and straight, etc.....then I draw it out and put the wheels in place correctly then start adding more widths and offsets, great way to narrow things down, then go look for wheels.

BUT, somewhere I read 42.5 offset, not 47.5, now I have to start over as I was willing to go with 38 possibly but working on 40-42, oh well, it is fun stuff!

This makes it harder with custom wheels having such a high offset they might not be able to make them.

Company is CCW, they are so much less costly than anybody and make incredible wheels and have a huge racing history. I usually talk to John, the owner, very very good guy as well

 

[RAAMaudio]

I just read a long autocross thread and a guy there mentioned Mazda 2 hubs and redrilled rears, 4x100!

I pulled a front wheel off to take a look, not enough meat to redrill the ST front hubs, hope rears work out, going to research this a bit more then hopefully order some M2 front hubs to test fit them. I have all the proper tools so this will be easy.

It that works out we can swap for a really decent price, redrilling rotors is not a big deal......then far more wheels to choose from so no need for customs, I hope
Rick

 

[RAAMaudio]

So far not much luck finding the right offsets, low weight, 16x8 or wider in a 4x100 let alone 4x108!

17x7 +47.5 with 205/40/17 tires?????

FORD, what the hell were you thinking!!!!!!

I love this little car with only 280 miles on it but NOT the wheel and tire limitations, to say the least.

 

[RAAMaudio]

OK, looks like I will just go with the simple solution, 15x8, 4x108, TD wheels that bolt right on and get a set of street wheels and the best 3 or 4 season tires for when not on track

 

[RAAMaudio]

OR, redrill the hubs and rotors to 4x100, I can get it done for dirt cheap and it would work just fine, then use metal hub rings(plastic melts on track).

Only thing is every time I needed rotors I would have to have them drilled unless found some that fit.

I have to consider BBKs as well as my car will be driven quite agresively on track and I love to brake very late but I think I can make the stock setup work the cooling ducts, have done so on other cars.

 

[toshko321]

Did you end up not going with the RPF1s? Also, could you please post a picture of your wheels if everything is mounted?

 

[RAAMaudio]

I decided to have the hubs and rotors drilled to 4x100 so then I could just buy whatever wheels I wanted as far more options available.

Please scroll down the the threads on this forum and take a look at my 4x100 thread.

Konig Feathers, a great low cost low weight wheel with the best 3 season(all season) tires made, did not want them to wide and ordering 15x9 wheels for the track.

The cost to do the redrill was far less than the cost of buying two sets of RPF1 wheels and having them drilled, many hundreds of dollars.

I will do a BBK up front so just have to swap rotors and will have a bigger rear rotor kit later on that will come drilled for 4x100.

 

[toshko321]

I didn't happen to see the cost of the entire re drill process on the other thread. Would you mind telling how much you paid total to have all four corners redrilled? Also, would 16x8 wheels fit this car with the appropriate offset? Because I know it's a tiny car and idk what it can take..

 

[RAAMaudio]

I was going to go with the Enkei RPF1 in 16x8, 4x100, +38mm, I have had quite a few sets of these wheels over the years and always loved them.

Problem, finding tires for my needs, nothing worked out well so running 17x7 Konig Feathers with Michelin 205/45/17 A/S 3 W rated, the very top all season tires made, as fast as some summer only tires.

Track I am going with 15x9, +35mm wheels, I just changed plans from Avanti wheels at 12.2 lbs to Konig at 13 lbs because it will easier to fit 11.75" BBK under them.

-------------------

I had a local shop re-drill for me, $240, now there is a place to get it done for for $120 plus shipping.

Re-drilling Hubs and Rotors to 4x100 and 5x108!!!!!

I have a well sorted out shop, bearing presses, lift, etc, it was easy work and no cost to take the parts off, apart, and put them back together and on the car. If you have to pay a shop it still is not a huge job but you might want to get the parts on hand first.

If you plan to keep this car long, like having far more choices, especially if you like to change wheels very often, 4x100 will easily save you money over time.......

If you want serious track wheels, this is about the only option to go with as can get several low cost, high quality, low weight wheels in 15x8 or 9, 9 being better but will take some effort on the fender rolling side of things....which I will report on when doing mine soon.