16 Inch Wheels

minerva95 · Feb 16, 2022

Hi to all you experts out there - I have a question I'm sure has been asked before... I am looking to "up-size" from 15" to 16" wheels (cookie cutters to Fuchs). There are options of 7J front and 8J rear, or 7J front and 9J rear... my question is which should I go for, 8J or 9J..? I want to keep the standard factory look (i.e. no modification to the wheel arches), but want the best solution looks, ride, etc... any thoughts / experience very welcome.
Suggested Tyres for the 7j / 8J route: 205/55 and 225/50
and for the 7J / 9J route: 205/55 and 245/45

Again, and thoughts /experience welcome.

Thanks all

Old and Slow · Feb 17, 2022

The factory option was 6J front and 7J rear, with 205/55 VR 16 on the front and 225/50 VR 16 on the rear.
Hope this helps.

richardstephens777 · Feb 17, 2022

That's what I am running on my SC sport.
You can get the look you want by altering the ride height.
At present I am running Euro spec.
Check the ET if you are buying non Porsche original wheels.

minerva95 · Feb 19, 2022

It certainly helps. Interestingly all the suppliers I’m looking at only offer the 7J / 8J option… do you think these will fit without any issues..?

richardstephens777 · Feb 19, 2022

The width of the rear standard tyre is 225mm which is 9 inches wide at the rear. The 205mm fronts are 8 inches wide. So these wheel widths should be ok. Stick to the standard tyre size and the tyres will sit more vertical than with the smaller wheel width. I went from cookie cutter to Fuchs on my 1973 911. My thoughts were original Porsche date coded wheels will keep their value if not go up in price. Buying after market wheels will loose 50% of the value straight away. Depends what you are doing with your 911. Doing track days its best to use after market stuff. My preference is to keep the car with an original spec but its personal choice. If your car is lowered than you may have to be careful with using these wider rims.

T911UK · Feb 20, 2022

You can fit 7" and 9" if you want to, aftermarket dont start as 6" as you have found out, if you want 6" & 7" go second hand

geedee · Mar 5, 2022

Sorry, slow to respond.. I guess much depends on personal preference. I would tend to stick to originality, both my 77 and 82 SC were fitted with 15" cookie cutters as both cars were comfort spec, in that they had high aspect ratio tyres and Boge shockers. I preferred the look of the 16" Fuchs and lower aspect ratio tyres, from a dull memory the Sport spec included Bilstein shockers, perhaps thicker anti-roll bar, which added up to more direct steering in that there was less sidewall flex... All that typed, overall I did prefer the comfort option for normal roadwork given all the pot holes etc. etc. etc.... Good luck in your choices.

Dougal Cawley · Jan 19, 2023

Hi

You can also get the OE Cinturato P7 again now which Porsche have homolgated.

https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/classic-car-tyres/porsche/911sc.html

These will make the car handle at its best

fxm911 · Jan 19, 2023

Been running 7" wheels fronts (205/55/16 tyres) and 8" wheels rears (225/50/16 tyres) on mine for years, no issues at all.

fxm911 · Jan 19, 2023

Dougal Cawley said:
These will make the car handle at its best

Is this a fact validated by proper back to back tests or just a statement ? Having spent thousand of miles doing tyre tests for road car development I am not convinced any more by the marketing hype from tyre manufacturers....sorry

Dougal Cawley · Jan 19, 2023

Hi

Yes i understand that. There has been a back to back test on the earlier CN36 tyres.

https://www.cinturato.net/images/test-classic-tyres-0716.pdf

And this range of P7 are the tyres that Porsche asked Pirelli to make for these cars.

https://www.cinturato.net/images/test-classic-tyres-0716.pdf

Porsche tested the tyres and homologated with the N.

When i got the results through for the CN36 tyre test i was really pleased with the result, because the big advantage with these tyres over a modern tyre, that happens to be the right size, is that a genuine period tyre handles better with the chassis set up of the period. I was concerned that because they were old carcass design that things like braking might be badly effected but dry braking they scored a 1 ie it couldnt be better. top marks. Great. Then in the wet it scored -1, so again very nearly to marks. That is down to the quality of Pirelli compounds. it handles fabulously because you have top notch Pirelli compounds presented to the road on a carcass that suits your chassis. It doesn't get better than that. Aquaplaning well they aren't directional treads, and they are old fashioned treads so that isn't its best score, but a P7 will be better than the CN36 as that tread pattern is better suited to standing water. Yes they didn't do very well for rolling resistence but that isn't something we really care about and they probably didn't consider it in 1968 when the CN36 was developed. but really Pirellis scores on this test knocked everyone else into the weeds.

Everyone we sell these P7s to love them. The Lamborghing Fraternity have gone crazy for them. but i guess those guys aren't buying on price they just want the best.

fxm911 · Jan 19, 2023

Now that is a proper answer, thank you for taking the time to post it.

May give them a shot if I can't get my hands on Bridg SO2 to replace mine (so far have not found anything that works better on a 911sc and I have tried loads....)

John_Ward · Jan 21, 2023

fxm911 said:
Now that is a proper answer, thank you for taking the time to post it.

May give them a shot if I can't get my hands on Bridg SO2 to replace mine (so far have not found anything that works better on a 911sc and I have tried loads....)

If you find someone who can still supply Bridgestone SO2s, please let me know. I used them for years on Carrera 3.0s and early 930s, and would happily use them again.

Dougal Cawley · Jan 23, 2023

Hi

If you have the wider rear wheels you can also fit these.

https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/michelin-classic-tyres/sx-mxx3.html

The tyre with the most X's in its name.

Here is a trivia test. who knows the conection between my car in this film and Porsche?

https://www.google.com/search?q=frazer+nash+silver+flag&rlz=1C1CHBF_enGB878GB878&source=lnms&tbm=vid&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjLut_W9N38AhWId8AKHRSwAMwQ_AUoAHoECAEQCg&biw=1536&bih=743&dpr=1.25#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:9432ced6,vid:iY92Lj8eVAE

geedee · Jan 23, 2023

Triva response :-

Your wonderful car was described as an Archie Frazer Nash, AFN were the first importers of Porsche to the UK...?
One of the chain drive gang then..? (-:
Thanks for sharing your drive up the hill.

Dougal Cawley · Jan 25, 2023

Well done

geedee said:
Triva

Go to the top of the class

g.finn · Jan 26, 2023

Sorry I am a bit late to reply to the original question but here goes.

I have 1979 sport pack SC and it has 6 and 7" x 16" Fuchs fitted but I have just secured a set of 7 and 8" x 16" new production Fuchs from the factory - after 10 months weight for the 16" to be forged mind! Like Franck I know the 7 and 8" options look good and fit fine plus the new production are actually even lighter than the originals - 5.9KG (weighed them on the bathroom scales yesterday!) so should drive lovey.

Thank you for the tyre tips as I have also been looking for Bridgestone S02's but they dont seem to make them anymore. Was thinking about the Michelin Pilot Exalto PE2 NO option but will now look at the other options mentioned in this thread.

Cheers

Dougal Cawley · Feb 1, 2023

Hi

The good stuff is on here
https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/classic-car-tyres/porsche/911sc.html

Can i ask whyy fit wider wheels?

g.finn · Feb 3, 2023

Hi - thank you for the P7 link.

Re the wheels - The 7" and 8" x 16 look way better in the arches than the 6 and 7 - in my opinion. Not over the top, they just fill the arches much better without any issues.