Fitments for my Ghia Coupe

[DORIGTT]

Which offsets should I use on my 1970 Ghia Coupe? I plan to use 944T brakes front and rear and would like to use 17x7 front and 17x8 rear. I know I have to 'slightly' modify/roll my fender lips in the rear so that's no problem.

[Oliver Knuf]

8" on the rear??

You have to slightly roll a Ghia with normal 8-spokes in the rear (I had that a few weeks ago with 5,5x15 with an offset of (German measuring ET) 40mm), 8" is a horror. Make your rear smaller, no, bad solution. Weld on a bit to the fender lips... ???!!?!! Also bad...

[DORIGTT]

Oliver,

I've got a series of pics of Ghias with obviously stock bodywork and Porsche Cup II wheels on them as well as Porsche brake systems.

How can I send you some pics for you to look at

[Mr.Elect.Wizard]

This is a subject that is void like a black hole... Obviously some people have done this, as DORIGTT and I have seen. Anybody had time to look more into this or fit some cool combos over the last year?

Post what ya got...

[vujade]

my guess is they have narrowed the trailing arms if they havent widened the fenders.

You may be able to run 7" wide rims with a 55et offset and a small spacer, but I bet you would still have to roll the fender lip.

If you want 8" wide wheels you will definitely need to narrow the rear or widen the fenders.

[Mr.Elect.Wizard]

Narrowing the front is fairly straight forward... But do you know how narrow you can go without removing the shock towers?

And, how do you narrow the trailing arms? Cut and remove metal?

[vujade]

I believe you can go with 1.5" per side of narrowing on the front without removing the towers.

I believe there may be a tech article for narrowing the rear trailing arms.

[Mr.Elect.Wizard]

tech article here?

[Mr.Elect.Wizard]

never mind... found it... thanx...

[blackdoggriffon]

Oliver,

I've got a series of pics of Ghias with obviously stock bodywork and Porsche Cup II wheels on them as well as Porsche brake systems.

How can I send you some pics for you to look at

Could you please send me those pics? I am thinking of fitting Cup II wheels to my 1960 vert.

[Mikey]

I think the Cup II's are popular with Ghias. :laugh:

I'm putting a set on of Cup II's on my Ghia now. I've got a whole set of 17" x 7's ET55. They all fit good. I'm going to try to stuff either a 9" rear or a pair of 8". I won't know what will be required untill I get the wheels. I've got a 2in narrowed/adjustable beam and drop spindles. I'm thinking of .5" spacers on each side to move the wheels back out. Since they hit the inner fenders bad. (I have pictures, but they're too big to post. :( )

[70Ghia]

Mike,

Here are some pics of my Cup II's, they are stock 17 x 7 boxsters. I tried giving you some idea of the space.

Chris

[Mikey]

Thanks for the pictures, your Ghia looks Awesome. :righton:

It looks like a lot of room on the inside, but I'll probably run into the spring plate before I hit the inner fender. And if I decide to run Porsche brakes, I'll have to either narrow my trailing arms or buy some. (If I can't narrow them enough.) I measured my Ghia too. That's why I think I can fit 9's in the back. For them Not to fit, they'd have to hit both the spring plate and the fender lip. If they don't hit both at the same time, you can get the wheels moved in or out to make them fit the wheel well. It would be a lot easier to move the wheel out (spacer) than it would be to move the wheel in, but it can be done.

Is any of this making sence? I'm no expert. :rolleyes:

*I forgot to mention, I'm building a '64 Ghia, which has lower rear arches than the late model Ghias. So the rear will look lower and MIGHT have more room. That's just a guess.

[Mikey]

Finaly, I figured out how to resize. :rolleyes: The first 2 of my front after I put in a 2in narrowed beam, drop spindles, and adjusters. This is the lowest it'll go, I'll raise it up an inch or 2 for final ride height.

The last 3 are after I put the rear wheel on today. I think it looks good, and I have no clue what possesed me into thinking a 9" would fit. A 9" rim with no tire maybe. The inside will hold a 9" wide wheel, but you run into the spring plate, then the shock tower. A narrowed rear tortion would fix that. But that's almost too much for a 2inch wider rim. :laugh: 10"s maybe?... Either way. This is what I have right now. The back will settle a little more and I'll lower it more too.

What you guys think?

[70Ghia]

looking good Mike,

I started out with drop spindles on mine too but the MBT brakes didn’t really look or sit right on the caliper, so I went back to the stock ones and a adjustable beam. I also installed a 1/2" spacer to bring the wheels out more.

The rears I would leave alone, you know your going to get the urge to throw that GL Ghia into the corners and have fun :D, got to have some room for tire movement.

If your looking for some hard to find parts, let me know I have sources here.

Chris

[DORIGTT]

A 9" rim with no tire maybe. The inside will hold a 9" wide wheel, but you run into the spring plate, then the shock tower. A narrowed rear tortion would fix that. But that's almost too much for a 2inch wider rim.

So are you saying that if the spring plate was thinner (or bowed for clearance), and the shock tower were shortened, that the 9" would fit in your opinion?

[Mikey]

So are you saying that if the spring plate was thinner (or bowed for clearance), and the shock tower were shortened, that the 9" would fit in your opinion?

I don't think you could get that thin of a spring plate. or bow it almost 2 inches.

hmmm.... You'd have to basicly take an inch or two out of the rear torsion housing. (just like narrowing a front beam.) In effect it'll move the spring plate/shocktower closer to the tranny. With that you're looking at either adapting stock vw torsion bars, a custom torsion bars, or coil overs. Then, and probably only then, would you be able to fit a 9" rear wheel with no body mods. There is plenty of room from the wheel to the shock tower in the original position, but it'll be almost impossible or too much work to move the spring plate and not move the shock tower.

If I had more skill in shaping metal I'd just widen the rear fenders, and put a set of 9" in the back. But then again, I'd widen the front too so I can use a stock beam. :rolleyes:

[hpw]

Finaly, I figured out how to resize. :rolleyes: The first 2 of my front after I put in a 2in narrowed beam, drop spindles, and adjusters. This is the lowest it'll go, I'll raise it up an inch or 2 for final ride height.

The last 3 are after I put the rear wheel on today. I think it looks good, and I have no clue what possesed me into thinking a 9" would fit. A 9" rim with no tire maybe. The inside will hold a 9" wide wheel, but you run into the spring plate, then the shock tower. A narrowed rear tortion would fix that. But that's almost too much for a 2inch wider rim. :laugh: 10"s maybe?... Either way. This is what I have right now. The back will settle a little more and I'll lower it more too.

What you guys think?

Mikey, new to this forum, usually post on the samba, but I was wondering

if you had any updates on your car?

[flat_iv]

http://webpages.charter.net/flat_iv/Lowered/ghia%20lowered%20003.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/flat_iv/Lowered/ghia%20lowered%20005.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/flat_iv/Lowered/ghia%20lowered%20006.jpg


16x6 1/2 wheels 205/45/16 tires on the front and 205/50/16 on the rear. Dropped Spindles and 1 spline lowered in the rear. The offset on the wheels are 46ET. No wheel spacers on the front and 5/16 spacer on the rear. Carefull on the tire cross sections. All tires are not created equal. For example I found some 205's that had a cross section from 7.8 to 8.4. Doesnt sound like much on a normal car but on a Ghia its a mile....

[vwdevotee]

http://webpages.charter.net/flat_iv/Lowered/ghia%20lowered%20003.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/flat_iv/Lowered/ghia%20lowered%20005.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/flat_iv/Lowered/ghia%20lowered%20006.jpg


16x6 1/2 wheels 205/45/16 tires on the front and 205/50/16 on the rear. Dropped Spindles and 1 spline lowered in the rear. The offset on the wheels are 46ET. No wheel spacers on the front and 5/16 spacer on the rear. Carefull on the tire cross sections. All tires are not created equal. For example I found some 205's that had a cross section from 7.8 to 8.4. Doesnt sound like much on a normal car but on a Ghia its a mile....

Sweet ride. What wheels are those?

[vwdevotee]

I'm eyeing 8 inch wides on my rear also ('73 Ghia). Any news? I measured from teh outside of my current tires (EMPI 8 spokes, very close to the fender) to the spring plate and got 10 inches. I also measured at the top to the inner fender and got 11 inches. It looks like everything will fit, I just want to hear from someone who has done it before I drop 2500USD on wheels and tires.

[DORIGTT]

Hey flatIV,

What brand and model tire are you using? I would like to research the specs (physical dimensions).

What are you using for rotor/drums to attach those wheels/rotors?

[vwbao]

http://webpages.charter.net/flat_iv/Lowered/ghia%20lowered%20003.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/flat_iv/Lowered/ghia%20lowered%20005.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/flat_iv/Lowered/ghia%20lowered%20006.jpg


16x6 1/2 wheels 205/45/16 tires on the front and 205/50/16 on the rear. Dropped Spindles and 1 spline lowered in the rear. The offset on the wheels are 46ET. No wheel spacers on the front and 5/16 spacer on the rear. Carefull on the tire cross sections. All tires are not created equal. For example I found some 205's that had a cross section from 7.8 to 8.4. Doesnt sound like much on a normal car but on a Ghia its a mile....

hi, is it narrowed beam? does it rub?thanks

[vwdevotee]

No updates?

[brujo65]

2900

2901

this is my 74 with custom Forgeline 7 1/2 front and 9 rear with out any
flares

[vwdevotee]

What are the specs on the wheels? 17s, 18s? What offset? What suspension parts are you using? What mods do they have?

[brujo65]

the wheels 17 with custom offset to fit the body and 944 steel control
arms with 944 turbo brake front and rear and suby 2.0 RA turbo engine and
coil over front / rear

[ricola]

the wheels 17 with custom offset to fit the body and 944 steel control
arms with 944 turbo brake front and rear and suby 2.0 RA turbo engine and
coil over front / rear


Nice! I'd love to see some more pics of the car/build...
Rich

[vwbloodline]

Nice! I'd love to see some more pics of the car/build...
Rich

x2 :music4:

[vwdevotee]

What offset did you end up needing?

[brujo65]

let me ck my notes and I will let you know and I will
post more pictures

[vwbloodline]

It says your in Dayton, Ohio. I am north of dayton and was wondering if we could get together sometime and I could look at your Ghia? I am in the process of building a Ghia myself. Thanks

[brujo65]

sure my shop is locate at 4796 south dixie dr dayton ohio 45439
the phone at the shop 937-2942400

[vwbloodline]

Awesome, I will be getting a hold of you as soon as I can free my schedule.