Watanabe Price Opinions

[kyteler]

Lachlan, I'm sure you checked it out and everything but I was thinking about you 14x9's and was wondering whether you read the RS-Watanabe fitment guide on their website.

It says the "Conformity Maximum" which I believe means, the biggest you _should_ go is as follows;

F: R 15-80 ±0 R: R 15-85 -6

F: R 16-80 ±0 R: R 16-85 -6

And they note the "Suitable option" which I'm guessing means "Recommended sizing" as;

F: R 14-80 -6 R:R14-85 -13

Did you get to see the wheels you bought pictured on a car or did you do some hardcore checking to see whether they'd fit? Obviously a 9" is only .5 bigger than what they recommend (If i figured out the translation properly) so you'd think it'd still be a go.

I certainly hope it is cause 9's would look FREAKIN COOL!

[Alfadog]

Ben, 7.5" will be on the front. I've trial fitted these and know at least THEY fit... I didn't know about the lugnut issue, I was buying these nuts just because I think it'd be cool to have Watanabe nuts too When I receive them I'll have a look to see if they're any different.

as for the 9's, well from a bit of looking around I've bought these because they *look* right, and they were fitted to a KPGC10 previously. I expect they will fit... if not, I'll cry.

Don't jinx me!

[HS30-H]

Originally posted by Mr Camouflage

Speaking of wide rims on Datsuns. Does anyone (Alan) know what the widest rim that was factory fitted to a S30, be it 240 or 432 with flares?

WA law states that you can only go 1 inch wider that factory fitted, up to 8 inches. Or if it was fitted with 8 inch or wider you cant go any wider than that.

So for example, if the ZG432R was available with 9 inch rims as a factory option, theoretically I should be allowed cut out my guards, fit flares, and put 9 inch rims on my car.

So how wide did Nissan go?

Hi Mr C,

"Factory fitted" is the sticking point here, as this kind of implies that the wheels would be on a standard model available to buy in the showroom, rather than available as a "Sports Option" part.

The problem with proving stuff to the authorities that decide whether you can legally use them or not, is that they often seem to disallow parts and specs that were only offered in the Japanese home market. The guys that race early Z cars in our English historic circuit race classes are not allowed to use virtually any of the parts that were available as "Sports Option" parts in Japan, which is pretty unfair really.

If you only count showoom models, then there's not much that was all that wide. The extra-cost Kobe Seiko magnesium wheels on the 432 were only 5.5J x 14, and the Kobe Seiko "Works" rally mags ( never sold to the general public ) were made in 6j and 7j x 14.

The standard alloys for the RS30 / RLS30 and S31 were 6j x 14 as far as I remember?

If you can count official Nissan "Sports Option" parts, then there is a little more width available. The Sports Option list for the 432 and 432R offered magnesium 8-spokes ( of the classic Minilite / RS Watanabe shape ) also made by Kobe Seiko, in 8j x 14 from 1970.

The Sports Option lists for the HS30 and RS30 models offered even wider magnesium Kobe Seiko 8-spokes in 10j x 14 ( with a 25mm negative offset ) and these were for use with the extra-wide "Type A" & "Type B" Overfender sets that attached to the race version of the G-Nose.

They were never shown in the Sports Option parts lists ( and therefore were not available to the general public ) but Nissan's Works Group 4 & 5 "240ZR" racecars sometimes used the extra rare Kobe Seiko-made 4 spokes. On the Z they used ( I think ) 10j x 15 on the front and 12j x 15 on the rear. You can see these on the 240Z that ran at Le Mans in 1975 & 1976, which was an ex-Japanese Works circuit race car ( not an ex-Works rally car ).

Here's a pic of one of the 12j x 15 4-spokes that belongs to a friend of mine in Japan:

[kyteler]

One word came to mind when I saw that 15x12"

But it was a naughty word so I shant repeat it.:tapemouth

[HS30-H]

More silly wide ones. I've got two of these 11j x 14 and don't really know whether to use them or not...........

[HS30-H]

Here's what they look like bolted onto a Bilstein rear leg:

[HS30-H]

Whoops,

The wheel is so bloody heavy it fell off my post...........

[HS30-H]

Another view:

[Mr Camouflage]

Insane!!!

[kyteler]

Alan,

Should you ever decide to not use the 11's I'll sell my mother to get them from you.

But seriously, that's freakin' awesome, Insane yes, but awesome also, have you ever put them on your car just to see how wide they stick out from the flares? I'd like to see that image.

[Alfadog]

Put them on! Put them on! or are you just trying to compensate for something Alan?

[HS30-H]

Yeah, it's a tiddler!

Doesn't matter though, as I hardly get the chance to use it any more......

I only bought the 11's in an extended moment of fantasy.They were there, I had the money, and my judgement got the better of me. I haven't put them on the car yet ( they were destined for the ZG ) as the whole front and rear suspension is off at the moment and the car is sitting on jackstands. I've got to pull my finger out and get the Bilstein set-up on it, but the weather has been putting me off.

I think I've mentioned before that the wider I go with the tyres on the ZG, the worse it seems to perform. Even with several changes to suspension geometry ( it's got camber and castor adjustability on the front and back ) I find that the car is fighting me and I just can't get it to 'float' through the fast corners on the tracks like Goodwood and Castle Combe. Its scary. It seems to have loads of grip and then suddenly nothing at all. I prefer a more progressive feel, and I really can't afford to crash the ZG - so I'm probably not relaxing and giving it the freedom it might want. I think I'll have to take it to less track days in future and not try to keep up with the better drivers and faster cars...

As anyone who has actually searched for very wide tyres for 14 inch wheels will tell you, there ain't a lot out there. There is an Avon Turbospeed fitting for Aston Martin that will fit ( 265 / 55 ), but I've already got the 225 / 60 x 14 CR65 Turbospeeds on the car and they are crap in the wet, whilst being very grippy in the dry. There is a B.F. Goodrich tyre that will fit ( I think they are 265 too? ) but I have no data on how good they are. I might use Dunlop race tyres on them and keep them for track-days and 'showing off'. Of course, that won't be road legal.

I have a pair of 8.5j that I will probably put on the rear of the car, and leave the 7.5j on the front. That will make it 'look' about right, but I would still prefer to find some more 'vintage' looking rubber for them - something with a high profile like 70 or 80. I might even investigate bias-belted stuff for the 'right' look. I'd prefer the car to look like time stopped around 1973, if possible.

All these problems would be solved if I went up to 15 inch, but something inside me has been resisting it. The Sports Option wheels for the S30-series cars in Japan were all 14 inchers, so it seemed 'right' to stick with them and not make the car look too modern.

Actually, I'm determined to put the Factory-original 5j steels and hubcaps on for at least a couple of events in 2004. That should be a laugh. The ZG looks incredibly funny in its skinnies, so I'm going to track down some tall full-section tyres and go for it. I'll post pics when I do.

Alan T.