Fuchs for 1963 with C Disc Brakes

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Conrad Carter
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Fuchs for 1963 with C Disc Brakes

#1 Post by Conrad Carter »

I see Fuchs in 14", 15" and 16" diameter. Which size makes most sense? I plan to participate in autocross and High Performance Driving Schools events. Is tire selection better as diameter goes up? I am looking at 6" wide rims....is that too wide? I don't want to modify fenders.
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Re: Fuchs for 1963 with C Disc Brakes

#2 Post by C J Murray »

Vintage racers are limited to 15x6 by the rules with 185 front tires and 205 rears. I don't think the racing 205s will fit totally stock bodywork. I have 16x5.5 on my street car with 205/55-16 tires that fit easily. I have used 15x5.5 wheels with 195/65-15 tires without problems. I would think that you want a short tire for autocross but a taller tire for track events. Remember that different wheels have different offsets and that makes a big difference. Different tires of the same size don't all fit the same.

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Re: Fuchs for 1963 with C Disc Brakes

#3 Post by Edwin Ek »

Tire selection for 16" rims is better. Remember, wider tires give better traction but heavier steering feel. (Contact area doesn't change, but shape does- it narrows and elongates.)

One approach, which I use, is to run wider rims and tires on the rear, like Porsche started doing with the early 911's (when it figured out what was going on) and still does. Benefits are reduced oversteer, no or less effect on steering feel (best part of a 356), and softening the on-stilts look at the rear. Plus it is a subtle modification which can be reversed in ten minutes.

I am running 4.5" in the front and 5.5" in the rear on 15" steel rims. 165-78 and 185-70 for tires. If you like the Fuchs look fine, or there are all-aluminum rims from Coddington. Quality is excellent, lightest rim available, and you can get 15" or 16" diameter, any width, and any offest.

As Cliff says, shorter sidewalls are stiffer, so handling is better and ride worse.
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Re: Fuchs for 1963 with C Disc Brakes

#4 Post by Vic Skirmants »

Edwin; I will argue about wheel lightness; I don't believe the Coddington machined aluminum wheels can be lighter than authentic Fuchs forged wheels.
Back in my SCCA racing days, I had genuine Minilite 6" wide magnesium wheels on my roadster. They were one pound heavier than a 6" Fuchs.

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Re: Fuchs for 1963 with C Disc Brakes

#5 Post by Edwin Ek »

Vic, you probably are right. Chris Coddington quoted me 11 pounds for a 15x5 disc-brake wheel. Fuchs 15x4.5 weigh something over 10 pounds (but less than 11).

As far as I remember, Fuchs are cold forged in one piece. Hard to get better than that. Coddington says that their rims (centers) are forged, probably not cold. Outers must be spun and then welded to the centers. Yet supposedly their rims weigh the same or even less? Hard to figure, but Coddington from all reports is a top-notch company. So you like to think that they are believable.
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Re: Fuchs for 1963 with C Disc Brakes

#6 Post by Norm Miller »

Cliff,

Back in the day when SCCA wouldn't allow body mods. if you removed bumpers dat's Ok but flares NO!
So you got the bumpers off now look up under the rear valance and see 2 supports Yes/ snip them loose and gently back your racer against a flat wall and notice how the rear well's bow outward Yes? Pull da T handle brake, now re-weld the little supports and sneak those H 78 x 15's with 6" rims right on with no rubbing that said you don't need 4th anymore she do 100 in 3rd! Or maybe you call Vic for some of those magic gears BAE3C do pretty good.
Da short track those little Blu Streak 520 x 15's work pretty good too.

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Re: Fuchs for 1963 with C Disc Brakes

#7 Post by Jeffrey Leeds »

How about the Mahle Gas Burner wheels for lightness Vic ? I was always under the impression that these were about as light as you could find.

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Re: Fuchs for 1963 with C Disc Brakes

#8 Post by Jeffrey Leeds »

You definitely want to run the smallest diameter wheel you can for autocrossing, Cliff. I ran 15's on my various 911's in PCA series events which, which gave a definite kick to acceleration off turns. Effectively, it was a higher rear-end ratio for production classes where stock gears had to be maintained. That, and not shifting out of first gear, but holding a steady throttle position just below the rev. limiter, could save a few tenths on the typical tight turn course.

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Re: Fuchs for 1963 with C Disc Brakes

#9 Post by Mark Roth »

I ran 4.5s on the front and 5.5s on the back for a while. Car felt unbalanced on long sweeping turns. Same size tires cured the balance. 185s are heavier steering but I like the look and on road stability is good.
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Re: Fuchs for 1963 with C Disc Brakes

#10 Post by Edwin Ek »

Mark, that is very interesting-- a report from the field. What size and make tires were you running front and rear? Could you elaborate on how it seemed out of balance?
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Re: Fuchs for 1963 with C Disc Brakes

#11 Post by Vic Skirmants »

Jeff; yes, the Mahle wheels were the lightest. BUT they are only 5.5" wide. They are also cast, which is not good if you hit something sideways. Then they become Mahle spoke wheels.

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Re: Fuchs for 1963 with C Disc Brakes

#12 Post by Jeffrey Leeds »

Thanks Vic.
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Re: Fuchs for 1963 with C Disc Brakes

#13 Post by Mark Roth »

This was 20 years ago or so. I can't recall the make of tires but they were of different brands. It felt like the front and back had different "leans." Maybe they were flexing differently as the 165s on the front were taller in the profile. The backs were 185x65 and the fronts were 165x80.
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Re: Fuchs for 1963 with C Disc Brakes

#14 Post by Graham Kerr »

I'm running 16 x 6 Fuchs all round with 195.45 Pirelli's on the front and 205.50's on the back. They clear my 944 brakes no problem. I know the Fuchs are a bit belly button but they are just so damn good.
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Re: Fuchs for 1963 with C Disc Brakes

#15 Post by Glen Hamner, Jr »

Graham,

Interesting setup. What is your back spacing on the 16's, are they close to stock? How does it feel? Will it still drift?

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