17" alloys on a Mk1... Do they fit???

Hello All,

I am after some help… I would like to fit a set of 17" alloys on my MK1 GTI. I have seen a nice set of wheels to go on as my P-Slots are buckled. Will they fit straight on or do I need to roll the arches so they don't catch when I lower the car at the same time?
The look I am trying to get will only really be achieved with big wheels so need to know if I need to rethink what i'm trying to achieve or it is possible to get the stance I am after.
Any help will be gratefully appreciated.

Thanks

Flan.

Personally anything bigger than 16's look too big, but that's just my opinion.
You'd certainly need to get the arches rolled, maybe even pulled depending on how low you'd like to go. May also require spacers depending on the wheel offset, as they'd certainly rub the inner wing.
I think you'll have trouble going wider than 7"

I know what your saying but i'm really struggling to find a nice 16" alloy that would suit the look i'm trying to achieve.
If you know of anywhere that supplies nice rims let me know.
I was going to drop it about 40mm to make it sit nicely without compromising the ride.
I'm just about to start the transformation without going too far away from the original style of the MK1.

17 will  compromising the ride and ruin the car even 15in slowed my car down went back to 14in runs mint now plus its drop't on its arse

whats the look you're trying to acheive out of interest? that you cant do ith 15/16"?

You dont see mk1s on 17s for a reason, they look seriously out of proportion and it'll scrap and handle llike crap.  Seriously, 17"s look well out of proportion on mk1s.

As the above said 17's will ruin the acceleration and the handling

What look is this then?

Get yourself some fat porker rims, or some fat 13/14's
this is a pic of my mk1 on some carrado estorils






i think the ride height look sweet, not sure if it's lowered tho

I'm trying to get a real lowrider look. My car is just for fun so not massively fussed about the acceleration. I've got other cars to go fast in. I just want something a bit different.

I think i'll end up on 16's but just drop it a bit more to make them fill the arches. Its going for some paint soon so it gives me time to find the right set of wheels for the car.

Thanks for all your help!

ive got 17s on my cabby and like people have said it wont win many sprints, or races, but with the staight of my lisence i need something i cant drive to hard or fast lol

mine are 7x17s, running coilovers, and had to take all the lip out of the arches, and play around with the front camber and take a bit off the bottom of the locking ring on the coilovers on the front to help, only realy rubs pushing it hard around roundabouts and on bumpy roads now, can take people in the back as long as there not to fat lol








 ops:  sorry bout Pic sizes i have no clue how to resize

Flan said

I'm trying to get a real lowrider look. My car is just for fun so not massively fussed about the acceleration. I've got other cars to go fast in. I just want something a bit different.

I think i'll end up on 16's but just drop it a bit more to make them fill the arches. Its going for some paint soon so it gives me time to find the right set of wheels for the car.

Thanks for all your help!

Its the tyres which fill the arches, not just the wheels on their own. So why not stick with standard rims but lower it a lot? You will have FAR less problems dropping it beyond 30mm or so, on standard wheels and tyres.

Flan said

I'm trying to get a real lowrider look. My car is just for fun so not massively fussed about the acceleration. I've got other cars to go fast in. I just want something a bit different.

I think i'll end up on 16's but just drop it a bit more to make them fill the arches. Its going for some paint soon so it gives me time to find the right set of wheels for the car.

Thanks for all your help!

no worries, each to their own and all that :y:

The answer is yes, you WILL need to have to the arches taken back, at the very least!  I guess bigclipper is the person to talk to!

advantage of arch trims being you can cut them back as much as you want i guess, as long as rears skins are re welded afterwards  :wink:  

go for hydraulics :wink:

I know its not to everyones taste but I just like that look. I've only just got my Mk1 so i'm still playing with ideas. I've got all winter to get it done ready for next year.

Thanks to everyone so far for their input. I really appreciate it.

I look forward to seeing everyone when the car is complete.

the cabby looks nice i think...

Decided to go for some 15" Audi alloys now. I think from all your comments it will ride better. Gives me the option to drop it a bit more and not have to really make too many alterations.
Thanks for everyones advice on this.

Flan.

personaly i like deep dishs and euro style, my mates got a cabbi on 17inch rims, his are dimond cut with a deep dish (you can fit a fiver in length ways inside the dish) heres some pics, its on koni adjuatable suspension all round and lowerd on eibach springs 40mm, weve only had to play with the camber settings on the front.