What size wheels fit best

Just bought my first Mk1 golf which is currently being stripped in the garage ready for a full re-spray restoration,
pics want to start getting bits for it and looking into wheels, it's running coilovers and I'm going to run it quite low, is 15" or 16" the way to go and what widths and ET are best so as they do not rub, staggered maybe?
sorry for all the questions but I am only a beginner?
heres my T5 I drive daily for work

Welcome along mate  

The van looks like a bit of a beast. Bentley rims eh?! Nice. They'd look better on my Passat though.  

As for the golf. Depends what you want really, flush, poke etc.

I'm running 15's on 6.5" wide with an ET of 30 IIRC when paired with 195/45 tyres the fronts run flush with the arches and virtually touch. You've just gotta be careful where the adjustment nut lands vs the tyres. I've got about 5mm play which is whey she rides so low, to miss the adjustment nut with the tyre. A smaller width would give me more room.

Deffo go staggered if you can as the back is a narrower track to the front so you'll either need spacers of a lower off set at the back.

Mine Front:

 

Side view



Hope that helps a bit

Golf + did an article a few years ago and advised not to go above 15's.

Ok thanks for the reply, I need to look into this

Bentley wheels, nice. I suspect you're far from a beginner running those wheels.

It seems the trend for larger dia wheels is coming back.  Not to the extent where we'll be running twenties on small cars again but the euro scene is heading towards 16 and 17's for small rides.

In my opinion offset is king and not width anymore.

Dano said

Golf + did an article a few years ago and advised not to go above 15's.

Yes they did, anything bigger than 15s just doesn't suit mk1s in my opinion

I've got the article on my PC somewhere, I scanned it waaaayyyy back.

The style of wheels my be a bit old but the technical stuff won't have changs much - if any. 

Ill dig it out. 

Mine's running RM's all round, 7" up front around et 27  and 7.5" rears at et 21, on coilovers, lowered but not slammed, no rubbing at all with 195/45/15 Toyo T1R's
hope that helps

I'm looking to go 16" but if there's issue with the fitments hen 15's will be the ones, I want a BBS style rim 

165/45 on 16" BBS is what I'm running.

Im running 13" 7j up front 8j rear and this is how it currently sits


Planning on going lower when i fit my new coilovers 

Dano said

I've got the article on my PC somewhere, I scanned it waaaayyyy back.

The style of wheels my be a bit old but the technical stuff won't have changs much - if any. 

Ill dig it out. 

Was it this one Dano?  

hubbadubba said

Mine's running RM's all round, 7" up front around et 27  and 7.5" rears at et 21, on coilovers, lowered but not slammed, no rubbing at all with 195/45/15 Toyo T1R's
hope that helps

Just stunning!  

GavB95 said

Was it this one Dano?  

"From a few angles these don't look half bad" I've never thought of it like that