GT5S wheels

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Originally posted by stephen:
[B]Thinking of getting a 17" wheel and tyre package so I can also keep the originals and get new tyres in future. Also have heard the GT5S handles better and tramlines less with 265 tyres on front??

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If handling is important to you, newer use larger front diameter tires than 23,5 inches.
The bandit in creating tramlines is the big scrub-radius in the geometry. But a narrower tire is less sensitive. As you live in England, buy a set of Avon. Check my site at http://www.passagen.se/hemipanter
I sporty driving is your concern, just mail me. hemipanter@brevet.nu
Goran Malmberg.

Sorry, site is http://hem.passagen.se/hemipanter/
Goran Malmberg.

thanks Goran, but I take it when u say 23.5 inches you mean 235mm!!
That is a Lot smaller than the standard front tyre fitted to a GT5S. I am only concerned with road driving, the car is well set up but Irish roads can be very uneven, and when driving fast its sometimes hard work steering through the changes. what is your opinion on 17" wheels on a pantera?
Stephen

Sorry, beeing unclear. I did meant 23,5 inches.
But DIAMETER. Makes 597 mm. This is kind of hard to get with 17 inch wheels. I got 590 mm dia and 241 mm tread and 260 section tires on the picture. The front cross member under radiator is 100 mm off ground. And as you can see, there is no rom to spare to the flairs. A bigger tire needs a higher car. And this destroys front stability and grip.
Even bump steer suffers. But if the road nesissiate a higher setting,
not to ground the car, 17 inch wheels may be used.
Goran Malmberg.

Stephen, you're a LONG way from Massachusetts and Pat Mical's Pantera shop (www.detomasopantera.com) but Pat came up with a multipart fix for the generally- poor handling of fat-tired GT5 and '5S cars some years back. He has an extensive clientele of satisfied US owners. Pat normally insists on installing his modified parts personally, but he IS coming to Englang (ring up Roger Brotten & get the schedule) for the upcoming LeMans races, so you two may be able to work something out locally.

thanks Jack, I am going to Le Mans in june with the Detomaso UK club and driving there in the GT5S, will be interesting driving as French roads have very good surface, I think the problem(and its not a major one) is the poor state of Irish roads, not the car, but still looking for advice on the best vendor for a set of 17" wheels, wish to keep the original look so a wheel similair to the existing one. Hall Pantera have quoted me $3500 for complete package with michelin tyres, also all wheels are billet aluminium, are they much heavier than the factory mag items?

Quite a bit heavier, since the stock wheels are magnesium which is about half the wt of aluminum, plus 17" wheels have much more metal than the 15" stockers. This won't be a concern with good shock absorbers ('dampers') unless you're racing for money, though. FYI, ALL the Pantera parts vendors have so-called "Campy-copies" for sale, including the owner of this website, so I'd shop around a bit. Many owners find a 16x9" front wheel, combined with a 17x 10 or 11" wide rear, fits the lines of the GT5-S and V or Z-rated tires are available. Some guys even select 18" rear wheels! Spacers can be added to frontsto bring the tire closer to the fender edges. Before you order, I suggest calling up www.tiretrack.com and picking a speed-rated rear tire that is 26-1/2" diameter or close to that, so your speedometer reads accurately and gas mileage doesn't suffer. Or, as you say, there are package deals on wheelse & tires. Ask Pat Mical what he recommends if you're considering using his handling pkg.