"Tom Boltwood" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> > From: Colonel Tupperware >
> > Newsgroups: alt.autos.alfa-romeo
> > Date: Thu, 01 Jul 2004 16:21:10 +0100
> > Subject: Alloy Wheels
> >
> > On Thu, 01 Jul 2004 12:13:08 +0100, Tom Boltwood >
> > wrote:
> >
> >> I've just come into some 164 3.0 Super alloys.

Unfortunate turn of phrase there :-)

> >>However, my TSpark is 4 stud
> >> and the 3.0 was 5 Stud. Stupidly, I assumed that 164s would all have
the
> >> same wheel fixings. I'm a bit of a novice when it comes to wheels, so
can
> >> anyone tell me:
> >>
> >> a) why they have different stud patterns on these models
> >
> > Because they do?
> > 5 stud wheels are considered better on fast cars?
> > Or the usual Italian answer; because the Italians prefer form over
> > function?
> > I find it odd that the same basic model has a different number of
> > studs. Well not odd, just silly.
> >>
> >> b) if there's anything I can do to get these wheels on my car.
> >
> > Fit 5 stud hubs.
> > Preferably from the same car as the wheels came from.
> > Are they the same size?
> >
> After much searching, new hubs seems to be the answer. It all depends on
> whether I will need new discs and calipers with the new hubs. A bloke at
my
> local garage reckoned it would cost a fortune, but if I can get the hubs
off
> a scrap 164 V6 it shouldn't be too hard to swap them over should it?
> (assuming that the discs and calipers aren't a problem).

You'll need new discs - they each have the right number of bolt holes,
funnily enough. Is it that hard to pop a wheel off? You'd have got all the
answers without having to broadcast your buying error all over usenet :-)

If you do change the hubs, discs and wheels, don't forget to tell your
insurer...

Mark