Baroque Alloy Wheels...

[Wolfmann]

Hi,

Can anyone tell me whether a set of the Mexican Hat alloys from a late 280SL will fit a W107 please?
My girlfriend has just bought an '81 380SL and someone has updated the wheels to the flat face 16 hole alloys but we would like to have the original alloys on it and a set from a Pagoda are available.
Any help gratefully received, thank you.

Steven.

[Ulf]

As far as I know, they are compatible way into the 80's, have even seen them on quite a few w126's

[Wolfmann]

Thank you Ulf, I think there are 6 and 6.5 inch widths and it is the latter that are needed for 205 tyres. I was worried about something called Offset that I have heard about but it seems that they are all compatible...

Thanks for your prompt reply.

Steven.

[stickandrudderman]

No, they are not all compatible and yes you are right to be concerned about offset.
Most, if not all wheels are stamped with an "ET" number, eg: "ET35".
This number defines the offset of the wheel and is calculated thus:

The width of the rim in mm divided by two gives the centre of the rim. The distance from the mounting flange inside the wheel to the centre is the offset.
With this is mind you can imagine how two wheels that look externally identical will sit very differently on the car if they have widely differing offsets.
It's not uncommon (and is the case with the 107) that wheels with not enough offset will not fit over the brake caliper.

Even if the offset is acceptable in terms of physical installation, the appearance may be unacceptable and the handling may be severely compromised.

If you've ever driven a car that "tram lines" a lot (a propensity to wander about of its own accord when navigating uneven road surfaces, especially under braking) then the chances are high that the car has been retro-fitted with bigger alloys that have too much offset. (Suspension component failure not withstanding).

[Wolfmann]

Thanks Stick,

So would alloys from a 280sl (W113) have the same offset as those required for a 107 ?

Steve.

[GGR]

There are early and late 107, and they have different offsets. Yours is an early one and I think the offset is compatible with the W113. Only thing is that the 380 may have been fittred with 6.5 inches wide wheels while I think the 113 ones are 6 inches wide.  You can fit 205 tires on 6 inches wheels, and the difference between 6 and 6.5 doesn't have much importance on a 380. If they are free go with the 113 wheels. If they are at market price then go with what was originally fitted on the 380.

[Wolfmann]

Thank you so much. that is really helpful, they are free so I will just need to get tyres for them !!

Thanks again for the information,

Steven.

[zoegrlh]

The 1985 W107 was available with, for the first time standard in US and options in Europe, the flat face 16 hole alloys.  They had a larger offset.  The Bundt/Fuchs/Barock alloy wheels were first available as an option on the W113s in 1968.  They were 6 in wide.  The 6.5 in. wide alows were for the larger sedans.
Bob