18 Inch Wheels on 1987 NA 944

Naturally aspirated tech and talk
Sethers6945
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I need your all's help! I want to put 18 inch Apex Wheels on my 87 NA 944. I want the wheels to be flush with the body. Thinking 8.5 inch in the front and wider in the back. What fits and what offsets? Then the next question is tire size.

I love the deep dish high offset look and would prefer not to use wheel spacers.

This appears to be a taller order than I realized. Appreciate the help!

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Latitude48
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Sethers6945 wrote: Sun Jan 01, 2023 7:21 pm I want to put 18 inch Apex Wheels on my 87 NA 944. I want the wheels to be flush with the body. Thinking 8.5 inch in the front and wider in the back. What fits and what offsets? Then the next question is tire size.
Why do you want to do this, just for looks?
Sethers6945 wrote: Sun Jan 01, 2023 7:21 pmI love the deep dish high offset look and would prefer not to use wheel spacers.
"Deep dish" to me means a LOW positive offset wheel, with more of the rim showing to the OUTSIDE, something like a 993 Turbo with 10x18, ET40 rear wheels. Wheels like this will not fit on your car since it is an '87, which uses HIGH positive offset, with more of the rim to the INSIDE. All the Apex wheels I saw on their website don't look like "deep dish" to me, but the pictures don't really seem to match the wheel descriptions either, so it's hard to say. A multi-spoke wheel like the Apex is not something I think of as "deep dish." I'm not sure you can really get the look you are after.

Post some pictures of wheels on a NA 944 you like.

For reference, my 944 S2 has BBS RS-GT in 8x18, ET50 and 10x18, ET65 and my 951 has forged Fuchs in 8x18, ET52 and 10x18, ET65. Here's the S2.
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Tom Pultz
- 1989 944 Turbo - Guards Red/Linen
- 1990 944 S2 - Guards Red/Black
- 2003 Audi 1.8TQ - Denim Blue/Black
- 2003 Honda Civic Si - Vivid Blue/Black
- 2023 VW Golf R Base - Lapiz Blue/Titan Black

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stoneguy
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I have an 86 NA
My wheel setup is below. Flush with body, good clearances, not rubbing.

Front 18x8 ET50 + 7mm spacer = 57 offset
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S 225/40 ZR18 tires

Rear 18x10 ET47 + 7mm spacers = 54 offset
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S 275/35 ZR 18

The car has the turbo brakes with Brembo 4 piston calipers

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Latitude48
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stoneguy wrote: Thu Feb 09, 2023 3:36 pm I have an 86 NA
My wheel setup is below. Flush with body, good clearances, not rubbing.

Front 18x8 ET50 + 7mm spacer = 57 offset
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S 225/40 ZR18 tires

Rear 18x10 ET47 + 7mm spacers = 54 offset
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S 275/35 ZR 18

The car has the turbo brakes with Brembo 4 piston calipers
This wheel combination may fit on an '86, but it won't fit on the OP's '87 since the suspension is different.
Tom Pultz
- 1989 944 Turbo - Guards Red/Linen
- 1990 944 S2 - Guards Red/Black
- 2003 Audi 1.8TQ - Denim Blue/Black
- 2003 Honda Civic Si - Vivid Blue/Black
- 2023 VW Golf R Base - Lapiz Blue/Titan Black

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stoneguy
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I should have listed more details. This wheel combination fits well on my 86 NA after I did the turbo brake upgrade consisting of 4mm spacers at mounts on rear calipers and front spindles and struts off an 87.
Turbo spec rotors and Brembo calipers off an 87 Turbo .

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Sethers6945
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these are all great responses! Thank you!

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Sethers6945
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you don't happen to have the pictures of the Fuchs wheels do you? I've seen some of the Porsche classic wheels on sale and think I would really like the look.

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Latitude48
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Sethers6945 wrote: Wed Nov 29, 2023 10:12 am you don't happen to have the pictures of the Fuchs wheels do you? I've seen some of the Porsche classic wheels on sale and think I would really like the look.
Here's a picture I have of the 18" Fuchs on the 951. I believe the Porsche Classic wheels only come with black spokes.
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Tom Pultz
- 1989 944 Turbo - Guards Red/Linen
- 1990 944 S2 - Guards Red/Black
- 2003 Audi 1.8TQ - Denim Blue/Black
- 2003 Honda Civic Si - Vivid Blue/Black
- 2023 VW Golf R Base - Lapiz Blue/Titan Black

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Sethers6945
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that looks fantastic! what size tires did you go with? did you use any spacers?

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Latitude48
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Sethers6945 wrote: Wed Nov 29, 2023 5:47 pm that looks fantastic! what size tires did you go with? did you use any spacers?
No spacers. Tires are standard for these rims: 265/35-18 and 225/40-18 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S XL.
Tom Pultz
- 1989 944 Turbo - Guards Red/Linen
- 1990 944 S2 - Guards Red/Black
- 2003 Audi 1.8TQ - Denim Blue/Black
- 2003 Honda Civic Si - Vivid Blue/Black
- 2023 VW Golf R Base - Lapiz Blue/Titan Black

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