Need new wheels for an 88 formula...any suggestions? (Page 3/3)
Raydar MAY 13, 07:36 PM

quote
Originally posted by fieroguru:
Maybe the wheel change was part of the western edition that even to this day there is little known about it as it was a regional option.
...



My white 88 coupe, above, is a Western Edition. Had four identical 14" wheels.
I am quite sure that they were original. When I took delivery it had 155K on the odo. I'm pretty sure that nothing had been altered on the car. (You can kind of tell. All they did was change the oil and filters, fix broke stuff, and drive it. It even had the original head unit.)

[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 05-13-2017).]

carguy8t8 MAY 14, 10:09 AM

quote
Originally posted by Raydar:


That's a Grand Am wheel. They came with that offset.

I'm not disputing that your brand new 88 coupe came with that wheel on the front, but it didn't leave the factory that way, unless it was a mistake. The dealer might have swapped them, or whatever.
I've owned two different, original 88 coupes. They all had identical wheels, front to rear.
My originals, that came off the car pictured above, are in storage. I can get pics if you want.
Or I can find the page in the 22P parts book.
The only difference in any of the 14" aluminum Fiero wheels, are that some of them are white (Indys) and some of them have gold slots (86-87 SE.)

Edit - Personally, I think they should have put those wheels on the front of the coupe, but probably didn't because the tires were also the same size, and were able to be rotated with the "same" wheels.




I purchased my Fiero in the fall of 1988 so it was likely one of the last Fiero's made. Last 6 digits are 223942. Is it possible that Pontiac while running out of the Fiero wheels, ran some of the last Fiero's with the Sunbird wheels on the front with a narrower tire?? Now that I think about it I now remember that before I changed the tires to BFG's I ran over something at work and slashed the original passenger front tire. Discount tire replaced the tire with the same size as the rear. When I discovered that the original driver front tire was now a oddball I went back to discount tire and they did not have that size so I changed them all to BFG's.
I also know without a doubt that the 88 Fiero I recently parted had the Sunbird wheels on the front. I didn't think anything about it. I thought they were all this way.

[This message has been edited by carguy8t8 (edited 05-14-2017).]

fieroguru MAY 14, 12:58 PM

quote
Originally posted by carguy8t8:
I purchased my Fiero in the fall of 1988 so it was likely one of the last Fiero's made. Last 6 digits are 223942. Is it possible that Pontiac while running out of the Fiero wheels, ran some of the last Fiero's with the Sunbird wheels on the front with a narrower tire??



That is entirely possible. Your vin is within 2500 cars from the end of the production run. Once they made the decision to stop production, they might have switched to the deeper offset front wheel to avoid making another wheel purchase just to finish the production run.
handymanpat OCT 22, 12:54 AM
I ran across a set of the offset rims that are off a formula (I would assume)
These rims are cross laced rims but are silver!
I can see in one small area that rims have an very light grey to silver finish bit all the cross laced rims area it is all silver.
I have never seen offset rims in this color before and no one I have asked has either.
Did they make silver cross laced offset rims?
What else could these be from?
Thanks Pat

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pat moody

[This message has been edited by handymanpat (edited 10-22-2021).]

Raydar OCT 23, 12:48 PM

quote
Originally posted by handymanpat:

I ran across a set of the offset rims that are off a formula (I would assume)
These rims are cross laced rims but are silver!
I can see in one small area that rims have an very light grey to silver finish bit all the cross laced rims area it is all silver.
I have never seen offset rims in this color before and no one I have asked has either.
Did they make silver cross laced offset rims?
What else could these be from?
Thanks Pat



The clincher is the position of the valve stem. Those are most certainly 88 wheels. (Well... obviously the fronts are.)
But the earlier lace wheels have the valve stems at the point of the spokes, as opposed to the "flat" area between two spokes, like these.

Wonder if someone had them stripped and powder coated.
Do they still have the clear coat over the machined, unpainted portion of the rim?

[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 10-23-2021).]

fieroguru OCT 23, 01:58 PM
The 88 15x6 front wheels were also used on another FWD Pontiac. I think Grand Am/Sunbird or something like that.
oneinch OCT 23, 10:02 PM
I believe you are unlikely to find a set of non-OEM wheels that have the correct offsets. Least ways not in the affordable category. They can be had, but you're getting into custom territory and ca-ching ca-ching. I had my OEM wheels refurbished. I chose black powder coat over the original gold. The rim face was turned on a lathe. They are almost exactly like what brand new OEM wheels would be. I wanted the face of the honey comb spokes turned down to bare aluminum also, but the shop said they couldn't do that since they weren't that way originally. Whatever, I can't force them to do it. Anyhow, I like my refurbished OEM wheels. I recommend you consider doing the same.

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Stanton
'88 Formula, red on gray

Skybax OCT 24, 05:31 PM
1. This thread is 4.5 years old.
2. They are 1988 GT/Formula wheels with the original black/gold paint stripped off the webbing.

[This message has been edited by Skybax (edited 10-24-2021).]