From what I've seen for threads already started on wheels, the existing threads are just asking questions about particular wheels. My question is broader, and admittedly this is a bit of a "wheel porn" thread:

What period wheels are available and fit the X? I know about Cromadora CD-91s, and different versions of the "tron" wheel, for instance, but what were both the factory options and the aftermarket wheels used on the X when new? I've seen a lot of different wheels but don't always know what they are.

If you post a response identifying a particular wheel, can you put up a photo and a description, including the manufacturer and (if known) the offset and the materials (magnesium, aluminium, steel or ??).

Thanks.

Check this out, http://x19gr.50webs.com/tecnical.htm

I've always read that there are no aftermarket wheels with the correct offset for the X1/9. Is it true?

Absolute rubbish

Very few are made and sold off-the-shelf with the correct pcd and spigot size but in reality any decent manufacturer can make up wheels with the right fitting including the offset.

digger58 said:

Check this out, http://x19gr.50webs.com/tecnical.htm

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Well, it's a start, but it lacks descriptions of the wheel name, manufacturer, offset, etc.

I found THIS SITE which has a lot of information on different Cromadora models. Even then, I have a set of wheels on an X right now that don't match to any of these.

ppalma said:

I've always read that there are no aftermarket wheels with the correct offset for the X1/9. Is it true?

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I suppose that depends upon what you mean by "aftermarket." Most of the early Xs came with steel wheels. I don't think alloys were offered until the late 70s or early 80s (might vary by market), and even then, they were likely optional wheels that the buyer paid extra to purchase. Even those wheels, while perhaps purchased at the dealership, would in some sense be "aftermarket" -- i.e., not original equipment. Many of those (including many of the Cromadora models in my earlier post) were designed for the correct wheel size and offset for the X1/9.

djc020799 said:

I suppose that depends upon what you mean by "aftermarket." Most of the early Xs came with steel wheels. I don't think alloys were offered until the late 70s or early 80s (might vary by market), and even then, they were likely optional wheels that the buyer paid extra to purchase. Even those wheels, while perhaps purchased at the dealership, would in some sense be "aftermarket" -- i.e., not original equipment. Many of those (including many of the Cromadora models in my earlier post) were designed for the correct wheel size and offset for the X1/9.

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Early 1300s came with steel wheels as standard, alloy wheels were optional (optional is not aftermarket). The later cars came with alloys as standard - the steel wheels having been dropped completely but generally there was only a very limited choice of alloys available and these tended to be region specific.

Cromadora are responsible for almost all of the alloy wheels you see on X1/9s up until the mid-90s when the market for alloy wheels exploded as prices dropped and even then getting wheels to fit an X1/9 was tricky. In general they had to be made to order or converted to fit. In the UK the likes of Compomotive and Revolution made a number of different options that did fit Fiats but they tended not to go down the more artistic route as their wheels were intended more for competition that street aesthetics.

If you want new wheels made to spec, you need to work out what size you want and work backwards to calculate the correct offset, not forgetting that the car came with spacers as standard.

You also have the option of using all of the later designs except for the Grande Punto which uses GM spec hubs instead of the standard Fiat ones. You wouldn't get the GP wheels to fit anyway, they are simply too big in most cases. The downside is that all of the modern and recent wheels are for FWD cars with a different offset but the difference is only slight, something you can live with.

I had a set of Compomotive CXRs made for my race car several years ago with very little trouble (except that they got the offset wrong after a few arguments on the matter - their reference details didn't match what I actually wanted) and since then they have made up a fair number for other owners (I'd like to think I started that trend but maybe not). The beauty is that they can make up almost any width/offset combination you care to mention while the wheel centres are a standard part that is machined to fit - rather like 3-piece split rims used to be but without the hassle of getting them rebuilt every couple of years.

The following site has the most information on wheels
http://www.x1-9.it/cerchi.htm
Its part of this very good italian site, with loads of info:
http://www.x1-9.it/sito.htm

Apparently there were some aftermarket wheels available:
http://www.x1-9.it/PANASPORT.htm

Those wheels are minilite copies, rather like these:
http://www.comp.co.uk/wheels/wheels.asp?range=ML_0003

Like I said before, any competent manufacturer can make the wheels up to fit almost any PCD, spigot and offset for a given wheel diameter.

13" rims are still very popular in motorsport thanks to the many, many different single seaters that use them - Formula Ford makes up a large chunk of that!

Thanks. I've seen a bunch of different 4x98 pattern 13" wheels here in the US, but wasn't sure which were OE, aftermarket, etc. Most of what I've seen have been CD91s like I have on my 80, the "iron cross" and variations on the "tron" and the daytona-style. And 4-spoke "Abarth" which look pretty good. I found a set of the latter on an X here locally but so far the owner doesn't want to part with them separately from the car and she wants too much for the car (for me).