Extra Rims For HSV Gen-F GTS Track Days
QUESTION
Hi John, I'm a big fan of yours. I hear you regularly on 2UE. I have been fortunate enough to get to go to four 'Burrows' track days at SMSP. Two in my previous SSV commodore and now two in the GTS. I'm not rich, I have just simply gone into a lot of debt to afford my dream car.
Best times for the GP circuit went from about 2:03 to 1:53.5 SSV to GTS. So now of course each time I go I am competing against myself to better my time from last time. The problem is the standard Continental tyres aren't surviving. That's ok, I understand it's not a cheap hobby however I'd like to look after the love of my life too.
The Gen F GTS 20-inch wheels I believe are a unique size to fit over the brakes and therefore to buy a spare set of wheels and probably street legal semi slicks for track days is not straight forward. Quotes for a spare set of rims only for the HSV ones are in excess of $1300/rim and I'm best guessing each tyre will be north of $500.
I'd be happy to have a cheaper set but maybe better looking rims and also unique to my car for day to day and shoe them with the continentals leaving the better GTS Gen F rims for track days with the semi slick tyres.
Being an extravagant expense, my budget is more like $1000 at best per corner than north of $2000. Obviously there are thousands of options online but I'm guessing I could find that although technically the right size, some rims still wouldn't fit over the brakes.
Do you have any recommendations on how/who to sort this? I have asked Beaurepairs (Ryde) and Gordon Leven. Both have really only searched the net as well to give me a response. Kind regards, Paul
ANSWER
Thanks for listening on 2UE mate - I appreciate your support there.
I think the approach is solid - two sets of rims, one for the road tyres, a second for the circuit.
If I were grappling with the problem I’d approach the wheel manufacturers direct. Let them do the legwork - seeing as you want to purchase their product. You can’t be the only bloke in Australia looking for a second set of rims for a Gen-F to do this. All you want is a set that clears the brakes. Ask the wheel manufacturer to recommend a rim and send it to a retailer near you, then test fit it to make sure it clears - before you buy it. Simple.
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