Mats wrote:One problem with a "comversion spacer" is that it needs to be quite thick to work, something like 25mm. Unless you find a rim with ET in the fiftys you will have problems.
Why do you say that?
The spacers I use are 22mm thick with a 35ET (38mm) wheel. They can be be 15mm to 25mm. The track is increased about 20mm per side which is reasonable without too much extra wheel bearing load. Stock offset for a transaxle car is 30ET (35mm) so I'd need a 45ET to 48ET wheel to get to stock offset. The increased track is a good thing in my book so long as it's not such that it causes the wheel bearings to wear. A 15mm spacer would allow a 40ET wheel for stock. There are plenty of wheels available in this range. VW uses a 5x100 35ET, Mitsubishi use a 5x100 40ET and Subaru use a 5x100 48ET.
You don't have to do 5x100 either. You can do 5x114.5 (5x4.5") for any American Ford or Chevy wheel. 5x120 for a BMW or Mercedes wheel. The options are wide open once you move away from the 5x98 restriction.
If you approach this from a pick the wheel then make the spacer direction instead of a make the spacer then find a wheel direction, it's not a big issue to make it fit nicely. Make sure you pick a wheel that's going to be available for some time or at least a fitment that will be on the manufacturers radar for some time to come. When I bent 2 of my Team Dynamics 17x7.5 DTM wheels, I couldn't find a wheel anywhere. TD has discontinued them. Now try finding another wheel in 17x7.5 5x98 that isn't a small fortune (I'd have to buy 4 and end up with 2 bent and 2 good useless, obsolete wheels). If I get a Subaru or VW wheel, I know the VW fitment will be around for a long time, with a wide selection and a low cost. I happen to have the Mille Miglia VW Golf wheels in 18x8. I got them used for $300. I can get a set of VW 18x8 wheels all day on EBay for $400-500 a set new or about $700 a set for light weight wheels (18x8, 15.5lbs). That's still under $200 per wheel. Try even finding an 18" wheel for an Alfa, let alone one that's under $200/per.
I think my logic is sound.
-Peter
The true joy of an Alfa Romeo is behind the wheel.