What's a good tyre size for a purely road going Fugitive 2 with the IRS back end?

I'll probably be running on 5 1/2 or 6 J x 15" wheels unless there's advice to the contrary.

What sort of offset or inset do people use on their wheels?

regarding offset or inset, I'd say about in the middle, plus or minus 20mm or so........regarding tyres, for a steeet going fug, speaking from experience I would steer well clear from 4x4 big knobbly tyres and use a proper road tyre with about a 50 or 60 profile........the reason being having massive rear tyres with while lettering might look real cool, but in reality I found them just plain dangerous, when you hit a pot-hole it will throw tha fug accross the road quite easily........so go for a sensible road tyre.......I'm using 15" rear wheels 10" wide, tyres are 235 wide.......in reality I want a 60 profile as the 50 profile looks a bit skinny on the rear and it will also help gearing a tad more, but it handles like on rails!

I had no intention of fitting anything but genuine road tyres but I hadn't thought of going that wide.

What about the front end.

With so little weight don't you get aquaplaning if you go too wide?

aquaplaning - that would imply I drive my fug in the wet!.....no way!!.....but seriously, I did get caught in a real; motorway torrential downpour while on the way home from stoneleigh kit car show in 2007 and it was fine, my fronts are 8" wide and 50 profile too.......I think aquaplaning is more associated with tread depth, as my tyres are all new nankang jobbies (chineese yokahomas) it was ok........the real problem was I couldnt see where I was going!!!! :ph43r:

many of the metal-flake beach buggy boys are running 300 width rear tyres.....cos it aparrently looks cooler! :rolleyes:......... in reality I wont be going any wider than 235 for sure.

If you are running standard Vee Dub gearing then you are looking at 25 inch diameter (wheel / tyre combo) minimum. This maintains the standard rolling radias, anything less will be under geared, which at motorway speeds will be a pain (with 4 speed box, you are on the limit anyway with standard size)

Therefore I would have a chat with your local wheel / tyre supplier and see what fits best, both on the car and your budget B)

For example 195/60x15 is about 23 inchs so fine for the front and good on a 5.5 or 6J rim but will lower the gearing if used on the back.

However to maintain the correct rolling radias and still have a decent lower profile for handling you 'may' want to consider a 16 or even a 17 inch rim for the rear?

For example ; 205/60x16 will give approx 25 inch and is still ok for a 6.5 - 7J Rim

Depends on the 'look', what you want (handling wise) and the amount of power you have to play with etc etc :P

As for off set I'd go as far out as the wheels will allow, wider track will aid handling and with no bodywork to worry about, exploit it B)

Great stuff. All pure gold.

I'm a Classic Mini fan and normally tend to stay away from large wheel offsets due to bad steering kickback and excessive wheel bearing wear on Minis.

Is this not a problem on the Beetle setup?

185/65 x 15 tyres are within a couple of percent of a standard 155 x 15 tyre.

I have to agree a road tyre will always handle better, and a large rim with a low profile tyre will always corner and grip better than a chunky off roader ever could, that much is obvious. However there's no way in the world I'd put them on mine. Mine is now lowered to a sensible height though, it really was too high when I bought it, but it's fun. The drive is nice, and it's a Sandrail after all, why try and turn it into something it isn't. Guess it's what you want from it, I've never taken mine seriously in the performance car stakes, it's a toy for a bit of fun. Still, really wouldn't chance nasty stuff like Colway or anything like that if you did change your mind and go off road route.
Only my opinion, but look at mine, if you don't like it by all means say, I won't be offended, but then look at Mattd's one If I'd have seen his first I probably would have copied his set up.

Well im running 295/50/15 on the rear and 195/50/15 on the front. Thats how I wanted it to look, kinda biggies and littleis. The biggies on the back do have a little bit of sideways movement because they are only on a 9 inch rim, fronts are lovely and provide endless amounts of turn in. The only problem is if you hit the gas at the wrong time!!. 100bobs absoulutely right, a fugs whatever you want it to be. And thanks bob I take what you say as a compliment. ;)

Those are both very nice and, as you rightly say, very individual interpretations of a Fugitive.

Mine will be in a similar style to mattd's in terms of ride height but I'm looking for full bodywork. It will be purely for road use.

I was really attracted by this sketch on the brochure in the library on this site.

have seen that pic before, and can relate to your thinking, it does look a nice concept. I liked the UVA hardtop with the louvers down the back, don't think anyone on the site has one though. Guess it could be made with a bit of effort, reckon it'd be worth it.

I had that broucher when I was at College and as UVA was local I kept popping in to ask Alan when it was happening....alas it never got any futher than a sketch, and I have to say I have experimented with this concept on Tigger and the reality is not 'quite' up to the artistic licence of the brouchure...which is a pity :ph43r:

I wish you well, but you may find the proportions at the back a challenge, especially the roof section, plus rear ward view and heat off the engine coming forward <_<

My intention (though it is only a basic plan at the moment) is not to enclose the engine area within the cockpit. I would like to fit the rear window at the roll bar point and have the rear sloping area open with a flattish engine cover. I'm still undecided about the merits of a soft top compared to a hard top.

theres some quite good points on here, Tigger is right on the money with the rear tyre OD issue, when I had my gearbox re-conditioned I used the chance to have the diff and 4th gear ratios changed for better motorway cruising, so at 70mph the engine is only doing about 3500 rpm......previously it was 4500rpm!!!!.......the rear tyre OD has a big influence in this, and will sure help prevent the need to diff and ratio changes.

bob is also quite right, I think himself and Ian run quite big rear tyres and it works ok for them, but for me I just didnt like it.......horses for courses and all that ;)

Cheers for that info Tigger, I'd always wondered if anyone out there had the hard-top. Shame it never made it beyond the brochure!

Think I'd personally still run the louvers down the back, it would look great. If it's got a Beetle engine you can easily exclude engine from the cockpit just like any beach buggy or VW Beetle come to that.
Think you'd see through louvers well enough, remember the Capri, Mini and a few other 70s cars had them as extras, not convinced there wasn't a Beetle one thinking about it.
Somewhere on this site I'm pretty sure there's a pic of one with full weather gear too. Does make you wonder how well UVA would have done if it'd been managed and run with a bit of skill, interest and knowledge when you think about it.