[Sir Paul]

Hello!

My first post since I moved across from Fchat where I have been for a number of years. I have a Rosso Corsa/Nero 575SA F1 HGTC in Hong Kong which ws manufactured in March 2006 and I have owned since May 2007. I have taken it feom 700Km to 9,500Km in that time and had a great time doing so.

So on to my post...

I found a reference to these modern day Borranis with a clear indication from a photograph (see attached) that they will fit the 550/575/SA.

I have been playing around with the idea of them on the SA to give it a kind of retro look. See my attempts of photoshopping them on the SA photo.

Anyone with experience of them (apart from keeping them clean!)?

Any views?

Thanks
PAUL

[Bill]

Welcome to F-Life Paul,

Good job with P.S. but I like the Mods on the SA.

Just my opinion.

cheers,

Bill

[cribbj]

Paul, IMO the 550 / SA have just enough retro/classic styling that they can get away with wearing a set of Borrani's and they really complement each other. I wouldn't expect them to have the same effect with a more contemporary model, say a 430, etc.

BTW are those 19's? I think they might look even better in a smaller diameter with a higher profile tire - but then that's just the way we're used to seeing Borrani's isn't it?

[Killer58]

You know, even though I have wires on most of my (British) sports cars, I have to say I like the original wheels on most F-cars, the 550 included. I think they must spend considerable time matching wheels to the body design, and they just work for me. Other than 360 wheels on a 355 or 348, I like the stock versions best.

[Andrew]

Paul,

Welcome to Ferrari Life

If you send a private message to MotionProducts or Borrani (a site sponsor):
Ferrari Life - View Profile: BorraniAmericas

They might have photos of a customer car with their wheels they could share. I like the look and say go for it!

[Sir Paul]

Originally Posted by cribbj

Paul, IMO the 550 / SA have just enough retro/classic styling that they can get away with wearing a set of Borrani's and they really complement each other. I wouldn't expect them to have the same effect with a more contemporary model, say a 430, etc.

BTW are those 19's? I think they might look even better in a smaller diameter with a higher profile tire - but then that's just the way we're used to seeing Borrani's isn't it?

Thanks Cribbj, guys

I must agree with all of you. I love my 19 inch 3 part modulars on the car more than anything. They are a good match and I agree that the F guys must have slaved long to find good match. However, I want to keep them pristine and so thought about a second set. Either a second set of Mods as spares, or something different. I have already replaced two of them dure to Kerb rash.

Then I thought of my screensave, where I have an SA with and insert of a 250GTO and can see so many similarities in the lines, I wondered if Boarranis and spokes might look even more similar.

Unfortunately I agree with cribbj and think that at 18 inch (I believe the size for 575s are not 19 inch but 18 inch) look like bicycle wheel spokes. I guess to make it look right would be to use higher profile tyres and smaller rims. (see latest attempt. This does look better...but probably too much messing around with tyres....and would my HGTC Ceramic brakes and big caliper fit?)

My current thoughts are still to stick with the mods....and avoid as many kerbs as I can!!

Still it was worth a look with photoshop.

Thanks guys
PAUL

[tazandjan]

Paul- Welcome to Ferrari Life. Unfortunately adapting center lock wheels to a 575 is very difficult because the front suspension has no stub axles and these would need to be fabricated and would be difficult to fit without modifications. I tried to fit a set of center lock Novitec NF1s to my car and that was one reason it could not be done. The other reason was the axles on the rear of a Maranello are much larger than the wimpy ones on a 360 or F430, for which the NF1s were designed, and the adapter thread was much too small.

The parts catalog pages of 550 and 575M/SA front suspension below show what I mean. The 550 has stub axles and the 575M/SA does not. The steering knuckles #1 below) for the 456M, 550 and 575M are identical, so it might be possible to use 550 parts, but nobody has tried it that I have heard. From what I can see, it would cost ~$3500 per side for new parts, less if you found a wrecked 550. There also appears to be an ABS sensor wire for the 575M/SA that passes through the knuckle where the stub axle would fit. Not sure how to get around that.

So you made the correct choice.

[Sir Paul]

Originally Posted by tazandjan

Paul- Welcome to Ferrari Life. Unfortunately adapting center lock wheels to a 575 is very difficult because the front suspension has no stub axles and these would need to be fabricated and would be difficult to fit without modifications. I tried to fit a set of center lock Novitec NF1s to my car and that was one reason it could not be done. The other reason was the axles on the rear of a Maranello are much larger than the wimpy ones on a 360 or F430, for which the NF1s were designed, and the adapter thread was much too small.

The parts catalog pages of 550 and 575M/SA front suspension below show what I mean. The 550 has stub axles and the 575M/SA does not. The steering knuckles #1 below) for the 456M, 550 and 575M are identical, so it might be possible to use 550 parts, but nobody has tried it that I have heard. From what I can see, it would cost ~$3500 per side for new parts, less if you found a wrecked 550. There also appears to be an ABS sensor wire for the 575M/SA that passes through the knuckle where the stub axle would fit. Not sure how to get around that.

So you made the correct choice.

Thanks Terry, but actually not a problem as you see it......take a closer look. These newer Borranis come in their modern "technologic" X-Ray line and you can see by the sample below and if you look at the Borrani website and the table below, you can see that these are five stud wheels and should fit the 575.

I think fitting the wheel would be OK and there is a picture of a 550/575 with them fitted in my earlier post....but still wonder about the big brake disks andbrakes? We are also looking at around Euro 9,000 a set, excluding Tyres.

I think its probably the best bet to stick with the Modulars, but nice to have a fanciful look at wire spokes.

Thanks
PAUL

Borrani Wheels Asia Pacific - X-Ray Ferrari

[tazandjan]

Paul- Bolt on Borranis. What will they think of next? I personally much prefer the center locks with knock-offs, but that is a moot point.

Your 398 mm front rotors and 6 piston calipers will not fit into 18" wheels. Not even close. My 396 mm Mov'Its barely fit into my 19" Novitecs. No problem for Borrani to make 19" or 20" wheels that will fit, however.

[Sir Paul]

Originally Posted by tazandjan

Paul- Bolt on Borranis. What will they think of next? I personally much prefer the center locks with knock-offs, but that is a moot point.

Your 398 mm front rotors and 6 piston calipers will not fit into 18" wheels. Not even close. My 396 mm Mov'Its barely fit into my 19" Novitecs. No problem for Borrani to make 19" or 20" wheels that will fit, however.

Thanks Terry
Yes...but at that size they are starting to look like bicycle spokes/wheels!!!
PAUL