"Cheap" Weld Wheels: Ventura S104 - Opinions?

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MRGTX

MRGTX

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I stumbled across these and I would love to hear what you guys think.

In the world of Weld wheels, the (rotary cast, NOT forged) Ventura S104 are dirt cheap. They're also available in some sizes that MIGHT work on our A-bodies. Whether or not the looks fit the style of our cars is subjective of course. The 15" sizes start around $230. The prices go up from there of course.

What do you guys think of these? Have you seen them in person? I'm having trouble visualizing these on an Abody but I think they might look pretty sharp as far as modern styles go.

@72bluNblu (or any other expert), IIRC, a 17x8 with a 6" back spacing usually works for our cars, correct? Any issues with the 72.56 mm center bore? They're also offered in a 4.5" backspace that might be better for the rear. Unfortunately, 8" seems to be as wide as they go on the 17s.

Opinions welcome!

Ventura S104

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For 17’s in the front the maximum backspace for most rims is about 5.6” to 5.7”. That’s usually where the outer tie rod to rim lip interference issue comes up. It does depend on the design of the rim, but I only know of 1 guy that was able to run a 17” rim with a 6” backspace up front. And he even said later that the clearance was an issue. He was running Mustang Cobra’s, 17x9.

For the center bore, 72.56mm is ~2.8”. Most of the 73+ disk hubs are in the 2.7” range, so are DoctorDiff’s aluminum hubs for his 13” disk kits. So it will be close. The biggest thing is whether or not that’s the bore all the way through. Like my Enkei’s advertise a 73.1mm bore. And they start out at 73.1, but then they taper to a 65mm cap. And because they’re very thin where they mount up, the disk hub has to pass all the way through the rim. So I had to have mine machined, even though the advertised bore should have been fine.
 
Offered offsets look like the run of the mill "Fits GM cars so it should all others" affair. Sad, because I like the look, but my custom offset American Racing wheels were cheaper than these and I got what I wanted and they fit.

The Forged versions you can get in any offset as long as your willing to pay, and pay a lot for them.

Like everything, this stuff is getting far to expensive.
 
dano said:
Offered offsets look like the run of the mill "Fits GM cars so it should all others" affair. Sad, because I like the look, but my custom offset American Racing wheels were cheaper than these and I got what I wanted and they fit.

The Forged versions you can get in any offset as long as your willing to pay, and pay a lot for them.

Like everything, this stuff is getting far to expensive.
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I'm starting to get the mindset of "they can keep all that ****"! Lol. Everything is being Covid gouged. If we all stopped buying crap (including lumber, which had calmed down, but jumped right back up) maybe they would drop the numbers down a Lil
 
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Ironracer said:
I'm starting to get the mindset of "they can keep all that ****"! Lol. Everything is being Covid gouged. If we all stopped buying crap (including lumber, witch had calmed down, but jumped right back up) maybe they would drop the numbers down a Lil
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That and drop people credit ceiling. I was looking to buy a used truck and looking at new (and used) vehicles was ridiculous. But you can get financed on that $80k half ton. Same with houses, a Honey Bucket here on a 100 sq/ft lot would be $300k. And they wonder why we have a homeless issue.
 
dano said:
That and drop people credit ceiling. I was looking to buy a used truck and looking at new (and used) vehicles was ridiculous. But you can get financed on that $80k half ton. Same with houses, a Honey Bucket here on a 100 sq/ft lot would be $300k. And they wonder why we have a homeless issue.
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Trucks and Real Estate here in the Tampa Bay area is downright stupid...
 
dano said:
That and drop people credit ceiling. I was looking to buy a used truck and looking at new (and used) vehicles was ridiculous. But you can get financed on that $80k half ton. Same with houses, a Honey Bucket here on a 100 sq/ft lot would be $300k. And they wonder why we have a homeless issue.
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Yeah well capitalism also brought us stuff like Hemicudas and the Sports Illustrated swim suit issue. It’s not all bad. I agree that we need to throw all of the 1%ers, the vulture capitalists, and the whole damn oligarch class into the ocean but I hold out hope that we could bounce back from the brink of collapse.
 
MRGTX said:
Yeah well capitalism also brought us stuff like Hemicudas and the Sports Illustrated swim suit issue. It’s not all bad. I agree that we need to throw all of the 1%ers, the vulture capitalists, and the whole damn oligarch class into the ocean but I hold out hope that we could bounce back from the brink of collapse.
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Hey Man, I ain't knocking that! But almost 7 bucks, for a White Pine (non structural) 2x4x8... piss on that
 
Ironracer said:
Hey Man, I ain't knocking that! But almost 7 bucks, for a White Pine (non structural) 2x4x8... piss on that
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Yeah. It’s absolutely insane. The industry was not incentivized whatsoever to prepare for a change in demand levels. They’re like OPEC, chuckling while the supply dries up and prices go through the roof, all under the cover of the pandemic. Even if the cause is not so nefarious, thee ownership class in our society saw fit to not expend any capital to build any redundancy into our economy. So when stuff got out of whack with the pandemic, the problems cascaded through the whole damn system. It’s like automakers switching back to a single circuit brake system just so the shareholders get a bump and the CEOs could get a raise. Make no mistake, the economy has been doing just fine in recent years and the raises have not gone to the workers…but all of the expenses have. I don’t have a degree in any of this so I’m also taking out of my tailpipe to some degree. But let me just say that if something damaged the factory applied UAW sticker on my daily driver, I’d order a replacement. I fully know that unions can pull some shenanigans too but they’re the only thing that has ever worked to prevent the kind of economy that we have now. The rich are eating our lunch, shooting themselves into space because they have so much money, they don’t know what to do with it, while we cringe every time we go to the gas pump.
 
I’m back to looking at these... The 17” American Racing VN215s that I ordered (shortly after this thread ruled out the Weld Ventura) were supposed to ship today and instead, I got an email saying that they were back ordered indefinitely. Screw that.

Not going to lie, I’m still very hesitant to run 18s but the options are dwindling…so what do you guys think of the following 18 inch wheels with these sizes/offsets? I’d like to run at least a 245 up front and a 275 in the rear.

My car has the stock width Abody 8.75” rear, stock front disks.

I suspect the rears have too much offset…they do also offer the 18x8 with 0 offset…

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Well, both the 18x8 and the 18x9 you listed will fit on the front. You could run a 275/35/18 on the front if you wanted with that 18x9. With the 18x8 a 245/40/18 would work. But you could also run that 245/40/18 on the 18x9”.

Unfortunately, neither one is really a good choice for the rear unless you run a spacer. If you have an A-body 8 3/4 with BBP axles and the stock spring locations you want about 5” to 5.25” of backspace. You should have close to 6” from mounting face to springs, so about a 1/2” for tire overhanging the rim and another 1/2” (ish) for clearance. If the 18x9’s come in a different back space that would be good, otherwise you could run a 1” spacer and that would be just about right for a 275.
 
Thanks, 72bluNblu. That makes sense…there aren’t any better backspace options for the rear and the 1” spacer just isn’t ideal so these are out too. I don’t love these enough to make compromises like that.

Thanks to the world we live in, stuff is still out of stock everywhere. Even the suitable 18” options for the RPF1s seem to be gone. This project will have to be back on hold for a while.
 
MRGTX said:
Thanks, 72bluNblu. That makes sense…there aren’t any better backspace options for the rear and the 1” spacer just isn’t ideal so these are out too. I don’t love these enough to make compromises like that.

Thanks to the world we live in, stuff is still out of stock everywhere. Even the suitable 18” options for the RPF1s seem to be gone. This project will have to be back on hold for a while.
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I've run 1" spacers before, the kind that bolt on and have their own set of studs. It adds a little more work because you have two sets of lug nuts to torque and re-torque, but I never had any issues with them.

If I were you I would put an order in for whatever rims you do want, even if they have a delivery date months out. I don't suspect that the manufacturing/shipping delays are going to disappear anytime soon, and I'd rather have something on order so if it does show up I get first crack at it, instead of hoping that when something comes back into stock I see it and get on it before it sells out. Just a thought.
 
With the new motor days away from running, the BFGs had to go. I couldn’t wait any longer.

I went with the 17x8s. They fit perfectly with the 0 offset rears and 6” backspace fronts with a 1/2” spacer. I did the best I could with finding a good performance tire that also had appropriate diameters…The Falken Azenis is a perpetual favorite with autocross crew and the current RT660 model is a fairly recent revision. They have the requisite 200 treadwear and what seemed like minimal compromise in sizing. Of course, 245s are about the best you can do on an 8” wide wheel (if you want good handling/consistent contact patch). The 245/40/17 fronts are just under 25” and the 245/45/17 rear. 25.7”…definitely shorter than ideal but not ridiculous.

I had been running 255s on my old rear wheels so switching down to a 245 seemed acceptable but they really do look skinny back there. The shortness of the front tires helps clear the wheel arch but it looks a bit anemic because of it. I’m considering lowering the front another 10mm or so but those headers are getting pretty close to the ground.

Please excuse the less than tidy conditions. My garage is a mess along with spilled trans fluid after tipping it for the engine install…dry leaves came blasting in the door with the wind today. I did my best to crop most of the mess out of the pics. :D

Driving impressions pending.

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I'm cheap. I run OM steel wheels on everything. You could say I splurge but those dog dish caps, came on the the cars!!!!
Screw buying some nice wheels!!!
 
A couple more pics…
I didn’t have an opportunity to test the limits of traction but my brief drive around the neighborhood with a new engine reminded me of how much gravel and sand gets picked up by sticky tires. I’m also noticing a bit of dartiness that wasn’t there before. It felt almost like worn strut rod bushings but my QA1 dynamic strut rods are pretty fresh so I don’t think that’s actually what was happening. More likely, the wider tires and less forgiving sidewalls are to blame. It remains to be seen if this is a problem or not. So far it doesn’t seem unsafe or anything like that.

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I’m now waiting for some decent weather but so far, these are a revolutionary improvement over the old Radial T/As.

not that anyone asked but the decals are all magnetic. I’m not that committed when it comes to changing the looks of my car’s well worn factory paint.

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I kind of have the same question as the OP. I was looking to step up to the Chrysler Rallye 17x8 with a 4.5 backspacing from Yearone. I have a 67 Dodge Dart 2 door post. Converted over to BBP with a 8.75 rear end. I'm not sure if it will fit. Here's a link to the wheels.

" Set of 4 17"" X 8"" cast aluminum ""Mopar Rallye"" whe...

Has anyone ever ran these? I did a search and couldn't find much. Thanks in advance.
 
Norm.P said:
I kind of have the same question as the OP. I was looking to step up to the Chrysler Rallye 17x8 with a 4.5 backspacing from Yearone. I have a 67 Dodge Dart 2 door post. Converted over to BBP with a 8.75 rear end. I'm not sure if it will fit. Here's a link to the wheels.

" Set of 4 17"" X 8"" cast aluminum ""Mopar Rallye"" whe...

Has anyone ever ran these? I did a search and couldn't find much. Thanks in advance.
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4.5” backspace will fit fine in the back, not good for the front. They’ll stick out too far and severely limit the tire diameter/width you can run without rubbing the wheel arches.

5.5” backspace will comfortably allow the use of 245/40/17.
 
MRGTX said:
4.5” backspace will fit fine in the back, not good for the front. They’ll stick out too far and severely limit the tire diameter/width you can run without rubbing the wheel arches.

5.5” backspace will comfortably allow the use of 245/40/17.
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Thanks! Just for clarity 5.5" backspace is the target for the front wheels?
 
Norm.P said:
Thanks! Just for clarity 5.5" backspace is the target for the front wheels?
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It’s a good benchmark, IMO. It will vary a bit based on the design of the wheel and the dimensions of the tire that you want to run. IIRC, most 17x8 wheels will start to make contact with suspension components with >5.7” backspace or so. Usually a small spacer can solve that though.

Im resisting the urge to toss this question to our resident wheel scientist @72bluNblu because he’s already been unreasonably generous with his time answering my questions. But I will pass along the conclusion that I wish I had accepted MUCH earlier on:

If you can adjust your expectations of aesthetics, (and since you’re looking at 17s you may be there already)the world opens up if you opt for 18” wheels. The extra inch of ID allows much more backspace and therefore much more tire. Also, the range of tire options is much better for 18s than 17s.

If you have your doubts that a “modern” wheel size can look good, you’re not alone. I’m now convinced that whether they look amazing or ridiculous depends entirely on picking the right style. His Demon is (IMO) one of the slickest and most purposeful looking Abodies on the forum with 18” Enkei RPF1 wheels and a surprising amount of rubber stuffed perfectly under the fenders. The RPF1s are a classic go-to track day kind of wheel style that has been around for decades and the style just works (IMO). This will depend entirely on personal taste of course. I’m just encouraging you to keep an open mind.
 
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MRGTX said:
It’s a good benchmark, IMO. It will vary a bit based on the design of the wheel and the dimensions of the tire that you want to run. IIRC, most 17x8 wheels will start to make contact with suspension components with >5.7” backspace or so. Usually a small spacer can solve that though.

Im resisting the urge to toss this question to our resident wheel scientist @72bluNblu because he’s already been unreasonably generous with his time answering my questions. But I will pass along the conclusion that I wish I had accepted MUCH earlier on:

If you can adjust your expectations of aesthetics, (and since you’re looking at 17s you may be there already)the world opens up if you opt for 18” wheels. The extra inch of ID allows much more backspace and therefore much more tire. Also, the range of tire options is much better for 18s than 17s.

If you have your doubts that a “modern” wheel size can look good, you’re not alone. I’m now convinced that whether they look amazing or ridiculous depends entirely on picking the right style. His Demon is (IMO) one of the slickest and most purposeful looking Abodies on the forum with 18” Enkei RPF1 wheels and a surprising amount of rubber stuffed perfectly under the fenders. The RPF1s are a classic go-to track day kind of wheel style that has been around for decades and the style just works (IMO). This will depend entirely on personal taste of course. I’m just encouraging you to keep an open mind.
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That is great information about 18's! I was not aware. Aesthetics are purely subjective and beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I am not opposed to 18's. I just like the look of the 17 inch wheel on my Dart. My inspiration came from a car just like mine I saw on the freeway and when we finally stopped at the off-ramp, I asked the tire size and wheel size. I thought the amount of tire to wheel looked great. I think with 18's, I would be limited to low profile tires. My knowledge is limited as you can tell. I also would like a slight rake to my car without wrenching down on the torsion bars. Maybe a taller tire in the rear?

I'm thankful you're so helpful to me.

Norm
 
Norm.P said:
That is great information about 18's! I was not aware. Aesthetics are purely subjective and beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I am not opposed to 18's. I just like the look of the 17 inch wheel on my Dart. My inspiration came from a car just like mine I saw on the freeway and when we finally stopped at the off-ramp, I asked the tire size and wheel size. I thought the amount of tire to wheel looked great. I think with 18's, I would be limited to low profile tires. My knowledge is limited as you can tell. I also would like a slight rake to my car without wrenching down on the torsion bars. Maybe a taller tire in the rear?

I'm thankful you're so helpful to me.

Norm
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No problem, Norm. I'm just passing on the info that folks on the forum have generously shared with me.

You're right about the low profile tires that go along with 18" wheels. For the fronts, you'll likely want something under 26" tall to avoid contacting the bottom front corner of the wheel arch when putting in a lot of steering input for parking, etc. At a stock ride height, you may be able to get away with something slightly taller but still, that leaves you with 4" or less of sidewall. On the rear, you can pretty easily find something taller but nothing like the sidewall you would have with a 15" wheel. This absolutely results in a harsher ride and a non-period correct look but it does significantly improve steering response and in most conditions, handling/lateral grip too.

Keep in mind that a 1" taller wheel would only lose 1/2" sidewall for the same OD tire.
 
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