1985 280te I really want to get these chrome 15 hole replicas off my car (mostly because they are chrome and just do not look right) I would like to stay with orig. appearance but do not want the so so performance of 14" wheels. As I understand it; they do not make a 15" hub cap steel wheel combo for that vintage a and the 15" bundts are needle in the haystack rare. I also like the pentas and the bbs rs but same story there. I could probably deal with really nice, painted 15 holes but those are hard to find in great cond. Should I just buy some new painted replicas from performance products or.....am I wrong about the 14's and should buy a set of bundts with some 205 70 14 tires?

I thought the ambulances and herses and limos came with 15 in steelies. maybe you can find some of those. I have 14in blunts on my car I had a spare set also until last week when holigans broke into my pickup camper and stole them along with all my tools.

I think finding the 15" steelies and matching wheel covers would be about impossible. I have looked and never found a source. YOu used to be able to get steelies for snow tires but they seem to be unobtainable now.

Tom W

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

should I just go for the 14" bundts with 205 70 14's? Performance Products has the replicas for about $100 ea. is there a good reason to stay away from the replicas? will I notice any real diff. from the 15's i have on now?
Thanks

I don't know about replicas but there won't be a noticalbe difference between the driving charactreistics of the 14 vs 15" wheels, IMHO.

The 205 70s will increase your overall diameter of your tire, making your speedo read pessimistic, and raising your center of gravity. 205/60 will be about the right diameter, I think.

Tom W

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Regarding the bundts... has anyone seen this listing? I don't know if he still has them, though.
15" bundt wheels for sale

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1981 300SD - Sunburn Gold, 200ish k.
1984 300D Turbo "The Green Lantern" - Mango Green (DD) - 183k with no more fingers to count on
1979 300SD "The Whale" - Black (Back-up mega-sled, soon to be for sale!) - 160k and no longer keeping track...
Confucius say: Man who run behind car get exhausted, man who run in front of car get tired.

get some 15" wheels from an early C-Class. sure you would have to run spacers but the look fits well with the W123



from this



to this!

I have five 16" painted eight-holers from a 500E (124 chassis) and I may be able to part with four 15" fifteen-holers, also from a 124.

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W108M117(1972) repaired after deer hit
W124M103(1987)
W124M103(1989) -- sold to son's friend
W124M119(1993) --
W124M103(1987 -- 5 speed Euro) - sold to forum member
W124M103(1989) -- TE
W123OM616(1977)
W201M103(1990) parts car

The trouble is the 124's wheels have considerably wrong offset, ET49 vs ET23 so they absolutely will not fit and I don't recommend using spacers. That can lead to a nightmare, some tire shops refuse to work on a car with spacers, its got that bad.
The 500E used what, a 8.5 in wide tire? that will bring increased rolling resistance, but a 123 will look like it has a big V8 in it

I disagree with what someone said that you won't notice the difference going from 15 in down to 14 inwheels. You will notice a drop in handling if you are at all an agressive driver. I have the flat face 15 hole wheels on both of my 123TD's. The number of performance tires available in 15 in sizes are a lot better than what they sell in 14 in sizes nowdays.
Unfortunately most of the flat face 15 in wheels were chromed by the dealerships so when they start peeling the cost to rechrome them is formidable. You can almost buy a new wheel for the cost of rechroming one of the old ones at least using Crapifornia prices. The Calif Air Quality Board has run most of the plating shops out of the bay area and the ones in the valley know what they can get for their services. That said, I would almost rather rechrome a OE wheel than use an aftermarket one.

DDH

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'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting!