5.5j wheels wanted
 

Hi i am looking for a set of 4, 5.5 inch wide wheels for the early amazon stud pattern will consider anything but orgainal steel prefered. Thanks alot, Alex.

I have two sets of estate steels available with the 4.5 PCD. Is that what you are after?

Unfortunately estate wheels are 4.5J, not 5.5J

Oh ok. What model did 5.5J's come on? Do early amazons have a different PCD?

Q - early Amazons had different styled wheels without the ventilation holes, and which took larger hubcaps. Not sure if the estate wheels in that pattern were wider though. Regarding the later, ventilated wheels, saloons were 4J, and estates (& iirc also 123GTs) are 4.5J. The PCD for all Amazons is 5x4.5".

The genuine Volvo 5.5J wheels are in high demand especially in Germany, due to them being a genuine Volvo optional extra, and thus not considered a modification by the TUV.

does anyone have a picture of them and what is the offset?

The unoriginal 5.5" steel wheels are NOT approved by Volvo - they are specifically mentioned in a statement from Volvo - which is also why they are NOT TÜV approved. It's the most tuff Volvo myth to get rid off..

Volvo did NOT approve those 5.5" wheels because they widen the wheel-track to much and engineers at Volvo couldn't aprove it.
One can of course discuss if it really matters, many Amazon owners have driven with 5.5" for years with no problems at all - but fact is, that Volvo specifically mentioned these wheels and did NOT aprove them. (Which is why they are not approved in EU MOT's - that is, if the MOT guy knows this).

Amazon Sedans (ALL sedans - also the GT) where equipped with 4.0" wheels. 123GT's NEVER came with anything other than standard 4" wheels - another GT myth hard to get rid off..

Amazon Estate's and the 1800 series, with 4.5".

That accounts for both early (1956-64) and late (1965-70) type of wheel.
Amazon Estate's and 1800 do NOT share exact same wheel though, since the Estate's are of heavier grade (it's fairly easy to feel the difference in weight when compared).

I stand corrected. However are you sure that the 5.5J wheels aren't TUV approved? Virtually every German Amazon that I have seen pics of seems to have wider steels, and is also on their 'H' plates, which denote that it is (supposedly...) unmodified. Or is this just a case of the TUV testers not knowing? Also, there appear to be quite a few 5.5J wheels out there which are not banded (or claimed not banded). What are their origins?

Estate & 1800 wheels are indeed not the same - according to an 1800 guru, the contour of the wheel rim sections are also slightly different, something to do with an extra ridge for holding wheel trim rings?

PS - how much are the chrome seat recliner brackets on your website?

Interesting this. My car came with four wheels.....obviously... But I noticed that 2 of them had a band on the inside edge, the other 2 didnt. When I got a nice set of stainless wheel trims I noticed that they had a nice tight fit on the wheel with the band and tended to slip off the other two. Not a problem as the guy I bought the car off also gave me an extra set of four wheels with knobbly tyres, and he said they apparently did a rally in South America on some car....who knows, but a good story nonetheless. These four wheels all have the band and are labelled as 4.5". I thought these were standard saloon wheels, now it looks like I have a set of estate wheels. Is this right? They are very soon to get resprayed and a nice set of Vrdestein classic sprints put on. I plan to use this set from now on.

Here they are ready to go off to be sprayed:

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z...0481Medium.jpg

Well - later in production (I believe arround 1968) the standard steel wheels where altered a tiny bit - a safety feature - the band on the inside is exactly a safety thing - it helps a flat tire stay on the rim/wheel instead of rolling off.

In historic rally nowadays, the 4.5" wagon/estate wheels are very sort after, because they are the 0.5" wider AND of much heavier quality ( = stronger and do not wobble as much). In historic rally the 5.5" unoriginal wheels are NOT allowed, but standard OEM wheels are - therefore. (That might be the origin of the rally history you got?)

If they are 4.5" - you have either estate or 1800 series wheels - partnumber (stamped on the outside of the hub/center of the wheel) is 670451 for the estate wheels - 668280 for the 1800 series wheels.