Breaking down the winter blues.

Some say, there’s nothing quite like the feeling you get from waking up to endless mounds of fresh white powder that stretch as far as the eye can see. No, not that powder. I’m talking about the other white powder: Snow.

So, with that said, I suppose that I can understand why some people seem to love winter unconditionally. A virgin snowfall is a rather breathtaking sight to behold. Plus, think about all the winter activities! You can ski, snowboard, sled, then come in, and sit in front of the fire with your lover, naked, sipping hot cocoa on a bearskin rug. Sounds pretty awesome, right? Right. Get real. Let’s get one thing straight: Winter sucks. Especially this one in particular. In the northeast, we’ve had frigid temperatures. We’ve dealt with gaping potholes. And we’ve had winter storms roll in nearly every weekend. Whatever happened to having a nice day off?

With winter hanging around my neck like an albatross, I decided that it was time for an emotional tune-up. I needed to boost my optimism and bolster my poor morale. So, I started thinking about what warmer temperatures would bring. Cones. Hot asphalt. Summer tires. Grip. Murica!



Wait. Summer tires you said? Yep. I’m one of those crazy people who have dedicated sets of wheels and tires for different seasons. You should too, if you live somewhere the temperature drops below 35 degrees in the winter on a regular basis.

That being said, my summer tires, which happen to be a full set of Advan Neova AD08Rs, have been lonely this winter, neatly stacked off in a corner of the garage. Now, because I dedicated the OEM 4-spoke GP wheels as my winter wheels, I needed to find a set of wheels for my summer tires to call home. And… since the GP has a 4x100 bolt pattern, which is fairly common, I figured that it should be easy to find a set of wheels, right? That brings us to problem number one: The massive 6-piston front Brembo calipers on the GP.



Problem number two: With the stock wheels measuring in at 7.5” wide, I wanted the summer set to be 7.5” wide or more. And since I autocross, the additional width would come in handy. After all, wider is better. Unfortunately, most 17” 4x100 wheels are only 7” wide, and since narrow wheels should only be reserved for Prius drivers and ice rally racers, 7” simply wasn’t going to cut it for me. I needed some beef.

So, keeping my limitations in mind, the first addition to my summer wheel wishlist was the Neuspeed/NM Engineering RSe05. 17x7.5. +45. 16 lbs. The RSe05 is one of few 7.5" wide or wider options that fits around the massive 6-pot front Brembroz. These wheels are stupid light and reasonably priced, and also available in a decent array of color choices.

However, since everyone that installs aftermarket wheels on a GP seems to install these, I had to change up my game plan. And I do love the RSe05s, but I simply wanted to do something a little different. After all... every R56 GP is the same color, why should they all have the same wheels? So, I did a little digging, and rediscovered an old favorite that I had always wanted to try: The Team Dynamics Pro Race 1.2. I also thought it would be great to go with a set of wheels manufactured in England by a company with some actual racing heritage.



A little backstory first. Once upon a time, several cars ago ( ), I had contemplated purchasing a set of Team Dynamics wheels, and in my search for a reputable vendor, I had discovered a company called Perfect Circle Autosport. Now, there are several US distributors of Team Dynamics Wheels, however, in my experience, nobody knows Team Dynamics quite like these guys do. They are truly on top of their game when it comes to knowing Team Dynamics wheels. They managed to answer any and all questions I could throw at them, and responded in record time, even at 11PM on a Sunday, as I found out.

Amidst my questioning, I was pleased to find out that my timing couldn’t have been any better: There was exactly one set of Pro Race 1.2s in the spec I wanted. No more. No less. 17x8. +38. Anthracite. Needless to say, I couldn’t let this opportunity escape.



Before I spoil you all with gratuitous photos, I would like to thank the guys at Perfect Circle Autosport for their fantastic customer service and willingness to go the extra mile to satisfy an ****-retentive customer. Without further adieu… it’s time to unbox the goods and do a little test fitting.















I still need to order a set of compatible TPMS sensors and get the tires mounted, but I’d say we’re off to a good start for when autocross season starts to heat up in April. For additional photos, please click here.

 

It's been an especially cold and snowy winter.

Enjoy your freedom and get some tires on those new wheels.

Thanks for the pictures, add more when you have everything mounted.

 

Looking good Zach. Wish we had more options for the GP2.

 

You're welcome.

Still hunting for a decent deal on TPMS sensors, and I'm not in a rush yet, but hoping to have them mounted by the end of the month.

Agreed - our options are severely limited. And thanks!

 

This is the wheel I always wanted. Really cool! How much did they cost?

 

Very Nice.

Team Dynamics Wheels here:

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-team-dynamics-parts/v-mini/


TPMS here: Set of four, with valve stems. And free ship. 9/2009+ sensors .

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/36106856227KT/



We also just came out with JCW GP2 ECS SS Exact Fit brake Line Front and Rear ( Just for the GP2 people,) :

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/003659ECSKT/



They almost match the GP2 calipers JCW red hint more bright then Chili red.

thanks and good luck at the Auto X

 

Brrrrrrrrrrrr...another night below 10 deg coming up here, which is a little further north of you...even the Blizzaks are crying "uncle". Your thoughts are "warming" as are mine of an upcoming track event at WGI in May and trying out my new Quaife and sway bars. Hope the track is thawed by then

Very nice wheels. I have been looking for options in wheels, but in a 15" size. These guys seem to have some nice options.

What size tires are you matching up to these wheels? I tried 225-45x17 R888s on 7" wide wheels with 38 ET and I had rubbing on the inside of the wheel well arch with hard cornering. And even with 45 ET wheels they rubbed a little. I had no rubbing with 215-45x17s ZIIs on the same wheels. My suspension isn't as stiff as the GP's, allowing for more body roll and probably allowing the tire to go further up. The TD options for 15" wheels are 7" and 8" wide and a max ET of 35mm on the 8". While the 8" wheels would be nice, but I would think based on my experience that wide tires on that size wheel would not fit in the wheel wells. Oh well.

Let us know how your make out with yours...

 

I got them for $215/ea + S&H.

Appreciate the links! And thanks!

My Neovas are 215/40R17 - I don't think I could go any wider, especially in the rear. The fitment is going to be very tight on the outside of the fender. I might need to roll it.

 

"Appreciate the links! And thanks! "

You are welcome. Spring cant come soon enough.

 

I have your TPMS sensors for $228 delivered. Call me if your interested.

 

Agreed!

Damn, I just snagged a set. Will keep you in mind in the future!

 

Warmer temperatures have finally arrived, although whether they're here to stay for good is still yet to be determined.

Even though the roads are still in sorry shape, I decided it was time to throw on the summer shoes before my winter treads melted into a puddle of rubbery goo.

Timing couldn't be better, the first autocross event is next weekend!

Time for the photo overload:

 

Didn't I see that it was snowing your way not too long ago?

Very Sharp and nice pictures.

How is the fitment from the tires to the front shocks?

Have you come across anything that has compressed the rear suspension far enough to see if the rears touch?

I, too, dumped the snow tires last weekend but that was for a set of All Seasons Still more fun than the snows, plus I don't care about pushing them a little as they are not the best and need to be replaced.

Let us know how the AutoX goes

 

It's been a couple weeks since the last 'dusting' we got, thankfully. Fingers are crossed, though.

In regards to fitment on the front, I've got about 1 finger's worth of clearance. Tight, but definitely manageable. Outside face of the wheel is flush at the top.