Hi Eric - many thanks for the information!
Firstly your problem. I thin the biggest you want to go in terms of diameter is the original wheel size which was 675mm on the Fez.
Your new wheels and tyres come in at a massive 737.3mm!!
The big problem you have is you've reduced you offset to start with at 35ET. Seem to me anything above 7" wheel width won't be able to sit on the arch unless you manage to get some big offset like 60ET or something!
IF You could your same wheels in 7j with the 35ET they would sit 12.7mm further into the arch. If you combined them with 185/65 tyres then the top of the tyre then the actual tread part of the tyre would actually be a further 6mm ish un from the wheel edge (as you basically stretch fitted). *EDIT* Not usre about the legalities or safety etc. but could you get 10 mm machined off the inside of the ally wheel hub mating face to change them to ET45 assuming there's enough meat to do it?
So in total you'd gain about 18.7mm back from you current wheel face at the edge of the tyres circumference - so you may be able to get it to sit under?
The tyres diameter would be 672.3mm so almost bang on for original.
Go here and have a play with the size and offsets and you can also see the cross section of the wheel and how the tread will either stick out from face of wheel or sit in. Very useful
http://www.willtheyfit.com/index.php...et2=35#content
For me, I cannot get better than ET45 in 5x120 at 18" in the wheels I like plus the smallest width they do is 8.5j which would be impossible to get to sit under the arches. I've been burning the midnight oil trying all sorts of combinations but it's simply not possible for me with the sizes that are available. I always envisenged the car as a resto mod on big rims sat down and it's clear this not achievable without some major body work or fitment of after market arches so I think I'm basically out of the 250 build race
