4 x 98 to 5 x 108 hubs
Hi, I looked into this a lot and can share what I found out:
a hub adaptor is not a good idea because - it changes the track width and in the case of 4 to 5 stud it is a substantial distance. Changing from 4 to 5 is not a case of redrilling or shifting the stud/hole positions unless the PCD is the same and you keep one of the original studs (e.g. 4x108 to 5x108). The geometry doesn't work! try it on a piece of paper - the holes have to cross over. Therefore the adaptor needs to be very thick with bolts going into the original hub then a gap strong enough to be the new hub, then the new bolts going out to the wheels. This means lots of unsprung weight, track change, offset change, extra stress on the wheel bearings. Check out the adaptors on those MR2 to Ferrari 360 replicas! They are so dangerous they're actually illegal here in NZ.
Other options:
the Alfa 166 has 5x108 hubs and the same centre bore - maybe they can be adapted? Volvo & series 3 Mondeo have 5 x 108 but a different centre bore.
the Stratos forum cater to lots of replicas which use Fiat / Lancia / Alfa hubs, uprights, Gerry Hawkridge (Hawk carrs) et al have kits, including whole new hubs (they often use Fiat / Lada front uprights) but usually to go to 5 x 98. They sometimes fit Lancia Integrale hubs too.
look on the Fiat Dino Yahoo group or search Ebay for Fiat Dino hubs which are 5 x 108 and used exactly these wheels. The uprights are pretty much Fiat 124/5/1500 too so should bolt straight on. Fiat 2300 are OK too - I know a guy here with them on his Stratos.
Use a deep dish steel wheel to suit your hub and put a Dino wheel-shaped fibreglass "hubcap" in them.
Finally go to Superformance (UK Dino parts Co.) - they stock sets of repro Dino wheels in 14" & 16" - maybe as they are current they could specially order ones with a different PCD. They're 700GBP a set!
hope you get a solution - I've got a set of original Cromodora Dino wheels I'd like to fit to my project - using Mazda MX5 suspension. I'm leaning towards trying Alfa 166 but the fronts are easier than the backs where you have to think of axles / splines too!
Cheers
Ross in NZ
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