911 Dancing Shoes
The Fuchs alloy wheel defined the air-cooled Porsche for more than 20 years
09/23/2018
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The Porsche 911 is a design and performance icon in the automotive world, a sports car that has been refined and improved through numerous generations and 44 years of continual production. For three of its five (and counting) decades, various iterations of the 911 ran on stylish and strong Fuchs (pronounced "fooks") aluminum alloy wheels, and for that car, no wheel design has been more timeless.
The German alloy component extrusion specialists, Otto Fuchs KG, have been longtime suppliers to the automotive industry, and today the company makes wheels for Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and others. Fuchs began providing Porsche with the first mass-produced forged aluminum wheels in 1964. The design that debuted on the 1967 911 S is the subject of this profile; commonly known today by the name of its manufacturer, the first Fuchs wheel of this five-spoke design was also called the daisy-spoke or "S" wheel. This alloy wheel was identical in size (4.5 x 15 inches) and offset to the stock steel wheel, mounting the same 165HR15 tires, although it was a considerable 5.1 pounds lighter, a boon to reducing the car's unsprung weight.
The Fuchs wheel was made of aluminum alloy and was forged, which differs from the more common casting technique, to combine ultra-high strength with low weight and durability. Instead of pouring the metal mixture into a mold, workers at Fuchs formed it in presses that exerted between 100 and 30,000 tons of force. The finished wheels were then smoothed, polished, anodized for durability, and painted with a mask that allowed semi-gloss black paint to cover the small area between the lug holes and cooling slots, with bright aluminum alloy lug nuts as lightweight accents.
In 1968, the Fuchs wheel width was upsized to 5.5 inches to fit 185/70VR-15 tires, and the black paint masking was altered to cover most of the wheel, leaving just the hub cover, outer spokes and rim in their natural aluminum color; the lug nuts were finished in black to blend in. Rarely seen today, but also available, was a 14-inch version of the Fuchs alloy designed to mount more compliant high-profile tires. The black and silver Fuchs color scheme was available through the mid-1970s on most 911 variants.
The 1973 Carrera RS introduced a new Fuchs wheel paint scheme, with the rim remaining anodized and the wheel center painted in a baked-on, durable colored enamel that matched the stripe; body color wheel centers were also available. The 911 Turbo that debuted in 1974 continued this tradition with semi-gloss black wheel centers and anodized silver rims in staggered widths. Staggered sizing and the black/aluminum color scheme quickly became popular, and these wheels remained available on the 911 through 1989's limited-production Speedster, by which time 16-inch-diameter Fuchs were used.
The forged wheels' benefits of light weight in ever-increasing widths assured their success, with our featured Fuchs wheels ranging in weight from 11.5 to 19 pounds per wheel, depending on the size. While steamroller-like 9 and 11-inch widths were used on Porsche race cars, roadgoing 911s used forged Fuchs in 15-inch diameter with widths that ranged from 4.5 inches to 5.5, 6, 7 and 8 inches, and in 16-inch-diameters with 6, 7 and 8-inch widths. Some four-cylinder 944s were also fitted with 911-style Fuchs in the 1980s.
Genuine forged Fuchs alloys can still be purchased from Porsche, and less-expensive cast replicas are available from a number of sources in many finishes. Their classic design and multitude of sizing options has made them popular aftermarket fitments on other classic Porsches and on air-cooled Volkswagens Beetles and Type 3s as well.
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Rather than a lightweight sports car, the Aston Martin V8 is better considered a GT car, which seems to have a lot in common with American muscle cars. Even with aluminum body panels, the rather substantial Aston had a curb weight just a hair over 4,000 pounds, making it several hundred pounds heavier than a 1969 Dodge Charger R/T. It’s worth noting that despite being measurably smaller than the Charger, both cars share very similar proportions, with their long hoods, fastback rooflines, and short rear decks. An even closer comparison comes in the form of a ‘67 Ford Mustang, again with similar proportions but also the Aston having a wheelbase and overall length, width, and height very close to the American pony car.
The 1978 Aston Martin V8 is frequently referred to as a Series 3 since it was derived from the DBS, a model that launched in 1967 with an inline-six engine that was followed by the DBS V8, with a fuel-injected V8 engine. Both versions of the DBS were sold alongside each other into 1972, when, during the model year, the simply named V8 model supplanted both. With an updated front end that included a grille shape more reminiscent of Aston Martins past and a pair of headlamps rather than four, these interims V8s were considered Series 2 cars.
In 1973, Aston Martin dumped what had turned out to be a problematic mechanical fuel-injection system, instead opting for four Weber carburetors for its 5.3-liter V8. Multiple carburetion gives it good company with the likes of a Mopar 440 Six-Pack or Pontiac Tri-Power. That carburetor setup required additional hood clearance that resulted in the large scoop worn by such cars, though it was non-functional in terms of letting in any additional air to the intake.
The rest of the engine department takes a big departure from the standard American iron-block, overhead-valve setup. Aston Martin’s V8 featured all-aluminum construction and dual overhead camshafts on each cylinder head, driven by dual chains. Yes, it had hemispherical combustion chambers, even with just two valves per cylinder. Engineers specced a forged crankshaft and forged chrome-moly connecting rods.
Output for 1978 was estimated at 310 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque—pretty substantial numbers for a car built during the oil crisis era and before engineers had leveraged electronic fuel injection to win the battle against emissions regulations. In accordance with its muscle car vibe, most AM V8s of the period were equipped with a TorqueFlite three-speed automatic, complete with Mopar factory ratios of 2.45:1, 1:45:1 and 1:1, along with a limited-slip rear differential. A 3.31 final-drive ratio was standard, with 3.54:1 optional. A five-speed manual was available.
Distinctions from Detroit grow once you step inside an Aston Martin V8, which was essentially a handmade car, with very low production numbers. Each of the four seats was covered in leather, a material that extended to the door trim, steering wheel, shift knob and even the center console surround. Carpets were wool. Given its high price and object of luxury aspirations, each car was also packed with plenty of sound insulation to isolate occupants from road noise. Power assistance for the brakes and steering was standard, as were air conditioning, power windows and power locks.
With a 0-60 mph time of “about six seconds,” according to Aston Martin literature of the time, along with a top speed over 150 mph, the AM V8 was in nearly a class by itself. Torque wasn't quite like that of an unrestrained big block American V8 from the peak muscle car era, but the Aston Martin’s V8 engine still delivered power with a swift rush towards a redline over 5,000 rpm, though no such actual red line is indicated on the tach. Suspension included unequal-length control arms up front with an anti-roll bar and De Dion rear axle with parallel trailing arms and watt linkage in the rear. Coil spring were at all four wheels, as were disc brakes, with the rear disc inboard. Not designed to tackle a tight road course, the AM V8 was still noted as a competent high-speed handler.
This 1978 Aston Martin V8 Series 3 features a silver metallic body with a red leather interior. The selling dealer indicates that it was purchased from the second owner who it is believed purchased it from the original owner as he aged out of driving in his 90s. The car appears to have been very well maintained, with the seller sharing that the engine, transmission, paint, body and interior are all “highly original.”
Other information to note on this AMV8 are a slew of services performed last fall, including a “full tune-up,” rebuilt carburetors, new spark plugs and filters, new battery and an alternator rebuild. Everything is asserted to be functioning properly with the car seemingly ready to drive anywhere.
As one of less than 1,000 Series 3 examples made, this 1978 Aston Martin V8 coupe offers a uniquely British take on big V8 performance in a midsize car—a muscle car, but with a different accent.
Head on over to Hemmings Auctions and take a closer look for yourself.
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