SP 12 Wheels feedback please.
Discussion
I meant to order mine today as have decided to take the plunge, spoke to Matt at SP on Tuesday but have been umming and ahing about colour. As it stands tonight (although may still change), I am going for Satin Black which sadly means about 4 week turnaround compared to the silvers which are stock 
Will get them ordered tomorrow and will report back in about 4 weeks - although am sure you will have other answers by then.
Will get them ordered tomorrow and will report back in about 4 weeks - although am sure you will have other answers by then.
Edited by Touching Cloth on Thursday 15th February 21:13
I'm happy to be flamed for being partisan now as I've an interest in SP however it was the SP12 wheel project that was the catalyst for my later involvement. I fitted SP12s to both my Cerberas before I "lost my independence".
FWIW, this is how it happened. IMHO, the best stock wheel/tyre combo on the Cerbera is the 17" RL7, OE on the 4.5. The lower profile tyre on the 4.5 makes it noticeably sharper on turn in than the 16" set up without upsetting ride quality (Cerberas are relatively softly sprung, which helps). My quest began when I got the Boss Cerbera on OE 18" spiders. I knew all about the spiders' propensity to buckle at the whiff of a pothole from owning a Tuscan and despite my best efforts to avoid poor road surfaces, within 9 months I'd buckled 3 of my spiders on the Boss. What was also very apparent was how "lumpen" the steering felt on the Boss compared to my old 4.5 and it felt like it tripped over itself when turning in. On track (or driven "hastily" in the city of roundabouts) the front tyres were riding on their sidewalls which generated hopeless understeer. In short, the Boss' handling was woeful compared to the 4.5. All things considered, a bit of a disappointment for my "best" TVR.
I didn't want to go down to RL7s on the Boss but I needed to find an alternative to spiders so I asked Matt at SP for some advice because I knew he'd worked in the wheel industry. I was after some trick forged rims, ideally a bit wider at the back. We identified some wheels in Japan that were about £500 a corner and I was all set to order them when Matt told me about his "wheel project" just before Christmas 2005. He loaned me a pair of technically correct (weight, offset, heat treated etc.) development rims to try on the front of the Boss. Before I'd left Silverstone I could feel the difference. I ended up hanging on to them for a month because the car was so much nicer to drive. I pre-ordered a set of SP12s for the Boss.
I ended up with a second set by chance. When my "Boss wheels" arrived, the Boss was being serviced so we bolted them on the 4.5 for some photos. I'd been pretty adamant I wasn't going to replace my RL7s because there's nothing wrong with them and I expected ride quality to suffer with 18s. Matt's view was that the sidewall compiance of Toyo T-1Rs would take care of that. He was right. If anything, the 4.5's turn-in was improved and the "upgrade" to 265s on the rear meant there was a tad more grip for the back of the car to keep up with where I pointed the front. "Cunning b*st*rd" I thought... he'd just sold me a second set of wheels and tyres. He justified it to me (!) on the basis I'd been planning to buy the forged rims and that "two sets of SP12s has still saved you money". The Toyo T-1R recommendation was a good one too - I'd always assumed they were too cheap to be any good and wanted some P-Zero Neros. Another "saving".
Between the two Cerberas I've done about 9,000 miles on the SP12s, around Europe and ten track days. I've been up to my favourite kerb-jumping shenanigans on circuits and caught some nasty potholes on tunnel runs in London and none of them have buckled.
I know there's a trend for dark wheels but I like shiny ones and the stock Racing Silver (a sort of chrome paint over a high gloss black base) make the wheels look like they are made of a polished alloy - in Monaco an American asked if they were made of titanium! For wheels which - IMHO - look like an OE fitment I've been surprised how many people comment on them.
Although the SP12s use an existing 12 spoke tool for their "style", they have a unique SP specification for TVRs. On Cerbera-onward TVRs, an 8" wide front and 9" wide rear with appropriate tyre widths is what TVR *should* have done anyway (saving money on wheel tools was why they didn't). The compromise of putting an 8.5" wheel all round with different size tyres on each axle is not something any major manufacturer would ever do. The extra "dish" in the SP12 rear wheel centres compared to the SP12 fronts gives the car a more aggressive stance - look at BMW's M-Power cars, Porsches and Ferraris to see the same effect.
BTW - the photos of Nickccc's black wheels in the linked thread don't do his rims justice. There's a purply-blue fleck in his special order paint that looks amazing in sunlight or when headlights fall on them.
FWIW, this is how it happened. IMHO, the best stock wheel/tyre combo on the Cerbera is the 17" RL7, OE on the 4.5. The lower profile tyre on the 4.5 makes it noticeably sharper on turn in than the 16" set up without upsetting ride quality (Cerberas are relatively softly sprung, which helps). My quest began when I got the Boss Cerbera on OE 18" spiders. I knew all about the spiders' propensity to buckle at the whiff of a pothole from owning a Tuscan and despite my best efforts to avoid poor road surfaces, within 9 months I'd buckled 3 of my spiders on the Boss. What was also very apparent was how "lumpen" the steering felt on the Boss compared to my old 4.5 and it felt like it tripped over itself when turning in. On track (or driven "hastily" in the city of roundabouts) the front tyres were riding on their sidewalls which generated hopeless understeer. In short, the Boss' handling was woeful compared to the 4.5. All things considered, a bit of a disappointment for my "best" TVR.
I didn't want to go down to RL7s on the Boss but I needed to find an alternative to spiders so I asked Matt at SP for some advice because I knew he'd worked in the wheel industry. I was after some trick forged rims, ideally a bit wider at the back. We identified some wheels in Japan that were about £500 a corner and I was all set to order them when Matt told me about his "wheel project" just before Christmas 2005. He loaned me a pair of technically correct (weight, offset, heat treated etc.) development rims to try on the front of the Boss. Before I'd left Silverstone I could feel the difference. I ended up hanging on to them for a month because the car was so much nicer to drive. I pre-ordered a set of SP12s for the Boss.
I ended up with a second set by chance. When my "Boss wheels" arrived, the Boss was being serviced so we bolted them on the 4.5 for some photos. I'd been pretty adamant I wasn't going to replace my RL7s because there's nothing wrong with them and I expected ride quality to suffer with 18s. Matt's view was that the sidewall compiance of Toyo T-1Rs would take care of that. He was right. If anything, the 4.5's turn-in was improved and the "upgrade" to 265s on the rear meant there was a tad more grip for the back of the car to keep up with where I pointed the front. "Cunning b*st*rd" I thought... he'd just sold me a second set of wheels and tyres. He justified it to me (!) on the basis I'd been planning to buy the forged rims and that "two sets of SP12s has still saved you money". The Toyo T-1R recommendation was a good one too - I'd always assumed they were too cheap to be any good and wanted some P-Zero Neros. Another "saving".
Between the two Cerberas I've done about 9,000 miles on the SP12s, around Europe and ten track days. I've been up to my favourite kerb-jumping shenanigans on circuits and caught some nasty potholes on tunnel runs in London and none of them have buckled.
I know there's a trend for dark wheels but I like shiny ones and the stock Racing Silver (a sort of chrome paint over a high gloss black base) make the wheels look like they are made of a polished alloy - in Monaco an American asked if they were made of titanium! For wheels which - IMHO - look like an OE fitment I've been surprised how many people comment on them.
Although the SP12s use an existing 12 spoke tool for their "style", they have a unique SP specification for TVRs. On Cerbera-onward TVRs, an 8" wide front and 9" wide rear with appropriate tyre widths is what TVR *should* have done anyway (saving money on wheel tools was why they didn't). The compromise of putting an 8.5" wheel all round with different size tyres on each axle is not something any major manufacturer would ever do. The extra "dish" in the SP12 rear wheel centres compared to the SP12 fronts gives the car a more aggressive stance - look at BMW's M-Power cars, Porsches and Ferraris to see the same effect.
BTW - the photos of Nickccc's black wheels in the linked thread don't do his rims justice. There's a purply-blue fleck in his special order paint that looks amazing in sunlight or when headlights fall on them.
BossCerbera said:
I know there's a trend for dark wheels but I like shiny ones and the stock Racing Silver (a sort of chrome paint over a high gloss black base) make the wheels look like they are made of a polished alloy - in Monaco an American asked if they were made of titanium! For wheels which - IMHO - look like an OE fitment I've been surprised how many people comment on them.
LALALALA , I AM NOT LISTENING TO PHIL.
No really I have decided on dark wheels, I am NOT going to change my mind again... LALALALALA <inserts fingers in ears>
Touching Cloth said:
I meant to order mine today as have decided to take the plunge, spoke to Matt at SP on Tuesday but have been umming and ahing about colour. As it stands tonight (although may still change), I am going for Satin Black which sadly means about 4 week turnaround compared to the silvers which are stock
Will get them ordered tomorrow and will report back in about 4 weeks - although am sure you will have other answers by then.
Will get them ordered tomorrow and will report back in about 4 weeks - although am sure you will have other answers by then.
Edited by Touching Cloth on Thursday 15th February 21:13
Do they do bling shiny chrome?
If so I may also take the plunge!!!
MB
£1375 with 255s on the rear
£1400 with 265s on the rear
That's with T1-Rs but Goodyear GS-D3s can be had for the same price at the moment.
255s will fit without any problems. 265s *might* need a little shaving on the inside of the wheel arch. I say *might* because I had to grind a few thou off the inside of the OSR wheelarch on my 4.5. They went straight on the Boss and AFAIK quite a few other Cerberas. Matt would do this when fitting if necessary (a light grind and then make good with black paint). "Hand made car, sir..."
If you want to buy your own tyres direct online and have them delivered to SP that's fine too. Something to consider is that not all 255s or 265s are the same physical width. P Zeros for instance are quite a bit fatter than an equivalent Toyo. Have a word with Matt first.
£1400 with 265s on the rear
That's with T1-Rs but Goodyear GS-D3s can be had for the same price at the moment.
255s will fit without any problems. 265s *might* need a little shaving on the inside of the wheel arch. I say *might* because I had to grind a few thou off the inside of the OSR wheelarch on my 4.5. They went straight on the Boss and AFAIK quite a few other Cerberas. Matt would do this when fitting if necessary (a light grind and then make good with black paint). "Hand made car, sir..."
If you want to buy your own tyres direct online and have them delivered to SP that's fine too. Something to consider is that not all 255s or 265s are the same physical width. P Zeros for instance are quite a bit fatter than an equivalent Toyo. Have a word with Matt first.
Just finally ordered mine after changing my mind on the colour twice again today; this morning it was just going to be safe with silver, then anthracite and now back to black... cor my head hurts with the all decision making.
Do they do bling shiny chrome?
If so I may also take the plunge!!!
MB
Shiniest I think they do will I think be the "Racing Silver" but they are plenty bling enough IMO and look pretty shiny when clean.
marcus1970 said:
Do they do bling shiny chrome?
If so I may also take the plunge!!!
MB
Shiniest I think they do will I think be the "Racing Silver" but they are plenty bling enough IMO and look pretty shiny when clean.
In black they look very similar to these:
ETA: a video clip: www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFrMI3gc6x4
ETA: a video clip: www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFrMI3gc6x4
Edited by BossCerbera on Friday 16th February 17:55
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