Where are all the modern wheels and tires?

[wagonmaster]

I am building some pro-touring cars and wonder where the modern wheels and tires. BFG Comp T/As, michilin pilots, nitto 555s, Goodyear Eagle F-1s. tires in a 17-20" modern wheels in the same size. Formula 43s, Bonspeed, Forgeline, Etc.

Anyone know if there is any company or aftermarket making any of these?

Tim

[Exotics_Builder]

The majority of these will require you to go the Japanese model manufacturers and aftermarket. Some options are:

1. Revell California Wheels kits with the larger wheels and tires. Tread patterns are limited and no sidewall detail.
2. Aoshima and Fujimi do wheel sets that include wheel and tire. They do offer 17"-20" sets. Many are out of production but are reissued from time to time. Not many are big-littles, mostly same size front and rears. You need to watch for these as reissues sell out fast. Hobbysearch Japan is a good place to watch for these.
3. Tuner Model Manufactory offers modular style wheels and sleeves but no tires. Setts are limited and pricey. With the sleeves you can apply to different tire sizes but you must have the tires. Hobbylink Japan carries these. I haven't seen a US seller offer these yet.
4. Hobby Design offers wheels and various tires. Their older sets were a bit crude, but they have upped their game in the lst year and a half and quality is up. Many are same size front/rear, so you'll have to research. Again, Hobbylink Japan is a good source.
5. A+ Club offers resin wheels but no tires. Mediamix Hobbies from Singapore is a good place to check for these.
6. Scale Productions (Germany) offers sets of wheels and tires, but many oriented to foreign cars. He does sell a 19" and 22" sets of Foose Nitros with tires.
7. Pegasus Hobby sells tire and wheel sets. Tires are limited in sizes and tread patterns. Wheels are 19" or 23". They also sell sleeves that can be used to widen a existing wheel set. You'll have to fit them. Tires are included with the sleeves but tend to be narrow wall.
8. Detail Master used to sell PE wheel sets, including wire wheels, but not larger diameter. Also, it seems they are selling out what they have and I am not sure if they will be doing any more.
9. There was a company called FG models (out of China) that did some interesting wheels, including some HRE's. But they seem to have dropped off the face of the earth.
10. There is a new company Factory 81 offering wheel/tire sets, but I haven't seen good photos yet or have a sense of quality.
11. There are some posters on this forum, such as Lownslow, that are doing wheel and I think tire sets. Scan the forums to find them.

I'm sure I've missed a few, but what I listed was what I covered in a modern wheel seminar at C.A.R.S. in Minature club meeting a few months back.

On any of these. You may need to do work to adapt them to you hubs. FOr example, Hobby Design wheels are geared to the Fujimi/Aoshima Hub design. Revell Calfornia Wheels aer geared to Revell hubs.

Keep in mind that you may also need to consider upgrading your brake package to look right under any of these wheels.

HTH

Gerry