If you are thinking about new mirrors check out the VW LT
ones David has on his Double Cab:

http://www.fastforward.ca/vehicles/200209.jpg

I picked up a pair myself off of eBay.de I can't wait to put
them on!

Thanks,
Chris

---- Original message ----
>Date: Wed, 6 Nov 2002 14:13:33 -0700
>From: Adrian Bertarelli <adrian.bertarelli@ATTBI.COM>
>Subject: Re: Wheel Help please
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>
>This list is an incredible place for knowledge.  I have been
into vw
>vans for years and it is awesome to have a place to turn
when you get
>stuck.  My recent inquiry about wheels has had some good and
not so good
>feedback.  I would like to explain my situation a little so
that people
>don't think I am going into this blind.  I share the same
passion for
>busses that all on this list do.  I actually believed at one
point that
>I could use my vw's as daily drivers and I had 2 parts vans
and 3
>driving vans(various years) in my collection(neighbors hated
me).  My
>girlfriend and I both used vans as our main mode of
transportation.  I
>quickly found myself working on the driving vans almost
everyday after
>work and on the weekends.  We are volks people and we accept
this as our
>love and passion, but it quickly turned into a mess and I
just couldn't
>take it any more.  My syncro tranny finally went and this
was the straw
>that broke the camels back.  I gave away most of the heard
(keeping my
>syncro westy) and bought a brand new ford truck with a
warranty(no more
>wrenching).  I just couldn't justify the expense and the
time I was
>putting in to keeping the vans running.  I kept my syncro
because it was
>my dream car.  Call me crazy but I have always loved busses
and I used
>to find it relaxing to work on them.  SO with this in mind I
packed up
>the syncro and all the parts I have collected and garaged it
till I had
>the time to properly deal with it and get it inn the shape I
want it to
>be in.  The van sat for 4 years.  After contemplating
parting it out or
>selling it I decided to start the project. Since it is not a
daily
>driven car I have the opportunity to get the car in the
condition I had
>always dreamt it to be in. Over the years I had collected
many parts
>including OME shocks a fast forward lift kit, and many
others.  I
>tackled the first phase which was to rebuild the transaxle
and drive
>shaft and get her on the road.  I must say it is awesome to
drive it
>again I missed being a vw bus driver.  Now I want to get on
with the
>second phase install the lift kit new shocks and wheels and
tires.  I
>decided to go with either 15 or 16 inch wheels over the
stock, you just
>get a better selection of tires and it is a better look.  I
decided on
>the 16 inch tires because their was a 16 inch version of the
van made.
>I like the 15 inch SA alloys they are sharp but I have
decided to go
>with the 16 inch wheels.  I realize that I may have
technical issues to
>overcome but again this is not a daily driver.  Since I
already have a
>bunch of the suspension parts to do this job I have been
waiting for the
>tires I have on the van to wear down so I can take the
plunge and do
>this job the way I want to.  After this is done then I can
move on two
>some cosmetic changes like big bumpers, different mirrors,
and then
>eventually to an engine conversion.  This is probably a
familiar scene
>with my van dreams of what it could be and not what it is,
but I have
>the opportunity to take my time, do it slowly, and get it
the way I
>wanted it to be in the first place.  It will be an ongoing
project for
>years and eventually I might get sick of dumping money into
it, but for
>now I will tackle the project one step at a time, and now is
the time
>for wheels.  Sorry for the banter just wanted to get the
point across
>that I am not flying into this blind.
>Adrian
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: BenTbtstr8@aol.com [mailto:BenTbtstr8@aol.com]
>Sent: Wednesday, November 06, 2002 11:39 AM
>To: adrian.bertarelli@ATTBI.COM; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: Wheel Help please
>
>Adrian,
>
>Take care that you have enough clearance for 16" wheels. You
are looking
>to
>add 2 inches of wheel diameter. That is a big jump for most
people and
>most
>Syncros.
>
>You will have to go to a tire with a lowered aspect ratio if
you want to
>
>clear a stock unaltered Syncro suspension. That means less
rubber
>between
>your Syncro and the road (or trail). Likelihood of rim
damage is
>greater. If
>you manage to install taller tires to overcome this, you
will need more
>horsepower to turn them or change your gearing to compensate
for change
>in
>ratios caused by the taller tire and wheel combo.
>
>Don't forget that you may also need to cut some of your
fenders out if
>you go
>to really tall rubber. I have a stock 16" Syncro with the
exact wheels
>that
>you are considering. The wheel wells are cut and provided
with urethane
>flares by the factory so that the bigger wheels can be
accommodated. The
>one
>part most people neglect to consider is front fender. When
you turn the
>wheels, the outer edges on the big wheels will make contact
on the rear
>edge
>of the fenderwell.
>
>Width is critical in taller wheel applications too. Just
because the
>wheel
>and tire combo can fit inside your wheel wells while the
wheels are
>pointing
>straight ahead doesn't mean you are in business. The wider
the wheels,
>the
>more likely you will run into the front fender problem
discussed in the
>previous paragraph. Then there's the sliding door clearance
problem. Too
>too
>many to discuss in one email.
>
>Therein lies the rub (pardon the pun). The VW factory 16"
steel wheels
>are
>too narrow for most folks. They are only 5.5 inches wide.
Too tall to
>fit in
>stock fenderwells with anything taller than a 50 series
tire. Plus you
>will
>probably have to grind away some of the material at the seam
of your
>rear
>trailing arm. Too much for too little in my opinion.
>
>The Mercedes steel wheels usually have a different offset. I
have some
>of
>these on one of my Vanagons now. Too big an ET number will
narrow your
>track
>to the point that the van will feel tippy compared to
before. Many are
>not
>rated for the weight of a fully laden Westy.
>
>Anyway, I am rambling now. I believe 16 inch wheels are a
more for show
>than
>go in a regular Syncro. You are better off going with 15"
wheels with
>taller
>tires. Tires cost less and are more available. Rims cost
less and are
>more
>available. Heck you can go nuts over them and install 235
tires like
>some
>folks. You will need fender cutting for tires taller than
215/70/15.
>
>If you are local to the SF area, pmail me. I will be happy
to show you
>in
>person what
>some of these wheels can do to your Syncro. Bring a strong
back and a
>good
>lugwrench. I lost track of how may different types of wheels
I won which
>can
>fit Vanagons. I also have steel adapters for installing
Porsche rims as
>well
>as alloy rims redrilled to fit. 14"-17" tall and 5.5 "-9"
wide.
>
>BenT Rhims
><A
>HREF="http://hometown.aol.com/bentbtstr8/myhomepage/index.htm
l">Vanagon
>Cafe</A>