Borrani Wheels

Borrani wheels were often mounted on Vintage Ferraris. During the 330GT 2+2s, and the 275GTBs, alloy wheels became an option and eventually became standard with wire wheels becoming an option. The following are excerpts from the Vintage Ferrari Forum posted by members about Borranis:

Originally Posted from "Ruedi."

The hand with the spokes is from Rudge, not Borrani. Rudge figured out the lacing about 100 years ago. Borrani licensed the design and included the hand as a credit to Rudge.

The "RW" designation probably refers to Rudge-Withworth. Rudge for the lacing and Withworth for the thread and/or spline pattern.

The hub number (32, 42, 52, etc.) refers to the Rudge design type, not any measurements or the number of splines or other meaningful information. The numbers may as well have been 17 or 563 or 1066 or any number from the previous week's lottery -- except, of course, that 42 is the answer to everything. Rudge, too, must have been hitch-hiking the galaxy.

The wheel information I have collected from Borrani brochures about Ferraris is as follows:
Car Model
Wheel Size
 Hub
 Wheel Number
FERRARI 166/212 15 x 400 (4.00?)

FERRARI 212 15 x 5½K 42
 RW 2841
FERRARI 250 5½ x 15 42
 RW 3721
FERRARI 250 GR 2+2 - 250 GTO ant. 6L x 15 42
 RW 3690
FERRARI 250 GT
5½K x 400 42
 RW 3598
FERRARI 250 GT - 365 GT - BB512
7½ x 15 42
 RW 4075
FERRARI 250 GT - 508 GT freno-disco 5½ x 16 42
 RW 3526
FERRARI 250 GT 2+2 5½ x 15 42
 RW 3591
FERRARI 250 GT Europa - Vignale 1948 5K x 15 42
 RW 2924
FERRARI 250 GT freno-tamburo 5½ x 16 42
 RW 3264
FERRARI 250 GTO - Ant. 15 x 6L 42
 RW 3711
FERRARI 250 GTO - Post. - SWB 15 x 6½L 42
 RW 3715
FERRARI 250 GTO - Post. (cont)
15 x 7½L 42
 RW 3808
FERRARI 250 LM ant.
6L x 15 32
 RW 3770
FERRARI 250 LM post. 7½ x 15 32
 RW 3807
FERRARI 250 Testarossa 1958 5½ x 16 42
 RW 3019
FERRARI 250 Testarossa 1958 5K x 16 42
 RW 3077
FERRARI 250/GT 2+2
15 x 5½K 42
 RW 3591
FERRARI 250/GT 2+2 - 250 GTO post. e 330/GT 15 x 6½L 42
 RW 3801
FERRARI 250/GT 2+2 (cont) 15 x 6L 42
 RW 3690
FERRARI 275 GTB/S - 330 GTO - 365 7 x 15 32
 RW 4039
FERRARI 275 GTS - 330 GTC 14 x 6½K 32
 RW 3874
FERRARI 275/GT-S
6½ x 15 42
 RW 3918
FERRARI 308 GT4 14 x 7½ 42
 RW 4238
FERRARI 308 GTB 14 x 6½ 42
 RW 4327
FERRARI 330 ant. 7 x 15 42
 RW 4010
FERRARI 330 GT 7 x 15 42
 RW 3812
FERRARI 330 post.
7½ x 15 42
 RW 4011
FERRARI 400 Automat. 14 x 7½ 42
 RW 4326
FERRARI 505
5K x 16 42
 RW 4326
FERRARI Daytona ant. - BB512 15 x 8 42
 RW 4301
FERRARI Daytona post. - BB512 15 x 9 42
 RW 4300
FERRARI Dino 246 14 x 6½ 42
 RW 4331
FERRARI F2 Barchetta 16 x 5K 42
 RW 2839
FERRARI TR 58 post. 5½ x 16 42
 RW 3320

Another message posted by Ruedi about backspacing:

Offset is measured from the center of the rim (middle of the wheel) to the surface where the splined hub attaches to the wheel hub.

Backspace is measured from the vertical surface of the rim flange (facing the center of the car) to the surface where the splined hub attaches to the wheel hub.

So, both measurements take into account the combination of the wire wheel AND the splined hub.

1. In the context of the Borrani measurements, the "Bolt-up Face" is the surface where the splined hub meets the axle. This is what I meant with my earlier remark "measurements take into account the combination of the wire wheel AND the splined hub." The problem this creates is that offset and backspace numbers are quite useless if one tries to measure a wheel by itself and doesn't know how much the splined hub adds to backspace and offset.

2. The Borrani brochures have many errors and inconsistencies. One of them is that Borrani drawings show backspace being measured differently for "Record" and "Standard" wheels: According to the drawings, backspace for "Standard" wheels is measured from the rim to the wheel hub, while "Record" wheels are measured from the rim to the "Bolt-up Face" of the splined hub. I cannot believe that different measurements were applied but that one of the drawings is wrong. I haven't found anybody yet who knows or can confirm which one is right and which one is wrong.


Posted From Tom Shaughnessy on some specific cars:

#42 RW 3801 15x6 1/2L 250GT 2+2, 330GT
#42 RW 3812 15x7 330GT/500SF


#32 RW 3874 14x 6 1/2 275GTS 275GTB (first series)
#32 RW 4039 14 X7 275GTB GTB/4 330/365GTC/GTS
#32 RW 4010 15x7 275 COMP
#32 RW 4011 15x7 1/2 275 COMP

rw 4075's 7 1/2 x15 42 style hubs are ffor 365gt2+2 365GTB/4 365GTC/4


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