MorrisMustang

Well I have been a lurker on this board for over 2 years now, while I was living in Europe for 7 years, and now I am back in California and I think I might finally get the GT I've been dreaming about for the last few years. I have an Accord si, typical boring, very funcional and sensible car with a big trunk, full back seat , etc. I am a 38 year old single working guy with no family, so I guess I could technically do without a back seat, even though I do drive some friends or relatives in the Accord quite often. But I need the Mustang, especially after I finally test drove one last week. Amazing.
Anyhow, I know what I want - Windveil Blue GT Premium, IUP, dark charcoal, with 5 speed (yes, even in LA traffic) and as much as I think the bullit rims are perfecct for the car, the 18" fanblades. I just like the idea of the fanblades being newer than the bullits which have been on the GT for what, 5 years now? Does anyone have any opinions which rims look best on the WB GT. I like the totally stock GT look and do not plan on doing anything to it.
I am willing to ditch the Accord and forgo practicality and get the 5 speed stick instead of Auto. I don't do too much rush hour traffic anyhow and I figure, might as well have the maximum GT experience with the manual.....even though the Auto I drove spun the wheels when I punched it at 10mph!
Anyhow, any comments on the rims would be appreciated. I've wanted another GT ever since my first car was a '77 Mustang Mach II with 302 V8. POS year, I know, but enough to keep me remembering what it's like to drive a rear wheel drive American muscle car. Thanks

Torrence

20" Chrome deep dish bullits are the only way to go.

ipchay61

Go with the 18" fanblades. I ordered them on my '07.

Chip in SC

traffic142

I personally love the bullitts. I imagine they are named after the Steve McQueen's character in Bullitt, if someone can tell me I would appreciate it.

If you are not a fan of the bullitts, Go with the Halibrand wheels or the new Shelby rims. The fan blades are similar to the halibrand. My .02

clintoris

The polished bullits..... 64W. I assume you've seen them? I think they really look sharp. That's what I ordered mine with.... but I'll say, they will be replaced eventually. When I have the cash, I'll go with some deep dish FR500s or some Foose Nitrous or Foose Thrusters. Those Foose wheels look a bit like the general design of the polished bullits, though... 5 spoke wheels. But they look nice as hell.

I had to edit it... it sounded like Polish Bullits.

MaverickMLFD371

Polished Bullits!!!!

pk2112

The 64W wheels are the best looking on my Torch Red vert. Mine is an '05, but once I saw the 64W's on the '06, I ordered them on the spot. Wheels and tires both OEM stuff from the dealer. I also will leave my vert as bone stock, and keep my original machined aluminum 17"ers so if I do ever sell it it is "numbers matching".

rhumb

The Bullitts have long ago lost their cache, being about as common as belly buttons any more. They simply look old and trite to my eyes. I mean, what recent Mustang doesn't have some form of Bullitt wheels on them, whether painted or chromed up to a pimp-mobile shine ("be different, just like everybody else!").

The Fanblades are, IMHO, a much better, more contemporary interpretation of the old Halibrands whereas the Bullitts are more a spot-on reproductions that scream "I'm living in the past!" The Fanblades convey a more thoughtful evocation of the past, but are firmly of the present. And the basic design just seems a better complement to the S197's more angular lines as opposed to the rather rounded Bullitts.

But those are only my thoughts -- your car, your money, your choice.

pitpup

Cause everybody knows, the car itself is so 'ultra modern'... oh, baby! (Joking, of course) I went with the polished bullets. 64W on the order sheet. They're every bit as sweet as everyone is saying... Just my .03 cents (inflation)!

traffic142

That's ok, I am old and live in the past. Too much of the new stuff is rice or rice looking. Maybe a set of the new 24" rims.

Bob99b5

Here's my story: I really like the stock 17" bullits, and that's what I ordered initially. Then my brother convinced me that the car needed a larger wheel/tire combo so I modified the order to add the 64W polished bullits...but I don't know if the change made it. So my vote is go for either of the bullits. As for me, I guess I'll just have to wait and see what Ford actually puts on the car when they build it! (At this point I'm hoping it's the polished bullits.)

rhumb

I think the Bullitts vs Fanblades go to what I see as the "Repro" vs "Retro" issue.

"Retro" styling will evoke past styling and design elements, but in a fully modern interpretation. The S197 itself and the Fanblades are an example of this, recalling the past without trying to replicate it.

"Repro" styling, on the other hand, does attempt to essentially replicate and reproduce the past and the Bullitt wheels, essentially reproductions of the old Torque Thrust wheels (exact name-???), do that.

The difference is that "retro" styling evokes a deft, clever and sophisticated acknowledgement of a car's history and legacy without being slavish about it or lost for new ideas. The Fanblades are clearly design elements fully of the 21st century that reflect the Mustang's heritage of yore while advancing it forward for today and tomorrow.

"Repro" design easily risks growing very stale, very fast for it contributes nothing new or fresh to the marque's design language. Rather, it feels as if it's living in, or off of, the past, inferring that the marque's glory days are far behind it. Sort of reminds me of Al Bundy forever recounting his high school football game glory day where he scored four goals -- the highlight of his life which was all downhill from there.

The Bullitt wheels were very cool when done on a very limited scale on the very limited Bullitt SE. Had they left it at that, it would have been a great stylistic icon. Ford, however, clumsily overplayed the Bullitt wheels, which then quickly lost all their cache and distinctiveness, devolving from an inspired retro element to a tired and trite Mustang cliche.

gussy8055

in my lowly opinion the bullits look great , but the blades are absolutely fantastic .You really cant go wrong with either choice , but the blades really set the car off .

WB2005GT

I was at a dealer yesterday dropping mine off for service. I was checking out the 06's on the lot and I think the 18" Fanblades look the best. I would have gotten them if they were available on an 05.

jayguy

I really liked the Bullitts on my Sonic Blue '05, but am getting the Fan Blades on the Vista blue '07. I'd personally go with the 17" Bullitts before going with the 18" polished Bullitts if looks were you're biggest concern. I just don't like the way the spokes on the 18's come right out to the edge of the rim, unlike the 17's, which had a little lip. Before the '05 was destroyed, I was torn between two different aftermarket rims for her, either the Konig Beyonds, which also have the lip, but are kind of inverted like the Fanblades, or the Deep Dish 18" Bullitts from Mustang Tuning. I've seen both in person, and think the Deep Dish Bullits are the way to go, for the retro-muscle look. I've been dreaming of the 18" fanblades since the first pre-production Redfire car hit the show circuits with them on, and still really like them after seeing them in person, so that's what I ordered on the '07. I'm not ruling out getting different rims later on, but for now, they'll do nicely.



In the end, it's all up to your sense of style, what you think looks best to your eyes.

Oh, and I skimmed the last few notes, so don't know if this was answered, but the Bullitt rims are named after the Bullitt car, since that's where they first showed up, which was of course named after the Steve McQueen character, Bullitt.

Boltzman

I have the blades and like them but not as much as I would if they were chrome or polished. Therefore I have a set of 18" chrome bullits on the way. I think shiny looks best!

Vermillion06

Some designs are timeless and never go out of style. Take for example, Levis jeans. From the '50s to new millennium, they still look good.

Then there are some trendy designs that may be hot for a while, then look incredibly dated in a few years, such as MC Hammer parachute pants.

Bullitts (torque thrusts) are one of those timeless designs.

05fordgt

My vote goes for you to order the car with the fanblades (but I am a bit partial ). Actually, I had thought I would really want the bullitts in 18" but once I saw my car with these, I was sold! Its the main reason why I haven't yet gotten any thoughts of aftermarket wheels, I like these that much.