Wheel offset?

[greywolf200]

Hi, new to the forum and to Festiva's. I've had a grand time going though the archives learning about what can be done to these neat little cars and how many really smart guys there are on the list.

I have an '88 L, 5 speed. I scored a set of 14X6 Web alloys on eBay. I read that this wheel works on the Festiva with a +38mm offset. I measured these as +30.5mm, but they set too close to the struts(about 1/4"). First I'm not sure why my measurements are off (1/2 the wheel width to the bolt face), but at any rate, I need spacers for them to work. How much clearance should I need for a 185/60-14 tire?

Thanks in advance for your help and hope to meet some of you at Madness,

[Advancedynamix]

You may be off because the offset is measured from the tire mounting surface, not the outside lip, there's your 7.5mm.
1/4" is plenty of space between the strut and the wheel, but chances are you'll need spacers to clear the tires. Adjustable coil over sleeves and springs can give you more clearance here too.
Welcome to the forum by the way, and we'd all love to see those wheels on your car so take some pictures.