The Cal-look Lounge

4 lug Empi Sprintstars ,Thinking of a set of 4 lug empi sprint stars for my 65 bug, it has a 98 mexican pan converted to irs. What do you guys think?
Any pics of 4 lug sprintstars on a early car would be great. Thanks David

I think the repro's machined aluminium finish looks like shit, personally. And they have a crummy offset. Real EMPI wheels can be found easily and are still affordable. Also, real wheels can be had in staggered sizes, like 4.5" & 5.5". As far as fitting them to an early beetle, I say go for it!

Check out the Sprintstar Registry website for some photos: http://sprintstar.blogspot.com/

Are they Cal-Look? Here's my Cal-Looker with original '68 EMPI Lemmerz Sprintstars: (http://i53.tinypic.com/2rwb66a.jpg)

Thanks Guys, Il see what I can round up.

As far as I'm concerned, they are Cal-Look, but I'm a little biased. :) My '69 Cal-Looker has 4-lug Sprint Stars. :)

The original Sprint Stars were available in 4.5", 5.5", 8", and 10" widths. The 4.5"s fit fine on an IRS car, but I found the offset of the 5.5" placed the 185/70R15s too far outside of the rear fender for my tastes. One inch of the tire was outside of the fender. That's why I'm having another pair of Sprint Stars set up with 6" bands and with an offset that better suits my car.

Tuna

Thanks for the usefull info. So you cut the centres out and are having them welded in so new 6"rims? sounds like a good idea.

That's the easy (smart) way to do it since the 5.5's have a good bit of offset. When I added rear discs to my car it pushed the 165's out way too much for my liking. I didn't want to change the look of the wheel, so I had the trailing arms narrowed 26mm on each side. This put them right back where they needed to be.

Cool bit of empi history there Zack. Any pics of the wheels straight on? I am thinking some genuine empi wheels would give my car a empi theme, along with my genuine empi gtv steering wheel. The car has a 2.8 pauter engine,like dons ghia, for the street. So it should be unique. I have 99% of the engine parts, Just waiting on pistons and cylinders.
This is the pan, doing a dummy up before powdercoating.

Here's an old cell phone shot, pre narrowed arms, pre a lot of things!

Zack, are they 4.5"s on the front? dropped spindles? narrowed beam? Thanks

Stock beam, I only added drop spindles. 145's on 4.5's and 165's on 5.5's

Zack,No rubbing issues on the front guards?

Hi Neil,
         What size combo are you running? Narrowed front beam, dropped spindles etc? at the rear, long or short axle or irs? Tyre sizing? Thanks. David

For that photo:  4.5" Sprintstars front and back, stock long swing axle, CB dropped spindles on stock beam, stock rear height, 145R15 Nankangs front and 195 Dunlops rear.

Now running:
Front:  4.5" wheels, stock beam, CB dropped spindles, 145R15 Nankangs
Rear:  5.5" wheels, short swing axle, 215/15 M&H (just barely fits under the fenders).
(http://i54.tinypic.com/14ln9fk.jpg)

front 4.5 adjustable beam 145

back 5.5 stock 165

(http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k207/fredy_66/my%20bug/1969.jpg)


(http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k207/fredy_66/my%20bug/kupla024.jpg)

With the stock sway bar there was enough body roll to make the tires rub in hard turns. I put on a 3/4" bar and that fixed it- unless I have passengers and I really try and corner hard. I'm hoping a rear sway bar will solve it entirely.

I think so.

(http://www.michaelliddle.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/car_restoration%201/side.jpg)

145's front on 4.5's dropped spindles.

185/60's on 5.5 rears

I don't like the new Sprintstar replicas. The profile and finish just looks wrong.

Like people have already said, there are enough of the real thing around, so why have poor looking repo's..

This is a pic of my friends Bug. I'ts loaded with cool items and the Sprintstars are really nice looking..

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/plasticblack/autoplasfitted1.jpg)

cool

now where is the key!!!!  Lets see that pic.

Thanks for the info and pics guys.

Did you lose your key ::)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/plasticblack/432851902_b39c9b3acf.jpg)

Always liked Deans car

Needs 4.5's up front ;)