The Cal-look Lounge

Since we have some experts in Cal-Look history, I was curious as to the history of gold Empi Spyders.

I remember them from early on but I don't think I've seen where they were sold by Empi that way.

The first copies that came out in the late 70s were available in gold, black and raw but I remember the gold being more bronze than the color I see on Empis.

Also is there an "official" gold color?

 'Gold " One Shot Mini Flake " was the standard as far as I know.

Gold got dirty or tarnished looking after a few months.  But your question of the history, I don't recall
the first or who might have started the trend. I do remember Marc Souter had gold 5 spokes, before they were
color keyed to his Cal looker (DVB).  Complementary colors became pretty popular late 70's to early 1980's.
 I myself had dark brown 5 spokes on my tan 64. Scott Bakken had matched his sepia brown 64 with sepia 8 spokes.
NOTE, definitely not saying these were the first, just some of the first I remember.

  Interesting subject here a few shots of my Ghia with original Empi 8 spokes painted with the gold metal flakes !!!!

   Frenchy

Thanks Guys. Interesting stuff.

Cool!

being a fan of gold 8 spokes, here is what i have found so far.

there were no gold wheels offered from EMPI directly. seems that the only options were either raw (sand cast) or grey both with the outer rim polished. the grey are smoother due to a thick white primer/filler  and a grey glossy paint.

i could be wrong as i have no in dept knowledge about all offerings from EMPI, certainly not later on, it would be fun to know more.

  Nicola you are correct the gold as well as the magnesium were available from Empi . When I started to work for my friend Bob Lillegard back in the mid 70's he reproduced the Empi 8 spokes using one of the ones on my Ghia he had a mold made and I worked for him for a couple of years and we also made the Porsche Alloys in the 15 inches as well as the 4 lug wheels eight spokes style for the Porsche 924 . Later Bob sold the business to Wood industries and later to American Eagles etc ....


   Frenchy

i must be wrongly informed that there were gold wheels available through EMPI directly… i assumed they were not.

I have a set of first-run Lillegard 8s with the valve stem through the rim instead of in between the spokes. I've only seen one other set.

frenchy's empi 8's were the mould on which the lillegards first run were made. if memory serves me right i have read it here years ago.

   I was told if you are going to reproduce any type of parts or wheels for instance that you need to have three changes to have the rights to copy not sure if it is by trade marks or not. So Bob did get one of my Empi 8 spokes from the Ghia to have a mold made but these would be the one piece instead of the originally made two piece. After the first run was made I had visited the Auto House in Buena Park warehouse to see if they would be interested to carry these new style 8 spokes. A deal was made between Bob Lillegard and the owners of Auto House . My job at that time working for Bob with Geno Combs a good friend I had to select the wheels that had the nice finish and leaving them in the magnesium color while the other ones with small imperfections to be painted black or gold. I would than take them to the polisher and after returning we would package them in boxes to be delivered to the main warehouse of Auto House .I still have some of these original decals that were applied on the inside the these wheels letting the owners to be aware of the max of air pressure in the tires . I also have the first 8 spoke wheel made for the 924 Porsche which we never had the lug holes drilled .


    Thanks
    Frenchy

Hi Frenchy,
Out of interest what is the maximum air pressure for the Empi Spyder split rims? I have a couple of sets and am mounting my street tyres with tubes (145 Michelin radial & 185 Hoosier DOT street/strip). Thank you in advance for any help.

Jason

i don't think i have seen this. i also think this is a rather odd question, as the 145 with too much pressure would not steer and what is the use of slicks with too much pressure. so in short you'll be fine.  ;D

i have had 2.2 bars in mine (also with inner tubes) and no issues.

  Sorry i just saw your post on air pressure let me check ! Somewhere here i have the decals we use to apply on these Lillegard wheels before shipping them !!

  Frenchy

No matter what the wheel, I run 19-20psi in the front and 24-26 in the back for street tyres, which I believe is factory specs anyway. Original Empi 8s, Flat Four BRMs,  MWS copies of 5 and 8 spokes, everything. Anything different and they just don't handle as well.