The Cal-look Lounge

Looking for some info on Empi 8 spokes.

I want to get some for my '67. I know that they came in 14" and 15" sizes. I want to get 15".

Are there different widths or offsets?

Anything else I should know about them? Possible problems? Production Differences? What about lugs? Caps?

Thanks!

Rick

hopefully Lids will join in here, he has about 15 or so individual genuine 8's,

very cool wheels, they only came in 5.5", as far as i'm aware all the same offset,the original centre caps are really hard to find, even in California.

the main thing with those original empi 8's or 5's is to get them crack tested and put new seals between the two halves and make sure the correct nuts are used & torqued up correctly( & gently,) there have been a couple of stories of them exploding on being pumped up (take it slowly) these couple of incidents have been (typically in todays world) really hyped up and a lot of people think these wheels are dangerous to use. as far as i've heard the wheels that shattered hadn't been checked......although that may be untrue.

if the wheels are checked fully & crack tested then they are as safe as any other 30/40 tear old wheel....

The dimensions were 5 3/8" and 15" or 14". 2 piece design with san cast front ad die cast back. studs holding the halfs together and sealed with an o-ring. The cracking wheels are the early 5 spokes as of what I know but I might be wrong so fill in if so. The major concern is oxidation between the halfs where the bolts attach. They contain magnesium so they polish out beutifully but oxidize as well. A cool wheel with lot's of attitude!!

A set of 5 just sold on ebay for $218  >:(

for real? do you have the link?

i generally dislike the replicas, but original 8 spokes look nice!

p.s. it's good reading your 67 topic rick!

CRAP!! I wish I got have gotten those!

And thanks for the comment 67-indeed

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/VW-EMPI-Original-8-spoke-two-piece-wheels-set-of-5_W0QQitemZ180036141278QQihZ008QQcategoryZ43955QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I really screwed the pooch on this one!!!!

I must say, even if I was the lucky winner, I would have sent them straight to you Rick. I want to see that car of yours back on the street!

I found this rim at the Vegas Bug-In a couple weeks ago for $20. I think its a American Racing 8 spoke. Its 15x5, pretty light, the center cap screws on, and it has uniquely styled spokes.

8 spokes came in 13", 14" and 15".  14" and 15" were VW dub only.  the 13" were for datsuns.

Sizes changed depending on the year of manufacture.

From 70 on wards they are 5.5" wide until then they are 5 3/8".

8 spokes came in to offsets for discs or drums.  Dunno what these are though.  in 1967 they cost $44.95 each.

Wow thanks for the info. I guess I'm gonna have to figure out the offset question as I have T3 disk brakes on the '67.

I looked at the auction that Zach sent (Thank you much!) and I see questions about lugs, studs & inserts. Do I take this to mean that I'll need to stud the rotors? Also, I'm guessing that I'll need matching inserts and lugs too.

Rick

Empi 8 Spokes all had a 14 mm stud threaded on both ends and a 1/2 shoulder in center also a spacer and a acorn lugnut the the spacers in Empi Wheels are all Differnt some Empi 5 spokes used Spacers, 12to14mm studs and the lug nuts and spacers were the same on the late 5 spokes as the 14 & 15 inch 8 spokes, the 13 inch 8 spokes had a smaller outside Dia. the lug nut had a rounded Head on them, Original Brm's also used a 12 to 14 mm stud with a shoulder in the center the Spacers for the Brm's are the same Dia. as the 5 spokes and 8 spokes but was about .060 longer and the Brm Lug Nuts Had A Flat Head on them..    I Have An NOS set of 15 inch  8 spokes I was Looking for a 69 Ghia to Put Them On But I ended up with a 67 Rudy Red Sedan Which I am Putting an Original Set Of Brm's On I Figure Someday the 8 Spokes Will Come Back To Life There are not Many Cars Running Them Anymore All The Cars Back In The Day Ran Them I was in DVB in 1975  And Broke away from the Club in 1977 and Started DSK  (DER SELTEN KAFERS) there are still a few of us around I am on my 48th VW  I Just Cant Get Away From Them..

Hey Shubee. I think I met you at the Drag Day last month. I was with Bill Schwimmer. Bill and I were in DKK together. I've got my "survivor" '67 that I've owned since '78. It's been parked since '83. I'm looking for real 8 spokes as my car had copies on it. Check this topic if you're curious. http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php?topic=492.0

So have you decided what you want to do with the 8-spokes you have?  ;D

Personally I Would Not Put an 8 Spoke on an early car I Dont think they look right 4 Lug Wheels and early Bumpers and the smaller tail lights dont look good  There are Plenty of 5 Lugs wheels out there that look good If your Stuck on using the disc brakes you already have I would Go With Porsche Alloys otherwise I would Change the Brakes to 5 lug disc's and Go Back to 5 Lug  When I Was in DVB I Had a 69 Bug same color as your 67 With Original 8 SPOKES  EMPI Came out with the 8 Spokes in Sept 67  they had a Red Ghia In the showroom at Econo Motors along with a 68 fastback with 15 inch 8 spokes and 68 Bug with 15x5 1/2 Chrome Sprint Stars and you could buy the two piece Empi Front or Rear Plate Frames for $2.95 Each

Normally I would agree with you, but in this instance, I think Rick should go back to the 8 spokes- its just the right thing to do :)

why not go like the old race shop bug, 8's on the front and brms on the rear!!

Because that would be Ugly...  ;) :P

Frank

Naahh... I'm sold on 8-spokes for my car.

It's had discs on it since 1980 and actually 8 spokes since before then. I bought the 1st set of 8-spoke copies at the Orange Auto-Haus. Orignally, they were black with 2 bladed knock-offs then I painted them gun-metal gray and went to chrome lugs and caps. The only other wheel the car has had was some cookie-cutters that it had for about a month.

While I agree with what you said shubee, I think that 8s are part of my cars history.

I believe the race shop bug did it because of an old Modified Production rule stating the weight distribution had to be 50/50 front to rear.

It was easy to add a disc brake front end that way too. Keep the BRMs in the back to save weight...

They only brought this rule in to stop the little Volkwagens winning all the time  ;) ::)

the back spacing on the 15" wheels is 4 1/4"

here's the car  note that there's some picture with the brm at the rear and one  with 4 lugs stock wheels  ???

 :o

I dunno speedy... it looks like to me that the rear wheel in the first picture is a '67 style wide 5 with a flat hub cap.

it looks like a 67 car with the 1500 disc brake kit fitted to the front.

but i don't think 1500s came with upright fenders  :-\

i suppose it was just for performance that they upgraded to discs right?

European '67 1500s had discs up front as standard and Dave Andrews car was upgraded using Ghia parts (no US Bugs came with discs...). Upright front fenders were stock on US '67s.

By the way - the pics here were scanned from an article I wrote...

as does mine  ;)

so it was a performance upgrade... but US 67s are 1300s right? are 1500 as well?

US Spec was 1500 only.

By the way - the pics here were scanned from an article I wrote...

yes keith those pict are from your article and one from hot vws