Short axles for bigger wheels - acceptable on a late model?

[Neil Davies]

Been having a bit of a think about Project 70/72 and specifically the wheels. For some background info, it's a 1970 bug with all late panels, repro short eyebrow lid, dechromed and probably going to have the headlight rims colour coded. No bumpers, maybe T-bars and Lucas indicators, but not sure about that yet! Anyway, I've collected some wheels over the last couple of years - a set of four repro Empi 8-spokes, a set of five original Empi 8-spokes and a set of four 4.5" chrome 4-lug Empi Sprintstars. Plan was to run it on the genuine 8's and then when it gets sold to put it on the repro wheels and keep the real ones to use on my brothers '67/'68.

BUT! I've had to buy a new pan as mine was completely un-useable, and it came with re-drilled discs and drums in Porsche 5x130 pattern, along with a set of Porsche cookie cutters in 6" and 7" widths. I was going to sell them off but I'm getting to quite like them, so I've been giving it a lot of thought about using them. They do look quite good on a late beetle too! Problem is that the 7's on the back are too wide for the wings (which I've already got) so should I use the short axles from a '66 gearbox I've got to tuck the wheels in a bit more?

What do you think, Loungers?

[benssp]

i think short axles will cause you problems on the inside, you'll probably have to use spacers

[Neil Davies]

i think short axles will cause you problems on the inside, you'll probably have to use spacers

Oh bumholes! I hadn't thought about that! I'll have a measure up on Saturday!

[Rocket Ron]

I have a 73 with short axles with early 6" fuch wheels and if you fit a 10mm spacer it all fits very nicely thanks

[yvre]

Redrill the brakes and run the genuine 8 spokes.
You know it makes sense. 

[Zach Gomulka]

The Spyders will look cool, no argument there!
But I really think cookie cutters dont get the respect they deserve! And with 185/60's on 6's up front with 215/65's on 7's out back, you will have one bitching looking ride for sure!

BTW... Cookie cutters came out in 1973... Why arent they more accepted as Cal Look???

[Stephan S]

BTW... Cookie cutters came out in 1973... Why arent they more accepted as Cal Look???

'cause they look like they've been designed by a carpenter. Their square lines look OK on a Type 3 and possibly a Bus, but don't work too well with the round shape of a Bug. Just my opinion...

[Zach Gomulka]

Well, I for one think it's a beautiful contradiction

[javabug]

Cookie Cutters should be a bitchen wheel...but I've only seen them look REALLY GOOD on one or two cars.  Beetle Bug's blue car before the Gasburners looks positively perfect with them.  I think the right late model could have similar success.  Color has a lot to do with it, perhaps.  I've seen them polished or chromed, didn't quite work.  Maybe a killer polish on the lip, with stock silver paint on the centers.

[Neil Davies]

The only vehicle I've ever seen that they look good on was a friends 1970 Bay, in white and on the floor. the centres of the wheels were satin black and the bus just looked hard. Never liked them on Beetles at all, but the more I look at these, the more I like them! I know exactly what Stephan is saying about the carpenter, and they do look dreadful on 911s and 944s! Zach, I'm going smaller with the front tyres! They've got 175/65's on at the moment, but I might stretch some 155s on there!

[alex d]

I'd use the 8-spokes....or you can't go wrong with Fuchs 

[Neil Davies]

I'd use the 8-spokes....or you can't go wrong with Fuchs 

Yeah, but I haven't got Fuchs!

[alex d]

I'd use the 8-spokes....or you can't go wrong with Fuchs 

Yeah, but I haven't got Fuchs!

If all problems were so easy to solve...

http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php/topic,4051.0.html

[Zach Gomulka]

Zach, I'm going smaller with the front tyres! They've got 175/65's on at the moment, but I might stretch some 155s on there!

Keep the 175's! If you put skinny's on there, please narrow the wheels to 5" at the most. Hate it when the rim sticks out past the tire...

[Neil Davies]

I was thinking about the Volksworld feature on the Keith Goss choptop, and I'm fairly sure that had 6" and 7" Fuchs with 155's and 205/60's or /65's. I like the idea of a skinny tyre, but a 6" rim would be too much for a 145, so why not step up a size! (Plus I've got a pair of 155 Firestone F560s "in stock"!)

Roughly measured the gap between the spring plate and the inside of the wheel - it's about 45mm so how far in will swapping to a short axle ('66) bring it?

[Diederick/DVK]

i'm fairly sure the choptop had 175/70/15 and 185/70/15 Pirelli Cinturatos.
you're correct about the sizes of the fuchs though!

[Zach Gomulka]

Roughly measured the gap between the spring plate and the inside of the wheel - it's about 45mm so how far in will swapping to a short axle ('66) bring it?

The short axles are about 30mm shorter