more thoughts pf past trends: 4 lug wheels on earlier Bugs

[Jim Ratto]

It can work, but they almost always have to be 8 spokes, IMO.

I think the 914 2.0 alloys work too, on the right car. Sure would be anti-resto cal... that's for sure.
Like a sea green oval, or mint green, dechromed, 1-piece windows, Cal rubber, and detailed 914 alloys...  would look bitchin

2.0 alloys have just never "done" it for me. Not shapely enough, I guess??

I think on "right" cars they look great. I think on the wrong cars they couldn't look worse. To me cars with all the moldings and stuff wouldn't look right with them, no would cars with metallic paint. (I'd never put them on my car for instance).

Always liked eight spokes, the cast finish or black ones. they were on almost every Cal Look type of car when I was in HS. In fact my first girlfriend had a bright orange 1971 standard Bug with black eight spokes, cal rubber, blacked out vent wing frames, Vitaloni mirrors and a 88 x 69 dual port with stock 34PICT3 and S & S dual mufflers. It was a super clean and cool car. When we met, she was dating another guy with a very 80's monochromatic "fake" GTI Rabbit. It was all white, only had 1.7 motor and some muffler and was dropped. He didn't like the fact the she met somone that was "in" to Bugs, nor did he like the fact that I could (and would) work on it. Within a few months, he was out of the picture. 

[Shubee2 (DSK)]

What about the green split?? That car looked great on Spyders.

one for zach : eddy de kuiper conda green split window 

Thats Ed Craigs Old Car he sold the BRM's and put 8 spokes on it then Sold The Car In This Picture The Car Was In The California Kafers VW Club from Torrance Calif car was later sold again ta another member of the Califorina Kafers and painted a brick red color and changed back to BRM's

[Rennsurfer]

That green Split looks way better with BRMs. Good lookin' car, too.

I've always wanted to build a '68 or '69 Beetle Cal Looker and use these wheels powder coated silver or pewter like the picture.

Never cared for the reproduction ones, but these are really cool. Especially when they're not polished and left alone.

[Dave Rosique]

Seems like this was a popular modification when I was growing up. And it seems it's rarely done any longer...

How about pics from the archive of early cars with 4 lug wheels?

You're right, Mr. Ratto... 'twas quite a common practice, back then.

When I first built my car, I scored a set of eight spokes. They had gold centers, then I painted 'em orange. Then, beige.


After I got bored with those, I sold 'em and got a very clean set of Fuchs 2 liter wheels and put Fuchs 911 caps on.


I wouldn't mind having another set of the Fuch wheels for my current '67. But they'd have to be really nice and in the factory finish only. Maybe down the road. Right now, I really dig my BRMs.

Hey Mark,

Your car looked sweet with those 2 Liter wheels!
They looked good polished and lets face it, back then full polish was the thing to do!

~DR.

[John Rayburn]

Mark's car looked great in every incarnation.

[nicolas]

well i really dig the 4 lug wheels now. i hated them before as mine was the first year the cars had 4 lugs and it would have been way cooler to have brms fitted. so i was weighing the option off changing it all during the rebuild, but why switch from discs to drums??? so i never got around that and now i am quite happy with the 4 lug ones. these are two rims i really like. the 8 spokes have grown on me and i will not get rid off them very soon. and i really like the ones in 14 inch diameter on Bakkens car, especially because the front tires look so 'big' and bulky as well.
the rims Mark likes are the ones from a formula vee edition beetle. they came in a few forms but the ones in the picture are the ones i like most, but i did try to polish up the lip. they are a type that fit in between the porsche riviera's with the raised square bit on the spokes (like the repops have) and the fatlips.
2.0 l rims look good on a 80's car. i think Tom is going that direction and it could be nice if done all in the same spirit. and one last thought. Ratto is right with the cookiecutter wheels on your car Died. i kinda like them too, but i would not paint the whole star, but only the flat center (little star in the middle) that looks good and is more subtle and 'mellows' the lines off the cookies.

sorry for rambling, but i don't get on the lounge that often these days to say it in a hundred posts... 

[Critter1]

I'm surprised Cosmic rims haven't been mentioned in this thread. Granted, they aren't as readily available as 2.0L, or 8 spokes. You either love them or hate them.... thats been my experience anyway.

[Diederick/DVK]

scott bakken ran 13" empi's 

gotta love small wheels up front 

shhh. 

[Nico86]

This center cap is a steering wheel horn button ?

[John Rayburn]

I've always liked oval windows with EMPI Spyder mags.

[Dave Rosique]

I've always liked oval windows with EMPI Spyder mags.

Is that a hint
~DR.

[John Rayburn]

Yes! Remember the guy in Long Beach with the yellow oval and the Spyder mags?

[Critter1]

This center cap is a steering wheel horn button ?

Thats what it looks like. I pulled that picture off The Samba. Ususally you will see Porsche center caps. I personally like the ther Cosmic center caps, since its a Cosmic wheel and not a Porsche....

Here are my Cosmics after they were restored-

[Nico86]

Nice, I prefer the Cosmic center cap too.

[speedwell]

picture i totally forgot about my 74's daily
that was when i decided to put the 8 spokes on the car , i started by the rear and sporting the brms at the front it look like  dave andrews 67 .......... he had the 8 spoke at the front & brms at rear
the 66 pearlwhite was to a friend of mine and the car was sell nefore some years now  she was a really nice car i've pictures of this one with brms on it

[louisb]

I have always thought 4 lugs was a step backward from a performance stand point. And thats the only one that is important, right?

--louis