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Tue Mar 14, 2006 2:06 pm

Does everyone understand that 15" bus rims are dated? I've been looking for six years for September 1955 rims and have came up empty handed.
In the process, I've ended up with a pretty decent sized stack of 15" bus rims with various dates.
Are there any specific dates people need to complete their sets?
I suggest digging through your pile of bus rims out back and posting the dates here.
I'll do the same.

Here's a picture of the bus I need rims for;

Administrator's note:
Here is a list of all the wheel dates mentioned in this thread or known to exist for quick reference:
1/55
2/55
4/55
6/55
8/55
9/55
10/55
11/55
1/56
7/56 KPZ
11/56
12/56
1/57
2/57
3/57
4/57
6/57
7/57
8/57
9/57
10/57
12/57
1/58
2/58
4/58
5/58
8/58
10/58
11/58
12/58
1/59
2/59
3/59
4/59
5/59
6/59
7/59
9/59
10/59
11/59
12/59
1/60
6/60
8/60
10/60
11/60
12/60
1/61
2/61
3/61
6/61
8/61
10/61
11/61
1/62
2/62
3/62
4/62
5/62
8/62
9/62
10/62
12/62
1/63
2/63
4/63
5/63
6/63
8/63
9/63

15" wheels from the 14" era (dealer replacement):
1/64
10/66
10/68

15" wheel usage:
15" wheels were used March, 1955 to December 19, 1963, chassis # 1222026 (August 5, 1963, chassis # 1145427 for 1 ton models)

Tue Mar 14, 2006 2:10 pm

freakaziod...no really greg your bus looks AWESOME! i had a dream once of collecting rims and restoring them and offering them for sale. pain in the ass. i found a field in santa fe with about 1,000 vw rims. guy gave me 30 for like 20 bucks.ten years ago. my girlfriend was stoked traveling the rest of the way home with our vanagon stacked to the ceiling with rims. all 15'S.

Tue Mar 14, 2006 2:12 pm

Here's some loose rims I have sitting around (There's more, but I need to clean some paint off to read the dates);

Q-2 April 1955
Q-3 December 1957
Q-2 November 1958
Q-1 December 1958
Q-2 March 1959
Q-1 January 1958
Q-2 August 1955

I've also got some "roller" 15's on some of the busses out back.....I'll look for those dates as well cause they could be swapped out for other rims.

If these specific date rims can help anyone out let me know. If anyone is curious what month rims their bus should use post a Vin # here and I'll let you know what it probably would have taken.

The point of this thread is to heighten rim date awareness, convince people to go dig through their stacks, and hopefully unite some busses with the correct date rims.

Tue Mar 14, 2006 2:14 pm

busracer wrote: freakaziod...no really greg your bus looks AWESOME! i had a dream once of collecting rims and restoring them and offering them for sale. pain in the ass. i found a field in santa fe with about 1,000 vw rims. guy gave me 30 for like 20 bucks.ten years ago. my girlfriend was stoked traveling the rest of the way home with our vanagon stacked to the ceiling with rims. all 15'S.

Thanks for the comments Rob....Post the dates of the loose rims you have there. If I've got ones that you need to complete a matched set we can swap them out. What freaks me out is how long I've been looking for this exact date with no success......I really expected the last part I would need to find for this bus was the November 1955 and earlier Westfalia coathook......but I found that last year!

Tue Mar 14, 2006 2:16 pm

Greg, Lind was here looking through my rims, don't think I have any '55. It's snowing out and I'm knee deep in drinking Bloody Mary's to look...

Tue Mar 14, 2006 2:19 pm

Long-roofs wrote: Greg, Lind was here looking through my rims, don't think I have any '55. It's snowing out and I'm knee deep in drinking Bloody Mary's to look...

Sounds good.......when the snow melts email me a list of them......if you need and specific dates let me know.

Tue Mar 14, 2006 2:23 pm

I've never looked at the dates. I'll have to go in the warehouse and look at dates for you. I did have all the wheels off a very early 56 SC.
I do have a few sets of dated 15 ich wheels, all 356 Porsche though

Tue Mar 14, 2006 2:31 pm

splitpile wrote: I've never looked at the dates. I'll have to go in the warehouse and look at dates for you. I did have all the wheels off a very early 56 SC.
I do have a few sets of dated 15 ich wheels, all 356 Porsche though

They all have dates.....the early rims are easier to spot as well because the dates are bigger, stampings are deeper and the date has a circle around it. The Lemerz rims are stamped on the face (inbetween the lug nut holes) and are ALSO stamped behind where the tire mounts. Sometimes these dates don't match. The Kronprinz rims are date stamped only on the face inbetween the lug nut holes. Kronprinz rims made August 1955 and earlier are riveted, not welded.

Ronnie, if I have any "60" rims you are welcome to them.

Tue Mar 14, 2006 2:35 pm

Hi Greg
That Bus Of Yours sure looks Yummy :P I came across a bunch of old rims recently and have your ad in my note book I carry with me.....I might as well just buy the whole lot as I think the guy would look at me funny going through my book in front of him....I know a few people looking for diffrent month/years so I will see what I can dig up for your sweet Westfalia.

Tue Mar 14, 2006 2:37 pm

59standard mango wrote: Hi Greg
That Bus Of Yours sure looks Yummy :P I came across a bunch of old rims recently and have your ad in my note book I carry with me.....I might as well just buy the whole lot as I think the guy would look at me funny going through my book in front of him....I know a few people looking for diffrent month/years so I will see what I can dig up for your sweet Westfalia.

Thanks Rich......
My Jan '56 Westy needs November '55 rims and my July '55 Westy needs June 1955 rims.
I'm fine with Crows foot or smooth one.
If you need any dated ones for your '57 deluxe let me know.

Tue Mar 14, 2006 2:42 pm

Thanks Greg for the offer :D ...but lucky for me my deluxe has all of its original rims including date matched trim rings all five....I bought it just for that reason :shock: Just kidding but I will dig for you once the rain stops....talk soon!

Tue Mar 14, 2006 2:45 pm

ok cool... I have it in my big yellow book....hope to see you soon !

Tue Mar 14, 2006 2:45 pm

Greg - you posted that pic just to show off that sweet bus - right? Comon...

Tue Mar 14, 2006 2:47 pm

Hey,

All my rims are dated 10/58 - chassis number - 405771 November 58 bus.

Mac

Tue Mar 14, 2006 3:31 pm

I look at every 15" rim I see for sale for '55 rims. I have never found any.

For reference, my 9/62 Bus has 9/62 wheels.

Tue Mar 14, 2006 3:43 pm

so what is the consensus on the timespan between the rims date stamp and the production date of the bus?

Tue Mar 14, 2006 3:56 pm

camping box,
I'll keep my eyes open for '55 rims! At the same time should anyone come up with some Jan '63 rims would like to get them. Send me a
PM.

Tue Mar 14, 2006 4:08 pm

I could use another 10/60 rim...for the walk-through....When I got the bus it had 14" wheels on it...and the baywindow next to it had 15" rims...I swaped them...then checked the dates 2 of them were 10/60...then I got 2 more from a guy back east that delivered them to the Sacramento Bug-o-Rama for me!

Tue Mar 14, 2006 4:14 pm

Quote: I've been looking for six years for September 1955 rims and have came up empty handed.

Hey Greg,

My bus was produced Oct. 27 1955 and it came with all 4 original rims dated 9.55 NOT 10.55. What day was your bus made? Perhaps you could use August 1955 rims as well?

I still have a stack of about 25 15's to go through when the weather warms up here....

Good luck,

Eric

Tue Mar 14, 2006 4:24 pm

I guess I should ask this I have 14" rims on my 63 camper trans is all stock with redux boxes and all, so would my bus drive better with 15" rims, what are the pros and cons?
Thanks
Mario