TheSamba.com :: View topic - Bus wheels

Sat Jan 19, 2013 7:14 am

Hello to everybody,

My combi 3/64 has 5 rims 15" dated 3/64 and is an Italian bus. My other samba 4/64 has 5 rims 15" dated 3/64.
Both bus are Italian.
Difficult to imagine they are both changed with spare rims.

I belive that in Italy 15" rims stayed a little longer than in other countries.

Sed

Sat Jan 19, 2013 7:39 am

I got the same situation.
12/9/63 singlecab with 12/63 15" rims.
I doubt that someone swapped these with the same date-stamp.

Sat Jan 19, 2013 8:17 am

RustyPan wrote: Picked up this set of 5 recently.... they're KPZ 16x4.5 dated 7/57
I have yet to find anything about 16" that features 4.5, most are 3.5. Anyone else come across 4.5s in 16" before? To be used on what? SC, DC? I believe these may have been on a 58 panel long ago.

Any insight is appreciated.

Tempo Matador... :wink:

Sat Jan 19, 2013 8:41 am

This one is earlier w/seamed shroud etc...but you can see the raised rib and 4 slots on the rims.

Sat Jan 19, 2013 9:59 am

Thomas Pedigo wrote: I got the same situation.
12/9/63 singlecab with 12/63 15" rims.
I doubt that someone swapped these with the same date-stamp.

The official 14" conversion was after that date so this sounds ok.
14" wheel info posted in the first post of this thread.

Sat Jan 19, 2013 10:07 am

EverettB wrote: Thomas Pedigo wrote: I got the same situation.
12/9/63 singlecab with 12/63 15" rims.
I doubt that someone swapped these with the same date-stamp.

The official 14" conversion was after that date so this sounds ok.
14" wheel info posted in the first post of this thread.
I hear ya on that but...1ton commercial with #1213990 vin?
Sorry to beat a dead horse, but I'm still confused.

I'm beginning to think that because of the close proximity of the transition, these were extras that were used on the assembly line.

Sat Jan 19, 2013 10:24 am

Thomas Pedigo wrote: EverettB wrote: Thomas Pedigo wrote: I got the same situation.
12/9/63 singlecab with 12/63 15" rims.
I doubt that someone swapped these with the same date-stamp.

The official 14" conversion was after that date so this sounds ok.
14" wheel info posted in the first post of this thread.
I hear ya on that but...1ton commercial with #1213990 vin?
Sorry to beat a dead horse, but I'm still confused.

I'm beginning to think that because of the close proximity of the transition, these were extras that were used on the assembly line.

Always possible... I mostly just wanted to show that 12/63 dated wheels are not abnormal. Maybe Claus on the assembly line screwed up and put 15s on a 1-ton Bus. :)

Sat Jan 19, 2013 10:31 am

Thanks Mr Barnes.
So, whats your take on the 16" mystery rims?

Here are a couple more images...
http://www.oldbug.com/141_4166.jpg
http://www.oldbug.com/173_7356.jpg

Sat Jan 19, 2013 1:37 pm

As far as I know, just based on other people posting in the past, they are not VW but are from other European vehicles of the same era.

Wed Jan 30, 2013 9:24 am

… alright. Just got off the phone with KPZ. What a great and resourceful company!

The lady was nice enough to go thru the catalogs with me on the phone and bingo:

The S 431C stamped on the rims is the "Product ID". As early as 1955 S 431 were used on Tempo Matador (that is for wheel S 431A thru S 431D). The excerpt of the KPZ catalog below shows that the S 431C was made for Vidal&Sohn (Tempo Matador Manufacturer):

Here again a pic of the wheel stamping showing the ID

Cool, but what now … should I run them :?: :?: :?:

Wed Jan 30, 2013 9:35 am

Nice detective work!

Wed Jan 30, 2013 1:11 pm

Atlantic wrote: … alright. Just got off the phone with KPZ. What a great and resourceful company!

The lady was nice enough to go thru the catalogs with me on the phone and bingo:

The S 431C stamped on the rims is the "Product ID". As early as 1955 S 431 were used on Tempo Matador (that is for wheel S 431A thru S 431D). The excerpt of the KPZ catalog below shows that the S 431C was made for Vidal&Sohn (Tempo Matador Manufacturer):

Here again a pic of the wheel stamping showing the ID

Cool, but what now … should I run them :?: :?: :?:
Hell ya, you should!
Tempo Matadors have their own "cool factor" and it would be an interesting look on your bus.
Besides...you get the enjoyment of watching folks try to figure it out, while they scratch their heads?... :wink:

Mon Feb 18, 2013 8:33 am

I have an early 65 double cab that I bought without wheels. I have an assortment of 15" and 14" rims from an assortment of split parts busses.

Should I go with the 14's or 15's on my double cab? I would like to keep it stock but also want to go with the rim that will give me the best ride and most options for tires.

Thanks.

Mon Feb 18, 2013 8:40 am

For good looks 15" and then for a good ride 205s I say.

Mon Feb 18, 2013 9:06 am

Got some 15" bus rims recently that never had hub cap clips installed- what would they have come on? Need to scrape to find some date stampings.

Mon Feb 18, 2013 10:48 am

booyah wrote: I have an early 65 double cab that I bought without wheels. I have an assortment of 15" and 14" rims from an assortment of split parts busses.

Should I go with the 14's or 15's on my double cab? I would like to keep it stock but also want to go with the rim that will give me the best ride and most options for tires.

Thanks.

If you want it stock, you need to use the 14s.
I think right now there are more 14" Bus-rated tires available too.
I don't think the ride is different between 14s and 15s, ride is affected by the tires.

Mon Feb 18, 2013 10:49 am

rockymountainaircooled wrote: Got some 15" bus rims recently that never had hub cap clips installed- what would they have come on? Need to scrape to find some date stampings.

If they look like Bus 15s but do not have holes or any provision for hubcap clips, they are probably 61 through early 64 Type 3 wheels. There should be 3 nubs around the outside for the Type 3 hub caps.

Example:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=108159

They use hubcaps that are similar to 66-67 Beetle caps.
(I see you are selling some Type 3 hubcaps right now so... those caps)

Wed Feb 20, 2013 7:55 pm

Ok, so I am a total newbie to all of this. I did read the thread and have figured out that my stock 1966 would have had 14 inch slotted rims. That is correct right?

Here is my question. Will the 14 inch rims work if I get an adjustable beam in the front? I have no desire to lower my bus super lower, but could I get away with lowering it an inch or two in the front and then also in the back?

I have an opportunity to buy four 14 slotted rims which would allow me to have an extra rolling set and then a set to paint and get new tires put on.

Is there a way to lower it 1-2 in the back as well and still use the 14 inch tires?

Thank you for the information. I really am trying to figure all of this out.

Any idea what a fair price would be good for four 14 inch rims that need to be cleaned up and painted?

Wed Feb 20, 2013 8:11 pm

Spitty1974 wrote: Ok, so I am a total newbie to all of this. I did read the thread and have figured out that my stock 1966 would have had 14 inch slotted rims. That is correct right?

Here is my question. Will the 14 inch rims work if I get an adjustable beam in the front? I have no desire to lower my bus super lower, but could I get away with lowering it an inch or two in the front and then also in the back?

I have an opportunity to buy four 14 slotted rims which would allow me to have an extra rolling set and then a set to paint and get new tires put on.

Is there a way to lower it 1-2 in the back as well and still use the 14 inch tires?

Thank you for the information. I really am trying to figure all of this out.

Any idea what a fair price would be good for four 14 inch rims that need to be cleaned up and painted?

There is a very good sticky here on lowering, you should browse thru - but I understand, it's like reading the Bible: you feel like you don't really ever get answers to your questions.
Yes, of course you can go lower with 14". Limitations, to your kind of lowering, are mostly set by the size of the tire / over all diameter. Reconsider using 15" wheels. They look different and in my opinion (I am certainly not alone with) much better. If you go 14" now and are new to the whole thing, you might regret it later. Any change then is expensive.
To me it sounds like you need a little more time to figure out what you want anyway. I doubt you are going to build an adjustable beam to lower the bus 1".

Look around a little here and see what others have done. The big meats / large tires thread is also a good source.

Wed Feb 20, 2013 8:16 pm

Here is a picture of the rims. They are all four suppose to be like the one in the picture. The guy said 14 inches, slotted......They will work on my bus right?