TheSamba.com :: View topic - Center caps that'll work with stock 4-bolt Bug wheels?

Wed Jan 13, 2016 2:41 pm

Here are a couple of pictures I took of a car at a cruise night in Guilford, CT, back in August of 2012, and am sharing them because the owner obviously found a good looking center cap that works with his stock Type 1 4-bolt wheel.

Overall of the car:

And a cropped version to hopefully show a little more detail:

Unfortunately I do not know the owner of this car and never talked with them about the center caps. I would like to find a recommended source for a "push-thru" type cap (inserts from the back side of the wheel and has a lip at the bottom that keeps it in from pushing all the way through, if you can visualize that...) like this that'll work well with my stock 4-bolt Bug wheels.

Thanks for any ideas or suggestions!

Thu Jan 14, 2016 9:59 am

Probably going to grab a set of these, just so I'll have something for now:

http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=VWC%2D111%2D601%2D171%2DASET

Thu Jan 14, 2016 10:23 am

There are two style of caps (black and silver) for the Mexican Beetle that will fit.
The black ones are easy to find, the silver ones more difficult.

The last image will give you an idea what they look like installed:

Thu Jan 14, 2016 12:16 pm

hopkin wrote: There are two style of caps (black and silver) for the Mexican Beetle that will fit.
The black ones are easy to find, the silver ones more difficult.

The last image will give you an idea what they look like installed:

Many thanks hopkin for your input! Good info!

Love your car, by the way!

Thu Jan 14, 2016 12:31 pm

Thanks, a member in our local club has a MG kit car like the one you posted. I haven't seen it yet, maybe this weekend :D

The caps also fit the rims I have on my car in the picture you posted.

Thu Jan 14, 2016 12:55 pm

hopkin wrote: Thanks, a member in our local club has a MG kit car like the one you posted. I haven't seen it yet, maybe this weekend :D

The caps also fit the rims I have on my car in the picture you posted.

That's a cool & unusual alloy wheel! I've seen them on a few Mexi Bugs, but that's about it. NOT common at all!

I also did a test fit once with "Marathon" ('72 Baja SE Super Beetle) wheel center caps on a regular 4-bolt Bug wheel, and from what I recall, they also fit properly. Those, of course, snap in from the front (not a push-thru type). They are also mega-expen$ive! I will try to track down my photos--hopefully I still have them around somewhere...

Thu Jan 14, 2016 3:20 pm

I found a photo of the Marathon Beetle cap that you referred to.

A nice looking and I expect hard to find item.

I found this photo at www.sebeetles.com

Thu Jan 14, 2016 4:22 pm

^^Wow, that's a beautiful image--thanks hopkin!

As promised, here are a couple of photos to document a test I did a couple years back, showing that a Marathon cap appeared that it would work well with a stock Bug wheel. The wheel was a 4Jx15 (not a 4.5), and I do not know the date code.

Wed Jan 20, 2016 5:34 am

Good morning and Happy "Wheelcaps Wednesday"... Since I'm not yet ready to explore the actual chrome hubcap route on my beautifully refinished (not by me, but rather by my trusted local professional powdercoating place: http://shorelinepowdercoating.com/home/) Porsche 914 wheels yet, I thought I'd do some center cap research & experimenting... I received these black plastic caps yesterday: http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=VWC-111-601-171-ASET - and just did a quick test-fit, along with some black plastic lug bolt head covers (http://otisincla.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=223) set in place, for a photo. The CIP-1 caps snap in perfectly (from the front with flexible tabs) and seem like they'll be perfectly secure.

I still want to pursue something in *chrome* for a center cap (and I also already have chrome lug bolt head covers), but for now, this was a neat experiment...

Wed Jan 20, 2016 10:09 am

I'm using these chrome center caps and lugnut covers on my 914 wheels, center caps slip in from backside. Simple clean stock look.
There's a few different styles available in theSamba classifieds, wheels & tires section.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1861763
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1853065

Wed Jan 20, 2016 10:52 am

Typ3nut wrote: I'm using these chrome center caps and lugnut covers on my 914 wheels, center caps slip in from backside. Simple clean stock look.
There's a few different styles available in theSamba classifieds, wheels & tires section.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1861763
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1853065

Awesome! Good to know! Thank you Typ3nut!

VERY NICE! (found in your gallery):

^^What size tire do you run, if you don't mind my asking? The wheel & tire combo looks positively super!

Thanks again!

Wed Jan 20, 2016 7:00 pm

Stock Steve,
My Type 3 Fastback is lowered a bit, I'm running 205/65/15 Rear & 185/65/15 Front, No rub due the the correct offset of the Porsche 914 Stock Steel Wheels 41ET 5.5J x 15. Good amount of rubber but we don't have nice road in Michigan.

Thu Jan 21, 2016 2:08 am

Typ3nut wrote: Stock Steve,
My Type 3 Fastback is lowered a bit, I'm running 205/65/15 Rear & 185/65/15 Front, No rub due the the correct offset of the Porsche 914 Stock Steel Wheels 41ET 5.5J x 15. Good amount of rubber but we don't have nice road in Michigan.

Very cool--thank you again Typ3nut for the info & assistance.

I have 185/65R15 tires for all four corners. Will do my best to post a picture once I get them on the car.

Sun Jan 24, 2016 10:06 am

http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-Chrome-Center-Cap-For-4-...SwZd1VXpkT
I bought some like this except black for my wheels. It's a tight squeeze but they fit. I will install them on the bug in the spring once I put on the summer tires. Can take pics if you want.

Mon Jan 25, 2016 2:11 am

60ragtop wrote: http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-Chrome-Center-Cap-For-4-...SwZd1VXpkT
I bought some like this except black for my wheels. It's a tight squeeze but they fit. I will install them on the bug in the spring once I put on the summer tires. Can take pics if you want.

Good to know--would like to see how they look some time--thanks for the input!!!

Mon Jan 25, 2016 2:36 pm

black center cap and lug bolt covers on 5.5 wide aftermarket steel wheels.
I have a set of Wolfsburg Crest stickers to put on to finish the caps off.

Tue Jan 26, 2016 6:55 am

60ragtop wrote: black center cap and lug bolt covers on 5.5 wide aftermarket steel wheels.
I have a set of Wolfsburg Crest stickers to put on to finish the caps off.

Very nice! Would love to see how they look on your car some time also, whenever convenient! Thanks so much for going thru the effort to follow up!

Sun Jan 31, 2016 7:16 am

Finally found some chrome bullets that will work with stock 4-bolt wheels... Bought a set of 3.125" diameter "push-thru" chrome bullets from an Ebay seller in California ("LugNutKingIV"), and they look to work great with my refinished Porsche 914 "hubcap" wheels! Pictures show one in place on one of my wheels, along with some chromed plastic lug bolt head caps set in place for visual effect. I'm happy!

Sat Mar 19, 2016 3:25 am

What center caps are these :?:

Fri Apr 15, 2016 1:57 pm

Look at my old Bagged Ghia and you will see the 3 inch Bullets I used, Mooneyes. Had to machine the rotors on outside of hub for clearance , a couple of thousands , not much .Rear had no issues with drums.
then where they go through the rim has to be sanded to fit , tight.