TheSamba.com :: View topic - What's different with a stock 15 inch wheel on the 1967 bug?

Mon Aug 11, 2025 1:08 pm

Guys,
How do I know if the wheels I have are one year only 1967? Apparently the CSP front disc brake kit will not fit the 1967 wheel. Mine are on a kit car and of unknown origin. The wheel I have are wide 5 with moonies.
Thanks-Gary

This is similar

https://www.schmitt.com/inventory/1957-porsche-356-speedster-replica-vintage-speedster/

Mon Aug 11, 2025 1:25 pm

I have never heard of the 67 wheel being incompatible with any disc brake kit.
There's really nothing special about the 67 rims other than the hubcap fitment.

Mon Aug 11, 2025 2:38 pm

Can you link to the CSP kit in question? Someone may have tried (accidentally or deliberately) and know the issue.

Mon Aug 11, 2025 3:00 pm

https://www.csp-shop.com/technik/pdf/deeng/15459.p...U4JGwwJGgw

Look at section 3.3 Wheels

Just to be clear. The pan in this kit car has a ball joint front end. I’m unsure what pan it is. First I was told by the owner that it was a 1967 Ghia. Then he said the car is registered as a 1968.

Mon Aug 11, 2025 3:35 pm

Interesting fitment note in that the 66 and 67 bug used the same wheel which was wide 5 slotted and took the 2 year only flat hubcaps, not the same as the 4 lug flat hub caps. Why not take a picture of your wheel with the offset and send it to the manufacturer before you buy them. Might save you some trouble. Good luck-Bob

Mon Aug 11, 2025 3:40 pm

CIP1 seems to be the USA supplier of German made CSP products. I have spoken with them and will do so again prior to ordering. This is a back order item due on 8/22

Tue Aug 12, 2025 3:07 pm

Bobs67vwagen wrote: Interesting fitment note in that the 66 and 67 bug used the same wheel which was wide 5 slotted and took the 2 year only flat hubcaps, not the same as the 4 lug flat hub caps. Why not take a picture of your wheel with the offset and send it to the manufacturer before you buy them. Might save you some trouble. Good luck-Bob
Was the 1967 Bug fitted with 5 lug or 4 lug wheels in Europe? That might be the reason for saying 1967 wheels don't fit. CSP is a German company.

Tue Aug 12, 2025 5:36 pm

The 67 came with the flat hubcaps, if you are running mooney type hubcaps, then the wheel is likely a 65 year on back, as 65 was last year for the mooney style hubcaps. 66 started the flat hubcap style on American market Bugs.

Tue Aug 12, 2025 10:07 pm

Bingo. Thanks for that

Tue Aug 12, 2025 11:18 pm

aeromech wrote: https://www.csp-shop.com/technik/pdf/deeng/15459.p...U4JGwwJGgw

Look at section 3.3 Wheels

Just to be clear. The pan in this kit car has a ball joint front end. I’m unsure what pan it is. First I was told by the owner that it was a 1967 Ghia. Then he said the car is registered as a 1968.
Although all of the 4,0 x 15 rims from 10´52 till 7´67 have nominal the same size and ET (offset) 33 mm, there are minor differences. Caps for moon or flat style.
1.) There are different manufactures for original rims as Kronprinz, Lemmerz, Sudrad and others. (different size of diameter of "inner cup" of rim)
2.) Original rims till 7´67 had no HUMP, but original later spare rims can have that HUMP.

So it seems, 356 rims can be used.

Wed Aug 13, 2025 3:20 am

EVfun wrote: Bobs67vwagen wrote: Interesting fitment note in that the 66 and 67 bug used the same wheel which was wide 5 slotted and took the 2 year only flat hubcaps, not the same as the 4 lug flat hub caps. Why not take a picture of your wheel with the offset and send it to the manufacturer before you buy them. Might save you some trouble. Good luck-Bob
Was the 1967 Bug fitted with 5 lug or 4 lug wheels in Europe? That might be the reason for saying 1967 wheels don't fit. CSP is a German company.

as I understand it we had wide five ventilated flat cap wheels but the disc braked 1500 had the 4 bolt wheel. surely if this is the critical factor it would be easier for them to state the kit is not suitable for 4 bolt wheels...

also the vin on the floorpan will show what year and whether it's a ghia or bug

Wed Aug 13, 2025 3:31 pm

aeromech wrote: How do I know if the wheels I have are one year only 1967?
You can tell the '66-'67 wheels because they were wide-5 (5x205mm) bolt pattern but did not use the '65-earlier clips for holding the hubcap on.

Here you can see the common black clips around the wheel where the '65-earlier hubcaps would attach.

Note there are no bumps inside the raised part of the wheel.

Here is a '66-'67 wheel. Note there are no clips or holes for riveting the hubcap clips to the wheel. You can also see at 6-o'clock, 10-o'clock and 2-o'clock around the inside the raised part of the rim there are "bumps" to hold onto the outer edge of the hubcap.

Unlike the '68-later wheels where the hubcap wrapped around the bumps in the wheel... '66-'67 had the hubcap snap inside the bumps. This is why '66-'67 Beetles had 2-year only wheels and hubcaps.

If your wheels don't have the bumps but have provisions for clips... they are the '65-earlier wheels.

I wonder if the difference is the amount of space available under the hubcap? I think the inside of the '66-'67 hubcaps sat closer to the face of the drum and left less room for the cap covering the nut??

FYI, the '67 model year did come with an option (outside the US) for front disc brakes. I believe these were the same 4x130mm disc brakes offered on Ghias of the same period. These non-US Beetles would have come with different wheels from the drum wide-5 front wheels.

Wed Aug 13, 2025 3:47 pm

I think the flat hubcaps were enabled when they went to different spindles with ball joints instead of king&link pins; this change also occurred in '66.

Fri Aug 15, 2025 1:02 pm

KTPhil wrote: I think the flat hubcaps were enabled when they went to different spindles with ball joints instead of king&link pins; this change also occurred in '66.
This is a good point. Is there something about the spindle used on '65-earlier linkpin front ends that would make it difficult to use the '66-'67 specific wheels on those cars? For example, the arm where the outer end of the tie rod end bolts. Could this come too close when mounting '66-'67 wheels meant for a ball joint front end?

Was there a wheel offset difference between the '65 and '66 stock Beetle wheels?

Sun Aug 17, 2025 11:50 pm

ashman40 wrote: KTPhil wrote: I think the flat hubcaps were enabled when they went to different spindles with ball joints instead of king&link pins; this change also occurred in '66.
This is a good point. Is there something about the spindle used on '65-earlier linkpin front ends that would make it difficult to use the '66-'67 specific wheels on those cars? For example, the arm where the outer end of the tie rod end bolts. Could this come too close when mounting '66-'67 wheels meant for a ball joint front end?

Was there a wheel offset difference between the '65 and '66 stock Beetle wheels?
From 10´52 till 7´67 for all types of stock 5 lug rims, wheels there was never a difference in offset. It was allways 33 mm, also for the 66-67 wheels.
A search in Progressive Refinements and different VW manuals can be done.