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EverettB Administrator
Joined: April 11, 2000 Posts: 69696 Location: Phoenix Metro
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Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2019 4:46 pm Post subject: Re: Bus wheels - 14"/15"/16" |
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pvlocal wrote: |
So I just bought five 14" rims dated '68 to '70, all identical, and my resto guy, who is very good, tells me the rim on a '66 is unique to that model year. Elsewhere I have read that after the change from 15" to 14", a Bus rim is a Bus rim is a Bus rim.
So which is it? Do I need to start hunting down date-stamped 1966 rims, or have I got what I need (times FIVE) to do this project correctly? |
As far as I know there is no difference as long as it's a 14" 5-lug Bus wheel with the 4 little slots
I'm curious though, What does he think is different? _________________ How to Post Photos
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pvlocal Samba Member
Joined: August 22, 2004 Posts: 50 Location: Elk Ridge, Utah
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Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2019 12:27 pm Post subject: Re: Bus wheels - 14"/15"/16" |
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Thanks, Everett. I'll go with the rims I have. |
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Rhodrich Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2001 Posts: 130 Location: London, UK
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Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2020 7:44 am Post subject: Re: Bus wheels - 14"/15"/16" |
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I'm a little bit confused by what should be the stock wheel size for my van. It was built on January 24th 1964, and has push button door handles and a big nut transmission. Progressive refinements says that the size changed to 14" on 19th December '63, with chassis number 1 222 026. My chassis number is 1 235 672, so it should be 14". However, it's fitted with 15" wheels, and the registration document for the van confirms the tyre size to be 6.40-15
Has it just been fitted with incorrect wheels at some time in the past, or could they just have been using up old stock at the factory? It's a Deluxe Microbus with no sunroof model, and the wheels are fitted with beauty rims. |
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cdennisg Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2004 Posts: 20217 Location: Sandpoint, ID
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Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2020 8:07 am Post subject: Re: Bus wheels - 14"/15"/16" |
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Rhodrich wrote: |
Has it just been fitted with incorrect wheels at some time in the past. |
That would be my guess. _________________ nothing |
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EverettB Administrator
Joined: April 11, 2000 Posts: 69696 Location: Phoenix Metro
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Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2020 12:41 pm Post subject: Re: Bus wheels - 14"/15"/16" |
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I would say they should be 14" but it's not impossible that they were using up old stock since you are so close to the change-over date.
Check the date stamps on the wheels. If they are all 1-2 months before the production date of your Bus I would say they are original.
Date stamp
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Rhodrich Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2001 Posts: 130 Location: London, UK
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2020 3:25 am Post subject: Re: Bus wheels - 14"/15"/16" |
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Thanks
I've pulled the hubcaps, and one of the front wheels is 9/58, and the other one is a crows feet one. I guess that confirms that they're not original to the vehicle.
They need new tyres, as they're currently fitted with 165R15 car ones, so now decisions will have to be made as to what to replace them with. I guess I'll need something with the same radius as 7.00-14 ones to keep the gearing OK. 195/70/15 commercial ones will probably do the trick, if they'll mount to a 4.5" rim. |
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EverettB Administrator
Joined: April 11, 2000 Posts: 69696 Location: Phoenix Metro
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2020 11:24 am Post subject: Re: Bus wheels - 14"/15"/16" |
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Yes, they don't sound original.
Yes, the speedometer gearing could be off.
From another thread
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There are 2 different speedometer gear ratios:
A Bus that used 15" wheels will have W0,77 stamped on the back.
A Bus that used 14" wheels will have W0,80 stamped on the back.
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Of course this assumes the speedometer has not been replaced. _________________ How to Post Photos
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cdennisg Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2004 Posts: 20217 Location: Sandpoint, ID
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2020 1:35 pm Post subject: Re: Bus wheels - 14"/15"/16" |
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EverettB wrote: |
Yes, they don't sound original.
Yes, the speedometer gearing could be off.
From another thread
Quote: |
There are 2 different speedometer gear ratios:
A Bus that used 15" wheels will have W0,77 stamped on the back.
A Bus that used 14" wheels will have W0,80 stamped on the back.
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Of course this assumes the speedometer has not been replaced. |
It also assumes that 60 year old speedo is anywhere near accurate. My old 65 Riviera with 195/60R15 tire up front was nearly dead on perfect at 60 MPH (yes, GPS verified). That tire was much smaller than stock diameter.
Getting the correct size and diameter tires is a good thing, just don't expect it to make your speedo read correctly. Might need it calibrated if it matters. _________________ nothing |
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YellowSplittie Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2003 Posts: 1167
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Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2020 5:21 pm Post subject: Re: Bus wheels - 14"/15"/16" |
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I have this 15" wheel with the valve stem on a lug hole, no slots, 4 inch wide, VW stamped, and with a date code that appears to be 6/55 (maybe 65?).
Smoothie with a valve stem on the lug hole?
Ideas?
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EmpiGT Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2005 Posts: 2597
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Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2020 5:55 pm Post subject: Re: Bus wheels - 14"/15"/16" |
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Looks like a bug or ghia wheel. |
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YellowSplittie Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2003 Posts: 1167
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Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2020 5:58 pm Post subject: Re: Bus wheels - 14"/15"/16" |
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EmpiGT wrote: |
Looks like a bug or ghia wheel. |
I thought that also but that valve stem location is odd. |
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livingskies Samba Member
Joined: April 18, 2020 Posts: 208 Location: Western Canada
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Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2020 6:50 pm Post subject: Re: Bus wheels - 14"/15"/16" |
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The rear wheels on my 1964 bus are 15 inch and the front wheels are 14 inch. The front rims have new tires on them, and I just bought three new 14 inch tires to match.
I have a few spare 15 inch rims but no spare 14 inch rims to put the new tires on. I checked both CIP1 and Concept 1; neither seems to sell a stock style 14 inch wheel. I would prefer original wheels, but would buy new wheels if necessary. Are these hard to find, or have I just not looked in the right places?
Thanks for any help. |
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cdennisg Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2004 Posts: 20217 Location: Sandpoint, ID
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Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2020 9:06 pm Post subject: Re: Bus wheels - 14"/15"/16" |
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livingskies wrote: |
The rear wheels on my 1964 bus are 15 inch and the front wheels are 14 inch. The front rims have new tires on them, and I just bought three new 14 inch tires to match.
I have a few spare 15 inch rims but no spare 14 inch rims to put the new tires on. I checked both CIP1 and Concept 1; neither seems to sell a stock style 14 inch wheel. I would prefer original wheels, but would buy new wheels if necessary. Are these hard to find, or have I just not looked in the right places?
Thanks for any help. |
Post up a wanted ad on here and on your local kijiji or whatever. 14" bus wheels are not too difficult to find, and Western Canada should be pretty easy pickins. _________________ nothing |
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livingskies Samba Member
Joined: April 18, 2020 Posts: 208 Location: Western Canada
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Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2020 10:57 pm Post subject: Re: Bus wheels - 14"/15"/16" |
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Thanks cdennisg. I now noticed that the front 14" wheels on the bus don't have the slots found on bus wheels. I suppose that means that they came from a Beetle??? Maybe I need four or five wheels, not just three? |
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cdennisg Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2004 Posts: 20217 Location: Sandpoint, ID
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Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2020 11:29 pm Post subject: Re: Bus wheels - 14"/15"/16" |
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livingskies wrote: |
Thanks cdennisg. I now noticed that the front 14" wheels on the bus don't have the slots found on bus wheels. I suppose that means that they came from a Beetle??? Maybe I need four or five wheels, not just three? |
Possibly thing wheels. Check the production dates stamped into them.
Better yet, show us a few pics.
EDIT: If your gallery is showing the wheels you are talking about, it looks like you have 15" bus wheels on the rear and 14" bus wheels up front. Those 14's have slots, just not as pronounced as the 15's. _________________ nothing |
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livingskies Samba Member
Joined: April 18, 2020 Posts: 208 Location: Western Canada
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Posted: Thu Nov 26, 2020 7:58 am Post subject: Re: Bus wheels - 14"/15"/16" |
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cdennisg - Thanks for that; I was looking for bigger slots like the back wheels have. So, if the two front wheels are bus wheels, I just need two more 14" wheels, plus one for the spare. So far, no luck finding any. |
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1970PAKombi Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2019 Posts: 264 Location: Denver, PA
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Posted: Sun May 15, 2022 2:40 pm Post subject: Re: Bus wheels - 14"/15"/16" |
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I was wondering if someone could help me with this one. Scored it today. Has the correct dimensions and is VW stamped. Missing any date code, says ‘T’. Resprayed. But again, is stamped and the correct dimensions. 15 inch by 5.
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oakman Samba Member
Joined: February 05, 2014 Posts: 1704 Location: Edge of the Desert, Ca
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Posted: Sun May 15, 2022 8:27 pm Post subject: Re: Bus wheels - 14"/15"/16" |
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1970PAKombi wrote: |
I was wondering if someone could help me with this one. Scored it today. Has the correct dimensions and is VW stamped. Missing any date code, says ‘T’. Resprayed. But again, is stamped and the correct dimensions. 15 inch by 5.
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It looks like a beetle wheel. There is a date stamp on there, sometimes they are hard to find under a couple of coats of paint. The date stamp is usually not as pronounced as the VW stamp. _________________ Brandon |
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1970PAKombi Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2019 Posts: 264 Location: Denver, PA
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Posted: Mon May 16, 2022 2:21 pm Post subject: Re: Bus wheels - 14"/15"/16" |
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Ok thank you so much! |
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