| Author |
Message |
sshulk
Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2008
Posts: 694
Location: Succasunna, NJ
|
 Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 8:29 pm Post subject: Widened front fenders on a 73 super? Goofy? |
 |
|
I got some new wheels for my super beetle.
They are 15X7 with 1 inch adapter plaes.
The only problem is that they dont fit under the stock fenders.
The rear barley fit,
as i have to slightly roll the fenders.but the front pokle out 1 to 2 inches.
Will it look with weird with only 1 or 2 inch widened fender in the fron.
I know the front already looks a little wider cause the nose of the car is more narrow then the rear.
What do you all think?
_________________
17 years old
German Looker in the Making
73 Super Autostick OG paint Marina Blue
72 Super
60 Mango Ragtop Camper Bug Project Thread
63 Ragtop Project
73 Auto Westfalia
2056 Type 4 Engine Build Thread
Filthy Buggers |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
volksworld
Samba Member
Joined: November 26, 2011
Posts: 2529
Location: formerly NY currently NC
|
| Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2017 7:40 am Post subject: Re: Widened front fenders on a 73 super? Goofy? |
|
|
| just for the heck of it....super beetle front ends dont usually play well with rims with a lot of offset...think maybe i'd pull the fenders and drive it just to see how it behaved before i'd start doing body modifications....the guys with the "kafer cup" euro style cars run big rubber up front but i dont think there's very much stock super stuff up there when they're done |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
sshulk
Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2008
Posts: 694
Location: Succasunna, NJ
|
| Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2017 8:14 am Post subject: Re: Widened front fenders on a 73 super? Goofy? |
|
|
| volksworld wrote: |
| just for the heck of it....super beetle front ends dont usually play well with rims with a lot of offset...think maybe i'd pull the fenders and drive it just to see how it behaved before i'd start doing body modifications....the guys with the "kafer cup" euro style cars run big rubber up front but i dont think there's very much stock super stuff up there when they're done |
Yeah I have the super low kit from topline with sport springs. As well as a new Bigger Sway bar, But yes, I will see how it drives, once it works. D:
_________________
17 years old
German Looker in the Making
73 Super Autostick OG paint Marina Blue
72 Super
60 Mango Ragtop Camper Bug Project Thread
63 Ragtop Project
73 Auto Westfalia
2056 Type 4 Engine Build Thread
Filthy Buggers |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
joey1320
Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2006
Posts: 2325
Location: Cleveland, OH
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Buggeee
Samba Member
Joined: December 22, 2016
Posts: 4418
Location: Stuck in Ohio
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Rome
Samba Member
Joined: June 02, 2004
Posts: 9651
Location: Pearl River, NY
|
| Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2017 7:44 pm Post subject: Re: Widened front fenders on a 73 super? Goofy? |
|
|
| Quote: |
| I know the front already looks a little wider cause the nose of the car is more narrow then the rear. |
The front track on Super Beetles is approx. 3/4" wider than the rear track. Here's the page from the '73 owner's manual:
Too bad you have those thick spacers behind the rims which result in the wheels sticking out so far. Ideally you would get your front drums or discs drilled for the new rims' bolt hole pattern, but then you risk having the inside of the rims and tires contact your struts. Widened, especially flared fenders do give a "German look" to the car with those wheels. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
sshulk
Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2008
Posts: 694
Location: Succasunna, NJ
|
| Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2017 8:07 pm Post subject: Re: Widened front fenders on a 73 super? Goofy? |
|
|
Dont think getting rid of the adapter/spacers will work otherwise, i feel that the bolt coming off the spindle might hit. I have talked to jon @ topline about re drilling one of his kits to 4x100. He said he could do it. Here are some pics of the Bolt. Im not sure if it would just make it or not D: Maybe I could grind that stud down a little bit. In the rear, ditching the adapters would be perfect, and in the front the same as long as that bolt doesnt hit the wheels.
_________________
17 years old
German Looker in the Making
73 Super Autostick OG paint Marina Blue
72 Super
60 Mango Ragtop Camper Bug Project Thread
63 Ragtop Project
73 Auto Westfalia
2056 Type 4 Engine Build Thread
Filthy Buggers |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
sshulk
Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2008
Posts: 694
Location: Succasunna, NJ
|
| Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2017 8:22 pm Post subject: Re: Widened front fenders on a 73 super? Goofy? |
|
|
@joey1320 Those wheels look nice!!!!
_________________
17 years old
German Looker in the Making
73 Super Autostick OG paint Marina Blue
72 Super
60 Mango Ragtop Camper Bug Project Thread
63 Ragtop Project
73 Auto Westfalia
2056 Type 4 Engine Build Thread
Filthy Buggers |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Maddel
Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2013
Posts: 935
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
vwkirb
Samba Member
Joined: January 16, 2007
Posts: 812
Location: Athens, GA
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2017 8:42 am Post subject: Re: Widened front fenders on a 73 super? Goofy? |
|
|
Welcome to the world of rims, tires and a super beetle. Do yourself a favor go through the whole front end at once! Pick your rim and tire size and go from there.
It's a headache if you dont, i replaced a damaged fender on my super with a factory fender on my car... now it rubs, dough!
If anything its frustrating, wider fenders are a must if you are using the usual VW scene wheels, if you get into the other high offset wheels you are going to need different struts.
_________________
Andrew Kirby |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Buggeee
Samba Member
Joined: December 22, 2016
Posts: 4418
Location: Stuck in Ohio
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2017 10:42 am Post subject: Re: Widened front fenders on a 73 super? Goofy? |
|
|
| sshulk wrote: |
Dont think getting rid of the adapter/spacers will work otherwise, i feel that the bolt coming off the spindle might hit. I have talked to jon @ topline about re drilling one of his kits to 4x100. He said he could do it. Here are some pics of the Bolt. Im not sure if it would just make it or not D: Maybe I could grind that stud down a little bit. In the rear, ditching the adapters would be perfect, and in the front the same as long as that bolt doesnt hit the wheels.
|
SSHulk has the Topline struts under there so the width of the springs won't stop him from bringing in the wheels by eliminating the space now occupied by the adapter plate (effectively changing the offset).
SSH - I've got 5.5" on my 72 with the topline kit, disks, etc, flipped tie rods... The wheels are offset in a way that tucks them under the stock fender (which has been rolled a bit).
But... the ball joint bolt you are concerned about is close enough to knock off rim wheel weights, so my fronts are now balanced with stick on weights further inside. Its really close. The bolt is riding inside that little lip at the bead of the rim, but it does not rub on the side or on the bottom of the lip. (barely!!!). Its tucked in there.
So... if yours is also 15 inch wheel, the lip should clear the end of the bolt. Measure from the inside of your rim to the side of the nut and bolt and compare that to the depth of your spacer to see if they will interfere without the spacer.
I also found my wheels scuffing on the disk brake caliper, so I ground down the caliper a bit with a flap disk and also took some stamping excess off the inside of the front wheels with the flap disk too. Its in there now. 
Good luck!!!
_________________
1966 Sportsmobile Camper https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
72 Super Duper http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=672387
(adopted out) 61 Turkis Pile https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728764
| SnowDaySyncro wrote: |
| Every setback is an opportunity to learn stuff and to buy new tools. |
Last edited by Buggeee on Tue Dec 12, 2017 10:48 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
joey1320
Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2006
Posts: 2325
Location: Cleveland, OH
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2017 10:43 am Post subject: Re: Widened front fenders on a 73 super? Goofy? |
|
|
| sshulk wrote: |
| @joey1320 Those wheels look nice!!!! |
Well thank you. My brother found them "brand new/in box" on Craigslist. All four wheels, never mounted. Stamped USA Made, 1992.
Fellow member Buggeee said he has some flared fiberglass fenders I can try. Now I'm going for the Käfer Cup look.
_________________
**1971 Super Project
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
Last edited by joey1320 on Tue Dec 12, 2017 11:43 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
sshulk
Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2008
Posts: 694
Location: Succasunna, NJ
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2017 11:39 am Post subject: Re: Widened front fenders on a 73 super? Goofy? |
|
|
| joey1320 wrote: |
| sshulk wrote: |
| @joey1320 Those wheels look nice!!!! |
Well thank you. My brother found them "brand new/in box" on Craigslist. All four wheels, never mounted. Stamped USA Made, 1992.
Fellow member Buugee said he has some flared fiberglass fenders I can try. Now I'm going for the Käfer Cup look.
|
Same here, I love the look!
_________________
17 years old
German Looker in the Making
73 Super Autostick OG paint Marina Blue
72 Super
60 Mango Ragtop Camper Bug Project Thread
63 Ragtop Project
73 Auto Westfalia
2056 Type 4 Engine Build Thread
Filthy Buggers |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
sshulk
Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2008
Posts: 694
Location: Succasunna, NJ
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2017 11:50 am Post subject: Re: Widened front fenders on a 73 super? Goofy? |
|
|
@Buggeee Im pretty sure my wheel weights are more inward towards the center, but I will double check when I get home soon!!
_________________
17 years old
German Looker in the Making
73 Super Autostick OG paint Marina Blue
72 Super
60 Mango Ragtop Camper Bug Project Thread
63 Ragtop Project
73 Auto Westfalia
2056 Type 4 Engine Build Thread
Filthy Buggers |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ashman40
Samba Member
Joined: February 16, 2007
Posts: 15985
Location: North Florida, USA
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2017 12:25 pm Post subject: Re: Widened front fenders on a 73 super? Goofy? |
|
|
| Buggeee wrote: |
| But... the ball joint bolt you are concerned about is close enough to knock off rim wheel weights, so my fronts are now balanced with stick on weights further inside. Its really close. The bolt is riding inside that little lip at the bead of the rim, but it does not rub on the side or on the bottom of the lip. (barely!!!). Its tucked in there. |
It really matters which wheels you are running.
Here are pics of a STD Beetle w/ dropped spindles... I know you have a SB but the point I'm trying to make is the same....
There are stock steel wheels which have thin stamped steel lips at the edge of the wheel where the tires seat. Notice there is just enough clearance between the ball joint and the 15" wheel.
This is an alloy wheel with thicker wheels (smaller ID) at the edge where the tires seat. This means less clearance for the same diameter wheels.
Often the wheels need to be pushed out just because the ball joints cannot fit inside the ID of the wheels. In such cases it is often necessary to upgrade to 16" or 17" wheels which give you tons of clearance between the suspension and the wheel. But they come with their own problems (wrong offset and larger wheel widths).
_________________
AshMan40
---------------------------
'67 Beetle #1 {project car that never made it to the road  }
'75 Beetle 1200LS (RHD Japan model) {junked due to frame rot}
'67 Beetle #2 {2019 project car - Wish me luck!} |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
mark tucker
Samba Member
Joined: April 08, 2009
Posts: 23937
Location: SHALIMAR ,FLORIDA
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2017 4:54 pm Post subject: Re: Widened front fenders on a 73 super? Goofy? |
|
|
| go wide.it looks goofy with out them....stupid too...like a yingyang driftwantaknoby with a SS fart can...you dont have a SS fart can do ya?? wish I had $ to throw at new wheels.. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
sshulk
Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2008
Posts: 694
Location: Succasunna, NJ
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2017 5:00 pm Post subject: Re: Widened front fenders on a 73 super? Goofy? |
|
|
Ok Ashman. Thanks. Since im upgrading to discs. I will if they fit and if not, i will purchase spacers. I run 4x100 wheels so im having john. Drill the holes to 4x100. Vs 4x130
_________________
17 years old
German Looker in the Making
73 Super Autostick OG paint Marina Blue
72 Super
60 Mango Ragtop Camper Bug Project Thread
63 Ragtop Project
73 Auto Westfalia
2056 Type 4 Engine Build Thread
Filthy Buggers |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Buggeee
Samba Member
Joined: December 22, 2016
Posts: 4418
Location: Stuck in Ohio
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Maddel
Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2013
Posts: 935
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
sb001
Samba Member
Joined: May 19, 2011
Posts: 10406
Location: NW Arkansas
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
