Wheel fitment for Empi Wilwood brakes on Type 3

[TheGrafs]

Hey there Samba! A few years back I decided to upgrade to the Wilwood brake kit for the Type 3 on my squareback. Well worth the upgrade, these work incredibly well! These were a collaboration with Empi and they fit type 1 applications as well. I decided to buy mine bare to paint and color matched them, and applied decals I made on my vinyl cutter!

At the time, I was running these white stockies that came with my fastback and I went to mount them on the car, there was a bulge on the inner barrels of both wheels around where the valve stem was that didnt clear the caliper. I am aware of the different offsets between Type 1 and Type 3 stock steelies, but I couldnt find a stamping on these. Here's a pic of them on the car before the wilwoods.

Here's how they hit the caliper.

So the classic painters mistake, fit before paint didnt happen and I went wild and did this.

So then I decided to switch wheels again and try my freshly painted Marathon/ Baja Champion SE wheels, an ET34 offset like other type 1 applications. The way the spokes wrap into the barrel, No dice. Wheel wouldnt even turn past each spoke.

So I resorted to running my Superior industries Volks Mags or Turtleback wheels, and aside from rubbing on the sticky weight on the inner barrel, no clearance issues!

So then the fun house began and I checked every wheel in my collection.

My Ronal Kleeblatt's (Pre-restoration)

My Lemmerz Sprint Stars (pardon the bird-poo)

Sprint Star backside

A stock wheel I had I believe to be a correct type 3 steelie, cant see the stamping due to paint filling it in, but fits better than those cream colored steelies that came with my fasty. No "Bulge" around where the valve stem was.

And even this Lemmerz Super Beetle GT wheel I had one of I tried for fun.

This thread is more or less for reference for those considering this brake upgrade and my trial and error of wheel fitment and painting.

Feel free to share your experiences!
_________________
1957 Oval Semaphore Beetle
1964 Notchback S
1966 Fastback
1970 Squareback

Youtube: GrafsGarage3
Instagram: GrafsGarage

[TheGrafs]

Sherlock cracked the code and Im sure to most with more wheel knowledge, this is a known fact…. Some steel wheels have indents near the valve stem, and a bulge on the back side like I mentioned earlier. While going through my stack on wheels to paint for my fasty, I ran into it first hand, then compared them to the white wheels from my fasty.

Without the bulge

With the bulge

Any information guru’s know the difference? Different years possibly?
_________________
1957 Oval Semaphore Beetle
1964 Notchback S
1966 Fastback
1970 Squareback

Youtube: GrafsGarage3
Instagram: GrafsGarage

[stonewood]

So which rim is now your favorite and works with the Wilwood system?
I also thinkig about to change in the future the brake system to a Wilwood system.
_________________
1977 Karmann Mobil
1967 1300L beetle

[TheGrafs]

[stonewood]

I'm looking forward which combination do you take on your car.
_________________
1977 Karmann Mobil
1967 1300L beetle

[Teeroy]

I'm running the EMPI repo 4 lug Gas Burners on my 80 Ghia and Wilwood calipers, clear fine with no spacers. I'm using balance beads, so not sure if external weights would clear

_________________
Pres. Rivercity VW Club www.rcvwclub.org
Founder Derr Wheat Panzers (DWP)
ARR #3
www.autosportsnorthwest.org

[stonewood]

Do you have pictures with gasburners and the Wilwood calipers about the space between?
_________________
1977 Karmann Mobil
1967 1300L beetle

[Teeroy]

No, but it's on the lift now I'll see if I can get some decent shots when I go out to the shop today
_________________
Pres. Rivercity VW Club www.rcvwclub.org
Founder Derr Wheat Panzers (DWP)
ARR #3
www.autosportsnorthwest.org

[Teeroy]

Here you go

_________________
Pres. Rivercity VW Club www.rcvwclub.org
Founder Derr Wheat Panzers (DWP)
ARR #3
www.autosportsnorthwest.org

[stonewood]

Thanks for the pictures.
Looks like there is a lot of space between the rim and the caliper.
_________________
1977 Karmann Mobil
1967 1300L beetle

[Teeroy]

Yes there is, they stick out a lot less than the stock caliper
_________________
Pres. Rivercity VW Club www.rcvwclub.org
Founder Derr Wheat Panzers (DWP)
ARR #3
www.autosportsnorthwest.org