Aircooled VW South Africa

I saw a beetle with these rims parked in a parking lot recently:

I've seen them on a few Beetles. I don't know who made them but I call them Empi 10s. I like them.

From what I can gather they were made by Tiger wheels when Eddie Keizan started making wheels.
I have seen a 15 inch version as well once. These were made in 13inch
I have a set if anyone is interested
Armand

Almost looks like the old Cyclones.

The Cyclone wheel had a few spokes less, and was chromed steel. Didi's rim has a casted aluminium center

Did Smith's Wheels not also make a similar wheel?

Smith's were seriously into the manufacture of steel wheels where Tiger has always specialised in Aluminium wheels.

BTW check the price of the wheels in the ad.

Oh, where are the days of R7.20 for 39 liters of petrol, new Beetle 1600L for R2365.00 and new Kawasaki Z650 for R1600, drive-in tickets for 35c per person .......

jmvv wrote:Did Smith's Wheels not also make a similar wheel?

Smith's were seriously into the manufacture of steel wheels where Tiger has always specialised in Aluminium wheels.

BTW check the price of the wheels in the ad.

Oh, where are the days of R7.20 for 39 liters of petrol, new Beetle 1600L for R2365.00 and new Kawasaki Z650 for R1600, drive-in tickets for 35c per person .......

And a monthly paycheque of R100-R400

IMPI wrote:From what I can gather they were made by Tiger wheels when Eddie Keizan started making wheels.
I have seen a 15 inch version as well once. These were made in 13inch
I have a set if anyone is interested
Armand

Hi Armand
Is there any markings inside the rims?

Those rims look good!!

Did the early Tiger wheels also have a steel hoop with a sand-cast ally centre? If memory serves this is what Smiths did to. I have had a close look at an old set and the quality of the casting really isn't that great - inclusions, porosity etc.
I have been toying with the idea of setting up something to produce some wheels using a similar method, and am talking to a guy to do a proper 3D modelling/FES exercise to check out the viability. Don't know what X-raying of each individual casting will cost, but would probably be neccesary given the crudeness of the casting method.

What I have in mind would be a peened finished trying to replicate the look of early magnesium race wheels. Two piece construction would allow more options for back spacing/offset. Maybe even diameter on certain designs as the inner would be turned down to tolerance in a lathe anyway.

Some non VW wheel bla-bla - Amazing how many 60's and 70's aftermarket rims were made in 13 inch. And fitted with 165/80/13 dunlops or stones. A few cars that had 15 inch rims as std converted to 13 inch aftermarket rims - for Renault you could get delta's or AMW's. The latter's centres were cast at the back of Angelos workshop in craighall and machined up to fit steel rims that he bought from Guestro. Centeres were firstly bolted on , but the Jhb roadworthy dept failed them so the later ones were riveted.

R100-00 for a set of four, unpainted.

I bought the very last set he made before ceasing manufacture in 1981 for the second Gordini I built.