Pedrini Alloy Wheels

Looking at some 1970-1972 OEM Porsche 914 Pedrini alloy wheels. Pelican site says early ones (and most are) will not fit later hub centric. I'm looking to use them on my CMC Classic Speedster with Ghia front disks and VW drum rear brakes. Will I run into a hub centric problem? - assume my speedster is lug centric. Do I need to use the long 914 lug bolts -- they appear very very long. The OEM steel lug bolts are longer than the VW lug bolts - assume they would be long enough and the longer 914 ones are required only for the 914 discs?

www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/914_wheel_types/914_wheel_types.htm

This British site seems to indicate they will fit with no problem:
www.vwjava.com/page5.html

Check on Ebay I think there is a set there at the moment.

I'd disregard the info on the British site. They have Super Beetles with disk brakes, drive on the left, and have a different word for the letter "Z" . . . they just can't be trusted, I say.

Your rear drums are lug centric, the wheels will mount no problem, check your front rotors for the cast in boss in the center which contacts the wheel center. If it's there, the rotors are hub centric, if not, you're all set to go. You can replace the rotors with lug centric ones easy peasy. Sell of the others/originals on The Sam,ba or here.

You HAVE to use the long bolts! They're expensive, but they're necessary! Totally! Don't mess around with wheel and suspension stuff. Gotta do it right.

Oh, those wheels are just BEAUTIFUL!! Great choice!!!!

Luck,

TC

As a proud subject of the sceptred isle I have only one word...

al - u - min - I - um

I also make sure that my second grader and kindergartener both state the correct promounciation for the letter Z. I even heard one of their friends use the same enounciation the other day, so it seems there may be hope yet for my colonial cousins ;-)

I won't even address the statements about driving on the left hand side of the road.

However, I do agree with all the other stuff.

Jim.

Hey Jim,

Where in England do you live? I own a cottage in Devon and just LOVE the whole area. Lots of friends in London (central) and Birmingham as well.

TC

TC,

At the moment I am not actually a full-time resident of Albion, instead my family and I are enjoying the pleasures of Ann Arbor and Michigan. We've been here almost 4 years and so far have no plans to move back.

It's funny you mention those areas in England; prior to moving here we lived in East London, I also grew up in Worcester just to the south of Birmingham and, lastly, spent 3 wonderful years in Exeter whilst attending university (although I think it's safe to say that my second year was spent either on the beach at Exmouth, or wandering about on Dartmoor).

Unfortunately, we don't get the chance to go back as much as I would like. But, we always have plenty of visitors who make sure we have a steady supply of PG tips tea bags, HP brown sauce, Branston pickle and Marmite (or, as one of my neighbours called it, "butt paste", I guess it's an acquired taste).

As you may have read from a post from Ben Gulley, I have bought his unfinished CMC and am now awaiting with barely disguised anticipation its impending delivery.

Cheers,

Jim.

Yeah,

We call it Butt Butter . . . same thing . . .

TC

Picked the wheels up yesterday and they are lug centric so will fit. Where the hub fits is enlarged so clears everything. Anyone got a bucket of walnut shells to media blast them? Can I use a normal sand blaster but with some other media? I plan to polish the rim (so as to remove some curb rash) and polish the few ribs but leave thje rest flat mat finish. Fortunately they came with all 16 lug nuts - but 2 of the hub center covers are toast (others are rough too).

Wolfgang,

Just remember that I've got dibs when you decide to sell those beauties!

My sand blaster will handle most everything from sand/black beauty right on up to media blasting, but with wheels like those you ought to turn to a professional. When you blast alloy/aluminum you "open" the surface and this has to be refinished through buffing in order to keep the wheels from salting up once exposed to the elements again. Talk to or have a pro shop do them up for you, even if you have to ship them out. They're too rare and beautiful not to done up right,

Besides, I kind of like my wheels to be done up correctly.

Luck,

TC