early 5-lug discs

Monday, 14-Feb-2000 11:04:48

Good for you that you're also thinking of slowing down your soon-to-be very fast Beetle. The normal brakes will be woefully inadequate!

A company in northern Germany named Custom & Speed Parts has developed a fine, top-quality front disc brake kit for early 5-lug Beetles.

The kit can be viewed at their website www.customspeedparts.com, then click on CSP Produkte, then on Scheibenbremsen. The text is in

German, but if you email them in english they'll respond in english as well. The kit has earned the approval of Germany's strict TUeV

licensing organisation, so that it is fully approved for street use. If I remember some recent ads in German VW magazines, the kit runs around

1500 Deutschmarks, or about $800. They can air-freight it to the states. I think they also offer a rear wheel disc brake setup, which includes

the emergency brakes. Even though the price seems very high, just remember the priceless cost of your life, and the safety and stability of

your car. Good luck and success with your project.

Roland Metz

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Re: Better Binders

Monday, 14-Feb-2000 11:46:32

There are two U.S companies that are oh-so-close to bringing them out, as well. The rotors will be cast iron, and pretty heavy, so they will

withstand the rigors of street driving.

Dave Cormack

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Re: Uhh, how about 5 lug PorscheBetter Binders

Monday, 14-Feb-2000 12:13:17

I just ran across a 356C trans complete with disc brakes. I believe that they are adaptable to a swing bug. Then you can use Porshe chromies

all around with the standard Ghia discs on the front drilled to Porsche 5 on 130mm bolt circle. I keep lookig at my car setting with its

Porsche steelies on it and know that this would be really way Kool!

Tom H.

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Re: Re: Uhh, how about 5 lug PorscheBetter Binders

Monday, 14-Feb-2000 18:01:27

I met someone last summer who had the 356 axle tubes and stuff who was going to do the swap; it looked like a straight-forward bolt on, but

there is probably a little more to it than that!

Craig Merrow

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Re: Tom - Porsche Chromies

Monday, 14-Feb-2000 17:15:46

Hey Tom, thanks for the info. I'm not super familiar with all of the available Porsche wheels. Of course I've know 5 spoke alloys and 2

litre's. Are you saying that Porsche has a steel chromie that looks like the early wide pattern 5 lug VW stock wheels but with a bolt pattern

that is similiar to the 5 spoke Porsche alloys. Are these what came on the 356's? If so, who sells them? That would definitely solve my

problem.

Thanks for your help.

Adam12

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Re: Re: 912s, early 911s, 356Cs

Monday, 14-Feb-2000 19:17:26

had steel spares, 15x4.5, and 912s had 15x5.5 chromies, 356C's had the new steelies (and alloys)on the disc brakes. The hole pattern is a

little different, it has an embossed(raised)detail around the hole, very kool, and they are getting scarce. I picked up 2 chromies for $10,

needing rechromed, and I have picked up spares and powdercoated them. Hub caps I haven't looked at yet. In "The old days" the center under

the hubcap was painted so it saved on the polishing. That was picked up by the SoCal people and used on early bugs that went capless

running wide 5 Porsche wheels. But I think the early Porsche caps for these wheels would be kool. Also there are disc brakes available for

front and rear with this bolt pattern for a Very Reasonable price here in the states.

This is how a wheel shop replates them. The welds are ground off to dismantle the wheel, then its sent to be replated, and then welded back

together, something a good home hobbist could probably do. Or a different outer can be put on them for a different width, off sets can also be

changed but stock they are the same as a VW wheel. The only real draw back is they are heavier than an alloy, but they are neat. I may to do a

set for my Notch someday, after I tire of the Perginis, yeah right! well maybe. when I'm old. and I don't live in the rain capital.

Food for thought

Tom H.

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Re: Better Binders

Friday, 18-Feb-2000 08:09:48

Adam, if you contact me with an e-mail address I will send you some info on d/brake kits front and rear for wide lugs that are made here, in

Australia, by John Sherman. Our design rules are pretty strict and these conversions are legal here. The exchange rate favours you and incl

freight to the States should be cheaper than the German kit while still high quality items. We will be using these on our own bug.

Regards

Paul McIlwraith

Paul McIlwraith [email protected]

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Re: Some weights

Sunday, 20-Feb-2000 12:00:07

The 914/T3 hub & rotor conversion weighs 15 pounds, no caliper, no adaptor. The T3 drum brake, complete w/ all parts & ready to

rock(with 4 loonnnggg studs), weighs 24 pounds, just for a comparison, I am bolting them on today( I will be putting CBs on the back of my

Notch when I figure out the E brake cable length required). I would have to pull the 2 pc. CBs off my Bug to weigh them but I can guarantee

they got to weigh 3-4 pounds more. They used the same rotor but a seriously over built hub (no worry about breakage!). The caliper CB uses

is lighter than a 914 but I don't have one here to weigh, I don't use 25-30 year old calipers anymore. Like I have said B4, the late CB stuff

makes sense (and More braking power) than the 914 conversions. My dos centavos.

Tom H.