Wheels of fortune

Introduced almost 60 years ago, the Speedwell BRM wheel helped shape the California Look. VolksWorld was recently invited to a special event to celebrate the magnesium treasure

Words and pics: Stephan Szantai

Volkswagen owners were limited in their choice of aftermarket wheels in the 1950s. The only real option was those from the sporty, and expensive at the time, Porsche 356, which shares the 5 x 205mm bolt pattern. During the ’60s, however, the aftermarket wheel market exploded, and numerous American companies began offering custom wheels, such as the hugely popular Cragar S/S. Yet they had several drawbacks for use on a VW, starting with the fact they were a different bolt pattern! The offset was also completely wrong as they were designed for use on much larger US market cars. They still found their way onto numerous VWs, via the use of wheel adapters, but they widened the track further still. Not a popular look today, for sure. Eventually, a number…

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VolksWorld (Digital) - 1 Issue, April/May 2025

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