Purists might kill me but I'm thrilled with the wheel solution and I want to share. I decided to go with the 15" Bundt knock-offs from Maxilite:
http://shop.maxilite-wheels.com/en/felgen/mbba715
Not a bad deal at 150USD per and they actually look like decent quality even though they are cast and not forged. And I can find decent tires ( 215/65/15 with a 96 load rating — Cooper CS3 for $58 USD from Discount Tire).
TÜV approved according the manufacture which gives me some glimmer of assurance that they won't shear under hard cornering ;-) Center caps fit as well.
Can't wait to get the rubber mounted and get rid of the chrome wheels.
+1 to no chrome wheels. right up there next to chrome wheel arches.. ;D
$150 per wheel is a really good deal. They are $780 per set on eBay.
Excellent! I did the same and share your delight. I can't afford to be a purist anyway.
Quote from: rumb on 07 July 2018, 08:09 AM
+1 to no chrome wheels. right up there next to chrome wheel arches.. ;D
Yes! Removing those soon! What a shame that someone probably paid good money for those.. And probably paid good money to have those 14 inch wheels chromed :-)
Quote from: raueda1 on 07 July 2018, 12:58 PM
Excellent! I did the same and share your delight. I can't afford to be a purist anyway.
Same here. And I finally found an app to decrease image size of pictures taken by my iPhone. So here is a picture of the wheel for others who are interested. I'm impressed with the quality, actually. I hope the casting quality is just as good as the appearance quality is :-)
Also, I edited the original post and edit pictures of the markings and stampings on a wheel.
+2 on the no chrome wheels and arches.. ;D.
We better tell those 600 owners to peel off those awful chrome-plated wheel arches! How hideous and un-Mercedes-like!
(https://arthur-bechtel.com/fileadmin/_processed_/f/9/csm_MB_600_Pullmann_schwarz_1272__0314_d8bc55b368.jpg)
I'll be one defending chrome wheel arches. I think the cars actually look better and more complete with them. The ones I put on my car were listed on eBay for $490 plus shipping, and I talked the seller down a little bit. I think it looks so much better with them in place.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/parqj6oZCWofpkBIejcjSiC45kk0RHoqkt6LsJgdTd2gjKfPtw95BRKrzCDSmOI9Ws1u-CFgwqvLqsmvnNPW-zk6IAdib5bFfX7kvT_1T7m3g56ZjDBm6aW1DZGfjOHttAu3El1BiIBGx2M08wNAy8elE7i_sSjkCHmsSFL46VLZGqpIax91kN3opFdgXKHdTi56RGNPgptbU2sGuylRlaDn2P0AfHDl4Jak4MPUzamjzx13L9NLg_ZykdRIfxgS1efi01ShzvO5ReKTLYRH4wGHNvsosWcDPaP4pDxD9gtwdVaINmM0qaBEq4mMW9Qb5cuPEq25iK8B-DFcwKcNiN2sQ4DZHRdY0nG8ZUrRAE7sGKlKVPohdZXZ6NZFhS0N2t732EAc_x1jtlSSXkqT5R1RbfKZHxMnXvrDMNOj1-O9fy8exRkplQHaclJfQVdyIO44-_PU1vhjQtko2ZTvr6aWTcPpw3wcWmwOdkxeLlV_kGX5I4yYtmAsQdFEiXh_nP7XVKTxDgufqdLSEVIteLsce2iEqW4Bc3lh1ofaiyQ8eob_03GUMrPPgIqrrsQxypZWN8i95lKkCNUHcEygPSjbtVssFC1rkAD_iV7Y-I2HxRSs3sWtenTUDAytp25WGWomiGLshJUb1T9bjaZqg0RZc4Rg8eZQ=w800-h453-no)
As for chrome-plated bundt wheels, I think they look nice, but the chrome tends to peel off rather quickly. Then you have people that strip the paint off the wheel covers to make them all-chrome. Odd.
Must say, with the roof rack, and the white walls, it quite a different sight. But I don't think that -in my view- there's a way to make chrome wheels look good on any vintage MB. Good thing is that it absolutely don't matter what anyone thinks. We do as we please, what pleases us, that's what counts.
im sure none of us are driving the Nurburgring in our 40 year old 116s, so the quality will maybe never be an issue, however buying second rate after markets is not ideal. you don't want to find out and it be the last mistake you make for you or your car. the quality is in the little things, like how factory original forged wheels have the 'lips' where the wheel nuts go to strengthen them, preventing damage when the wheel nuts are torqued down. certainly understand the expense issue, but would not recommend after market copies to anyone.
https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/satz-mercedes-barock-zierblenden-w123-w108-w116-8-radkappen-neu/902322331-223-8097 ;D
Those are hilarious!
Quote from: Squiggle Dog on 07 July 2018, 07:54 PM
We better tell those 600 owners to peel off those awful chrome-plated wheel arches! How hideous and un-Mercedes-like!
(https://arthur-bechtel.com/fileadmin/_processed_/f/9/csm_MB_600_Pullmann_schwarz_1272__0314_d8bc55b368.jpg)
I'll be one defending chrome wheel arches. I think the cars actually look better and more complete with them. The ones I put on my car were listed on eBay for $490 plus shipping, and I talked the seller down a little bit. I think it looks so much better with them in place.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/parqj6oZCWofpkBIejcjSiC45kk0RHoqkt6LsJgdTd2gjKfPtw95BRKrzCDSmOI9Ws1u-CFgwqvLqsmvnNPW-zk6IAdib5bFfX7kvT_1T7m3g56ZjDBm6aW1DZGfjOHttAu3El1BiIBGx2M08wNAy8elE7i_sSjkCHmsSFL46VLZGqpIax91kN3opFdgXKHdTi56RGNPgptbU2sGuylRlaDn2P0AfHDl4Jak4MPUzamjzx13L9NLg_ZykdRIfxgS1efi01ShzvO5ReKTLYRH4wGHNvsosWcDPaP4pDxD9gtwdVaINmM0qaBEq4mMW9Qb5cuPEq25iK8B-DFcwKcNiN2sQ4DZHRdY0nG8ZUrRAE7sGKlKVPohdZXZ6NZFhS0N2t732EAc_x1jtlSSXkqT5R1RbfKZHxMnXvrDMNOj1-O9fy8exRkplQHaclJfQVdyIO44-_PU1vhjQtko2ZTvr6aWTcPpw3wcWmwOdkxeLlV_kGX5I4yYtmAsQdFEiXh_nP7XVKTxDgufqdLSEVIteLsce2iEqW4Bc3lh1ofaiyQ8eob_03GUMrPPgIqrrsQxypZWN8i95lKkCNUHcEygPSjbtVssFC1rkAD_iV7Y-I2HxRSs3sWtenTUDAytp25WGWomiGLshJUb1T9bjaZqg0RZc4Rg8eZQ=w800-h453-no)
As for chrome-plated bundt wheels, I think they look nice, but the chrome tends to peel off rather quickly. Then you have people that strip the paint off the wheel covers to make them all-chrome. Odd.
The difference between these two, in my opinion, is the cleanliness: The chrome trim on the 600 looks clean, and gives an unmarred look to the side of the car. If you removed the door ding guard, then the chrome around the wheel wells might look good, as it harkens back to the car above. Otherwise, I feel like the chrome trim just makes the car a bit too busy and gaudy.
Again, just my opinion, but the difference between the two cars is vast enough to make a comparison feel strained to me.
I didn't know about these 15" bundt replicas, I will have to strongly consider that. I've been thinking of what wheels to get for my 280S.
Re chrome fender arches, I can go either way, but I think they look a lot better in person than in pictures. My 6.9 came with them on, and my first reflex was to hate them, but they've grown on me and now I want to leave them on. I will say, though, they really should be paired with chrome bumpers IMHO.
I am also one of the few who like the chrome arches, I think it makes the cars more period correct looking as it was very much how cars looked back then, lots of chrome. On the astral silver I think it looks particularly good, as it gives a subtle pop to the silver paint, but then again I am biased on the astral silver paint side of things ::)
Most important is to ensure you have no rust devil lurking underneath. It is a good idea to remove them and check very thoroughly for rust, and to keep the lip under the wheel arch very clean. Mud can cake here and cause a nice rust surprise.
But as far as chrome wheels go, that is a hard no for me >:(
Me too. I think they look good and add a more period look.
The owner of my favorite workshop (Mercedes Benz classic partner!) uses the maxlites on his own W108 and is satisfied with the rims. And they are German TÜV approved, so they could not so bad