Help authenticating Steel Center Aluminum Rim Riveted Wheels
Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 7:18 pm
Hello - as always, I am appreciative of the knowledge base here.
I have been approached to sell a set of Porsche wheels. My first goal is to make sure exactly what they are (real or reproduction etc) so I can price and sell them accurately to an informed buyer.
They have 19 rivets from the steel centers to the aluminum rims, and are stamped KPZ (for Kronprinz of course).
Anyway, they are all dated 11/62 on the centers, so if they are race wheels, likely RS 61 or RSK and not a 550. However, a few things are making some red flags wave. They have vintage street tires on them - no biggie either way, as they could have been used by a street racer enthusiast, but the aluminum rims look very, very clean. Too clean, you know - at least for race wheels that would have been used on a race car and subject to lug wrenchs, being thrown around and tire changes with hand tools. The current caretaker admits to polishign them, but I would think they might have some more dings and dents. Also, all the centers have hub cap clips. Even if they were authentic race wheels that were somehow gotten into the hands of an SCCA racer or street racer - I don't think they would have *added* hub cap clips, and I don't think the factory would have made them with clips?? Did the factory ever sell them to anyone?
Has anyone ever produced a run or reproductions using genuine centers? Were race wheels only one brand (like Kronprinz or Lemmerz etc)?
Any other help would be welcomed.
I'll be posting some of the limited photos I have soon.
I have been approached to sell a set of Porsche wheels. My first goal is to make sure exactly what they are (real or reproduction etc) so I can price and sell them accurately to an informed buyer.
They have 19 rivets from the steel centers to the aluminum rims, and are stamped KPZ (for Kronprinz of course).
Anyway, they are all dated 11/62 on the centers, so if they are race wheels, likely RS 61 or RSK and not a 550. However, a few things are making some red flags wave. They have vintage street tires on them - no biggie either way, as they could have been used by a street racer enthusiast, but the aluminum rims look very, very clean. Too clean, you know - at least for race wheels that would have been used on a race car and subject to lug wrenchs, being thrown around and tire changes with hand tools. The current caretaker admits to polishign them, but I would think they might have some more dings and dents. Also, all the centers have hub cap clips. Even if they were authentic race wheels that were somehow gotten into the hands of an SCCA racer or street racer - I don't think they would have *added* hub cap clips, and I don't think the factory would have made them with clips?? Did the factory ever sell them to anyone?
Has anyone ever produced a run or reproductions using genuine centers? Were race wheels only one brand (like Kronprinz or Lemmerz etc)?
Any other help would be welcomed.
I'll be posting some of the limited photos I have soon.