9elf Posted 16July, 2018 Report Share Posted 16July, 2018 Hello all. Does anyone know of these simmons wheels? I can't seem to find any information on them anywhere. I am looking to getting them rebarrelled to suit my '77 narrow body as they are very light, but before I do, I was wondering if they were a quality worth investing in. I will ask the wheel restorer (Depulu on the Gold Coast) but I thought there may be some valuable knowledge here first. Q 1 - Specifically, I am wondering if they are genuine simmons as the font is in lower case and a known genuine set of simmons that I have are in upper case font. Q 2 - Are the centers aluminium or magnesium? Q 3 - Are the centers cast or forged? The only car I have ever (maybe) seen them is on Jim Richards turbo at the 2006 Targa Tasmania but I can't be sure it is them. Any information is greatly appreciated. Thank you. Craig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason A Posted 16July, 2018 Report Share Posted 16July, 2018 I am not sure that Simmons made that pattern. Can you supply a higher res picture and a few mores shots / angles. That would help the Id process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9elf Posted 16July, 2018 Author Report Share Posted 16July, 2018 I am having trouble uploading. Even small pics (32kb). I'll keep trying. Here is the Jim Richards car https://goo.gl/images/dpgb7c Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
81SC Posted 16July, 2018 Report Share Posted 16July, 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9elf Posted 16July, 2018 Author Report Share Posted 16July, 2018 Yes. Yes. Yes. I have been trying to post that picture for the last hour I have other pics but every time I try to post it says contact 'us' for assistance. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mph911 Posted 16July, 2018 Report Share Posted 16July, 2018 The wheels on Jim Richards car are different... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
81SC Posted 16July, 2018 Report Share Posted 16July, 2018 One with the great man himself, c'mon 9elf it's not that hard ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZ930 Posted 16July, 2018 Report Share Posted 16July, 2018 The option with Simmons is that you can have the centre with the outer on either the inside or outside giving a different appearance for the same centre. The top picture also has a stepped outer to increase the diameter.which also alters the appearance. In the bottom pic, the bolt centres are scooped, not square. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted 16July, 2018 Report Share Posted 16July, 2018 From memory those were the Simmons LE ,,,there were two versions made a street version and an ultra light race version this is why there is a different between them ....Jim Richards and others drivers ran them on GT3 ,s in the nations cup and other events like Targa ....Many Simmons were available in a race version due to the 3 piece construction of the wheels ,,,you could get thin light weight two piece rims and a light weight center .......many Group C touring cars used these wheels .. I used to Run several sets of Simmon wheels on my L34 BITD ,,,the B45 and V5 Style ,,,,I spent some time with them when they were in Alexandria getting the fit right on the car they were one of the very few wheel places who would do that for you ...eg custom offsets to allow you maximum tire with correct clearance .. Many top Touring car Drivers from the 80.s used Simmon simply because they could make some of the massive rims that drivers like Dick Johnson ,,Rusty french ,Allan Moffet etc required .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skidmarks Posted 16July, 2018 Report Share Posted 16July, 2018 4 hours ago, 9elf said: Hello all. Does anyone know of these simmons wheels? I can't seem to find any information on them anywhere. I am looking to getting them rebarrelled to suit my '77 narrow body as they are very light, but before I do, I was wondering if they were a quality worth investing in. I will ask the wheel restorer (Depulu on the Gold Coast) but I thought there may be some valuable knowledge here first. Q 1 - Specifically, I am wondering if they are genuine simmons as the font is in lower case and a known genuine set of simmons that I have are in upper case font. Q 2 - Are the centers aluminium or magnesium? Q 3 - Are the centers cast or forged? The only car I have ever (maybe) seen them is on Jim Richards turbo at the 2006 Targa Tasmania but I can't be sure it is them. Any information is greatly appreciated. Thank you. Craig. It’s not a Simmons I think. Small run 3 piece wheel. Richards used the both on Nations Cup and Targa cars. I ran them in Australian GT on my GT3. Incredibly light but mine were magnesium centers. I bought them second hand at the time. Had 3 sets. Being magnesium, they’re prone to cracking and will be probably be getting porous. If they are magnesium and you buy them, beware. Strip them and get them crack tested and try and do a deal with the vendor that if they don’t stack up, you get your money back otherwise they’ll be the worlds most expensive garden hose holders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9fan Posted 16July, 2018 Report Share Posted 16July, 2018 Why not contact http://www.simmonswheels.com.au/ in Sydney and send them details ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9elf Posted 17July, 2018 Author Report Share Posted 17July, 2018 Some more pics. Thank you to Orlando for helping me out with the uploads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timm Posted 17July, 2018 Report Share Posted 17July, 2018 Are you getting the barrels customs made? If so, who by? I'm planning to get a set of rims I have re barreled as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9elf Posted 17July, 2018 Author Report Share Posted 17July, 2018 Hi Timm. I am getting a quote today (hopefully) so i will let you know what that is. I was told it was going to be dear so i might not go ahead with it. The lips are 36 bolt simmons but, for some reason, the bolt holes are a smaller diameter than normal simmons. I may have to drill the centers out....... The wheel bloke told me Tempe (NSW) is the source of the barrels now. I feel these wheels will just sit in the garage forever...... doing nothing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted 17July, 2018 Report Share Posted 17July, 2018 23 hours ago, 9fan said: Why not contact http://www.simmonswheels.com.au/ in Sydney and send them details ? Sadly Simmons is not under the original ownership anymore ...............Tempe tires has it now and the years of personal service and knowledge has been lost,,,, Tempe tires main customer base is the Boy Racers and all that current car culture most of use shake our heads at ... Neals wheels in Sydney was restoring Simmons at one stage for the Group C race community who had many unique variants of their wheels I Beleive he had some of the original tooling ,,,,Neals may be able to offer some help ... http://www.nealewheels.com.au/services/services.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timm Posted 17July, 2018 Report Share Posted 17July, 2018 1 hour ago, 9elf said: Hi Timm. I am getting a quote today (hopefully) so i will let you know what that is. I was told it was going to be dear so i might not go ahead with it. The lips are 36 bolt simmons but, for some reason, the bolt holes are a smaller diameter than normal simmons. I may have to drill the centers out....... The wheel bloke told me Tempe (NSW) is the source of the barrels now. I feel these wheels will just sit in the garage forever...... doing nothing Thanks, I'll be interested to hear what you find. Also, for your information, in my research I came across a company in Melbourne called Whitehorse Industries who makes custom barrels for 3 piece wheels. I have not yet had any dealings with them, but may be worth a shot for you. Here is their website. https://www.threepiecewheels.com.au/custom-made-wheels.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason A Posted 18July, 2018 Report Share Posted 18July, 2018 I have dealt with Whitehorse a few times, good guys but allow a bit of time as they save the jobs and do them in batches. No affiliation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skidmarks Posted 18July, 2018 Report Share Posted 18July, 2018 On 7/17/2018 at 1:41 PM, 9elf said: Some more pics. Thank you to Orlando for helping me out with the uploads. They are definitely the ones I ran. And Simmons it seems although mine weren’t branded. Please make sure that if they are magnesium that it is sound ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9elf Posted 18July, 2018 Author Report Share Posted 18July, 2018 Thank you for the information skidmarks. It has been significantly better, and more valuable than anything that I have found on the internet. And Timm... I said I would get back to you but my wheel guy does not have any information today. It seems the smaller bolt diameter than a standard simmons is throwing up unknowns (still 36 bolt though). That, and the mysterious race LE design (as per skidmarks), is much of an undocumented beast. I can see these are going to be fast and light on my garage wall in the near future........ I appreciate the Australian PFA help. Thank you Craig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz7 Posted 18July, 2018 Report Share Posted 18July, 2018 There's also Barrel Bros in Sydney. Worth a phone call. http://www.barrel-bros.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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