I have new center caps for newly refinished Mahle wheels painted for the Bumblebee. The caps that came with the car are from vwispwest a VW parts supplier. I don't see them from Porsche so who has the best example to the original? Also, the fit of the center is too tight to get them even started so I suspect material may need to be removed. I need some direction!

ISP West sells a repro billet aluminum, so you may need to turn them some to get them to fit properly, check with them first about the fitment problem to make sure that you got the proper ones (they may have larger ones to fit other wheels with bigger center holes.

For original type - Porsche Classics is making the factory ones again, but they are more pricey than the billet repros (billet is more sturdy for a DD IMHO).

Try either Sunset Porsche & Suncoast Porsche Parts Depts. for pricing on those, & you can see them on the main Porsche website, under the Classic Parts section to get the part no. & retail price (those 2 dealers should be less).

Make sure to have them give you best price for 4 from both single & "set of 4" - cuz Porsche Classic had priced the set more than each x4 for some odd reason (Jeff Bowlsby found that bass-ackwards quirk for us all).

PS >> http://www.classicshop.porsche.com/pcos-us.../wheels-brakes/

PSS >>> It looks like they solved the pricing discrepancy by removing the single cap item at their website, but still ask the dealers for best price between the set of 4 & 4x singles....
http://www.classicshop.porsche.com/pcos-us...cg36130307.html

Good Luck!

Cheers!
Tom
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Try 914rubber.com and keep it in the family

http://shop.914rubber.com/914-wheel-center-caps-914LCC.htm

The ISP ones fit on the back wheels, but I could never get them to fit on the fronts. They hit the grease caps.

Try 914 Rubber ones?

How is it possible that a company has the resources to manufacture an item
like these but doesn't bother or know enough to test fit them before distributing ?
You have to ruin them to find out they don't fit.

Purchase the 914rubber caps....I installed them on my '74. They're very nice and keep my original caps from getting damaged.

You just described half the reproduction market

I've bought some pretty expensive pieces of crap that get ruined as a result of trying to fit a part that wasn't manufactured correctly.

Helps if you buy them from guys that actually make them to fit thier cars.
You are also supporting our efforts to make more parts too.
We currently are pushing 400 parts!
There are a lot of small little inexpensive parts that we still need to make too!
I have yet to take a paycheck, Matt is also doing the same. Your support will allow us to do some pretty cool things.

If you have painted your Wheels that may also contribute to the caps not fitting? If the fit is in the less than 1 mm's range then a coat of paint or two will seriously eff that tolerance up....

My comment is not directed to 914rubber. I have most of the parts they make. Maybe 398 . All top notch. If they do make something that isn't quite right, it usually gets revised pretty quickly. Some other vendors have been selling the same crap, year after year and just transfer the pictures from a paper catalog to the internet. Same crap, different day.

Install them by finding PVC pipe adapters at Lowes or Home Depot to fit over the hub and catch the rim so you can gently tap them in with out denting up the cap.

Should be able to lightly apply pressure to install, and then still be able to remove.