Borrani knock offs

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matt
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Borrani knock offs

Post by matt »

I decided to remove and polish my Borrani wheels. Twenty five hours total time invested, but they look great. I used Mothers billit polish, great product. Like most Ferrari projects, I opened another can of worms. This concerns the chrome knock offs. I have discovered two types exist. One has a cavallino in the center, and others have the Borrani hand emblem. I have the hand emblem. Does anyone know what Ferrari supplied when these were ordered as an option? Thanks, Matt
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tyang
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Post by tyang »

There are also two sizes. I believe our 275GTB has the narrower size (38s?) while the other size is 42.

Tom
'63 330 America #5053
rschmoll
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Post by rschmoll »

I know there are two types of the 42mm with the hand emblem on them. One with a concave face, and the other with a convex.

I have seen the concave face on 250 GTEs

I have seen the convex face on 250 spyder californias
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David Smith
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Post by David Smith »

I think that the 275 is the same as the 330GTC which has the 32 size. There are also strraight eared and angled eared knockoffs. I have the straight eared version for my car which has a convex center with prancing horse.
1967 330 GTC #9313
matt
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Post by matt »

The 275 does use the 32mm. The mag wheels usually have the straight ear knock off with the convex horse on them. The Borrani wire wheels use the curved ear knock off. Those straight ear centers are very delicate and difficult to restore because the material is so thin. I hope someone can reproduce them someday.
Stephanm
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Post by Stephanm »

I believe that some of the big-time restoration shops are re-producing the stamping as too many have been polished smoooth from inconsidrate chrome plating outfits. Contact Wayne Obrey's place in Wisconson as he must know the source.
jsa330
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Re: Borrani knock offs

Post by jsa330 »

matt wrote:I decided to remove and polish my Borrani wheels. Twenty five hours total time invested, but they look great. I used Mothers billit polish, great product. Like most Ferrari projects, I opened another can of worms. This concerns the chrome knock offs. I have discovered two types exist. One has a cavallino in the center, and others have the Borrani hand emblem. I have the hand emblem. Does anyone know what Ferrari supplied when these were ordered as an option? Thanks, Matt
Matt:

What's "Mother's billit polish"?

In lieu of a complete wheel restoration, I am going to renew the paint on my spokes and hubs, in a dull stainless finish, polish out the rims to as high as I can, and get the knockoffs restored.

My knockoffs have the hand, and I don't have any reason to believe that they're not original to the car.

Maybe the cavallino was on later cars?

Thanks,

Scott
Current: 1983 308 GTS
R.I.P: 330 2+2 s/n 5409
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tyang
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Post by tyang »

Here is a picture of the later concave 42 Borrani that are correct for late 250GTEs, 330 Americas, and 330GT 2+2s. They are probably correct for Lussos as well:
Image
They have the "Route Borrani" hand symbol on them.
'63 330 America #5053
eve23
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Post by eve23 »

i had borrani wheels and knock offs restored by precision wire wheel.....cork did a fantastic job...
the re-etching of the prancing knock-offs is amazing...better than new....
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tyang
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Post by tyang »

Here's a shot of the earlier convex 42 sized knockoff. I've seen these on Early 250GTEs, and I believe they are also found on PF Coupes. Can anybody confirm that they are correct for SWBs?
Image
Image

Cork Adams did a great job on my knock offs as well.

Tom
'63 330 America #5053
Ruedi
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Post by Ruedi »

I can't help much with info about the spinners but you may find the following trivia useful:

The hand with the spokes is from Rudge, not Borrani. Rudge figured out the lacing about 100 years ago. Borrani licensed the design and included the hand as a credit to Rudge.

The "RW" designation probably refers to Rudge-Withworth. Rudge for the lacing and Withworth for the thread and/or spline pattern.

The hub number (32, 42, 52, etc.) refers to the Rudge design type, not any measurements or the number of splines or other meaningful information. The numbers may as well have been 17 or 563 or 1066 or any number from the previous week's lottery -- except, of course, that 42 is the answer to everything. Rudge, too, must have been hitch-hiking the galaxy.

The wheel information I have collected from Borrani brochures about Ferraris is as follows:

Code: Select all

Car Model                                     Wheel Size     Hub   Wheel No.
FERRARI 166/212                            15 x 400 (4.00?)		
FERRARI 212                                    15 x 5½K       42    RW 2841
FERRARI 250                                    5½ x 15        42    RW 3721
FERRARI 250 GR 2+2 - 250 GTO ant.              6L x 15        42    RW 3690
FERRARI 250 GT                                5½K x 400       42    RW 3598
FERRARI 250 GT - 365 GT - BB512                7½ x 15        42    RW 4075
FERRARI 250 GT - 508 GT freno-disco            5½ x 16        42    RW 3526
FERRARI 250 GT 2+2                             5½ x 15        42    RW 3591
FERRARI 250 GT Europa - Vignale 1948           5K x 15        42    RW 2924
FERRARI 250 GT freno-tamburo                   5½ x 16        42    RW 3264
FERRARI 250 GTO - Ant.                         15 x 6L        42    RW 3711
FERRARI 250 GTO - Post. - SWB                  15 x 6½L       42    RW 3715
FERRARI 250 GTO - Post. (cont)                 15 x 7½L       42    RW 3808
FERRARI 250 LM ant.                            6L x 15        32    RW 3770
FERRARI 250 LM post.                           7½ x 15        32    RW 3807
FERRARI 250 Testarossa 1958                    5½ x 16        42    RW 3019
FERRARI 250 Testarossa 1958                    5K x 16        42    RW 3077
FERRARI 250/GT 2+2                             15 x 5½K       42    RW 3591
FERRARI 250/GT 2+2 - 250 GTO post. e 330/GT    15 x 6½L       42    RW 3801
FERRARI 250/GT 2+2 (cont)                      15 x 6L        42    RW 3690
FERRARI 275 GTB/S - 330 GTO - 365               7 x 15        32    RW 4039
FERRARI 275 GTS - 330 GT                       14 x 6½K       32    RW 3874
FERRARI 275/GT-S                               6½ x 15        42    RW 3918
FERRARI 308 GT4                                14 x 7½        42    RW 4238
FERRARI 308 GTB                                14 x 6½        42    RW 4327
FERRARI 330 ant.                                7 x 15        32    RW 4010
FERRARI 330 GT                                  7 x 15        42    RW 3812
FERRARI 330 post.                              7½ x 15        32    RW 4011
FERRARI 400 Automat.                           14 x 7½        42    RW 4326
FERRARI 505                                    5K x 16        52    RW 2982
FERRARI Daytona ant. - BB512                   15 x 8         42    RW 4301
FERRARI Daytona post. - BB512                  15 x 9         42    RW 4300
FERRARI Dino 246                               14 x 6½        42    RW 4331
FERRARI F2 Barchetta                           16 x 5K        42    RW 2839
FERRARI TR 58 post.                            5½ x 16        42    RW 3320
Hope this helps,

Ruedi
matt
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Post by matt »

Thank you everyone for all the info. I did send my mag compagnolo knock offs to Cork Adams to see what he can do with them. As for the Borrani knock offs, I will stick with what I have, those being the hand logo type. I would be nice to have a second set with the horse logo but they are getting expensive. For those of you interested in the polish I discovered, it is Mothers Billit polish. It is the least abrasive polish I have ever used. It is not for chrome, only aluminum. Thanks again, matt
John Vardanian
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Post by John Vardanian »

[quote="tyang"]Here's a shot of the earlier convex 42 sized knockoff. I've seen these on Early 250GTEs, and I believe they are also found on PF Coupes. Can anybody confirm that they are correct for SWBs?
[img]http://www.tomyang.net/cars/knockoff7.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.tomyang.net/cars/knockoff8.jpg[/img]

Cork Adams did a great job on my knock offs as well.

Tom[/quote]

Tom,

I have those KO's on my car and have seen them on original SWB's, as well.

BTW, good going on the article!

john

john
enio45
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Straight ear spinner

Post by enio45 »

I have the straight ear spinners on my 330 2+2 - w/ alum wheels.....are these 38 or 42MM. What is the 38 or 42 measurement of??

thanks for the advise
Ed Montini
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330GT
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Re: Straight ear spinner

Post by 330GT »

enio45 wrote:I have the straight ear spinners on my 330 2+2 - w/ alum wheels.....are these 38 or 42MM. What is the 38 or 42 measurement of??

thanks for the advise
Hi Ed,
The sizes of 32mm and 42mm don't have anything to do with the actual size of the knock-offs. Instead they refer to the maximum diameter of the wheel bearing that should use the particular size. So in general, lighter cars with small bearings use the 32mm size while larger ones (like our 330 GTs) use the 42mm one. So all knockoffs on a 330 GT 2+2 are 42mm, regardless of the ear design.
Regards, Kerry
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