Engineering the Impossible: Custom Floating Centre Caps for a Classic Beetle

A fully custom solution combining precision engineering, CAD design, and self-levelling technology to restore and elevate a classic build.

Some projects are straightforward. Others test your ability to adapt. And then there are the ones that everyone else walks away from. This was one of those.

The client owns a meticulously built matte black classic Beetle, sitting low on a set of BBS wheels, finished with a striking red leather interior. It was the kind of build where every detail mattered — except one thing had been missing for years.

The centre caps.

The original caps had a habit of ejecting while driving. After losing two, the client decided to remove the remaining ones altogether. What followed was a three-year search for a replacement solution. Multiple businesses were approached, each one ultimately giving the same answer: it couldn’t be done.

When I saw the car in person, the problem immediately shifted in my mind. It wasn’t a limitation — it was an opportunity to build something better than what existed before.

Rather than simply replacing the missing caps, the goal evolved into creating a fully engineered solution. Something that would not only fit perfectly, but also solve the root issue while elevating the overall aesthetic of the vehicle. That’s where the idea of a self-levelling, floating centre cap came in — a feature typically reserved for high-end applications, now being adapted into a completely custom system.

Everything started in CAD.

The existing wheel dimensions had to be carefully reverse-engineered to ensure that the new caps would integrate seamlessly. Tolerances were critical. Too tight, and installation would be impossible. Too loose, and the caps would fail under real-world conditions. The retention system, in particular, proved to be the most challenging aspect of the design.

It took four separate design iterations to get the clip mechanism right.

Each version was prototyped, tested, and refined. Small adjustments made a significant difference, and it was only by the fourth iteration that the fitment achieved the level of security and reliability required. With the structural design finalised, the focus shifted toward performance and longevity.

This wasn’t just about making something that worked — it had to last.

High-speed bearings were integrated to enable smooth, consistent self-levelling motion. Stainless steel hardware was selected to eliminate the risk of corrosion over time, while specialised grease was used to ensure the bearings would operate reliably under varying conditions. Every material choice was deliberate, contributing to a final product that matched the level of engineering behind it.

Visually, the caps needed to complement the build just as much as they performed.

The components were paint-matched to blend seamlessly with the wheels, maintaining the clean, understated aesthetic of the car. Originally, the plan was to use standard BBS decals, but that approach quickly felt out of place for a project of this level. Instead, a fully custom 3D centre logo was developed.

Finished in gloss black with a gloss red “Ghost” detail, the logo added a layer of identity that transformed the caps from a functional component into a defining feature of the wheel itself. The final result was more than just a replacement.

It was a complete system — engineered from the ground up — consisting of custom front and rear variations, a fully functional floating mechanism, and materials selected for long-term durability. What started as a missing part became a one-of-a-kind solution that, until now, no one had been able to provide.

This is what we stand for.

Not off-the-shelf fixes. Not shortcuts. Not “it can’t be done.”

If there’s a problem, we engineer the solution.