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MG Midget and Sprite General - Midget Wire Wheels: Refurb or New?

Hi guys, long time since ive been on the BB but have finally managed to 'liberate' my 69 Midget from the clutches of the ex wife after 4 long years.... Tyres flat & perished so new ones definately needed (any recommendations)?

Wire Wheels looking shoddy (they always did) the dilema is should I buy some new ones at £100ea or Ive been quoted £40ea to have them shot blasted and powder coated.. New or Refurb??
Rob Flint

I had mine blasted and powder coated and tbh, I wish I'd got new ones. The splines were worn so much so that there was the inevitable click clack sound on acceleration and deceleration.

I did the reverse thing to what everyone does, I sold the whole set up and went back to rostyles in the end.
Andrew McGee

Thanks for the Input Andrew, I really fancy knock on alloys but to many £££!
Rob Flint

Rob, they weigh a ton.

They do look stunning but the unsprung weight is immense. We considered running them on the race car until we weighed one.... yikes!
Andrew McGee

I did the same as Andrew,

Mine were re-spoked, re-rimmed and re-painted by Dayton Wheel in the US and although they did a great job, the hubs were worn and clicked a lot, and after a few years I finally did the right thing and bought new wheels.

Then I saw how worn my hubs were and went and replace them too.

Norm "wire wheels sure aren't cheap, but they look so very nice" Kerr

Norm Kerr

Refurb is OK, providing the splines are alright, as previously mentioned.

I also converted my last Midget to Rostyles. Not because they were worn, but I don't like the look of wires on a RWA car.

My MGB has wires, although I'm assembling a kit of parts to convert to steels, should I feel the need.
Dave O'Neill 2

If you want a set of 5 Rostyles for FREE, you can have them. They need a blast and painting, and one or two has a bit of runout, but nothing a mallet won't fix I reckon.
Lawrence Slater

Hi Rob wnere are you living mate?

Have you seen my GENUINE minilites knockons? They are superb :)

I thought maybe she was a bit of a handful for you Rob :)
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

Ha Ha Bob... very funny.... well im still 'round the corner from Bob' literally! I will divulge more when I come see your wheels... when you out playing in the garage?
Rob Flint

We had the same dilema a couple of years ago.... As Anita's Midget has 41/2" wire wheels (as opposed to the std 4") we could NOT find replacements. The spokes were loose but the hubs were good. We too them to The Spokesman in Leeds and he re-spoked each wheel at £95.00 each, I then sprayed them. However, IF we had been able to find new wheels of the same size, we would have bought them.

Mark.
M T Boldry

Knock on alloys for me. Doesn't matter too much with a K powering them!

Neil K

I must admit the alloys do look 'yum'
Rob Flint

Knock on alloys.... Think... Unsprung weight..!!! They are bloody heavy.. :-(

Mark.
M T Boldry

This link applies to motorcycles, but the SAME applies to cars too....

http://www.mb1suspension.com/id102.html

Read it and you may understand why bigger is NOT always better..

Mark.
M T Boldry

My knock-ons are heavy but they do look great I think, especially on a '64 Midget. Loads of people comment on them. The FL suspension dampers help I guess. I could change to a standard axle and buy ordinary alloys but I just love the spinners.
Neil K

Those knockons would have been superb in Ben Hur. You could have ripped the centres out of the all the competition with those, --- no problem. :)

Here's a serious question for you.

If the tyre is supposed to be fully enclosed under the wheel arch, does this rule apply to the knock on? It looks to me like they project out quite a bit.
Lawrence Slater

Lawrence, they protrude on a standard Spridget with wire wheels..

Mark.
M T Boldry

I seem to recall that wire wheels with two and three eared spinners are in fact illegal on cars post 1971. Hexagonal spinners should be used with these cars. Lots of MG's do have spinners on after this date but it is either ignored or not known about.
Neil K

Thinking about it, I've seen some really evil looking spinners on US custom cars, but think they were recessed inside the wheel rims.

I just had a quick google and you can find images of quite a few that are recessed in this way.

Lawrence Slater

Here's a nice one.

Lawrence Slater

OK, following on from the above does any smart fellow or lass know the relative weights of Rostyles, Minilite replicas, knock off Minilite replicas and standard wire wheels.
I ask because I've got chrome wires on mine. They came with the car and I've often thought about changing as they don't really look right and I could probably do a no cost swap for any of the above bar the knock off minilites and if it helped the handling to boot then I may consider it. The PO spent not far off a grand on the conversion. He must have had money to burn considering he only had the car for three years and did no more than 500 miles a year! I've put that to rights at least!
Matt1275Bucks

Cue Daniel on weights......

The early Rostyle (1970 - 71) are considered the strongest, but not sure about lightest. I do know that the knock on Mililite (replicas) are about the heaviest with wires and bolt on Minilites following (getting lighter) Original Magnesium Minilites (Tech Del) are most certainly the lightest...

Consider tyres too...

Mark.
M T Boldry

Well guys.. thanks for all your inputs, Im going to let the wheel guy refurb one first too what kind of a job he does as I dont seem to have any play in the splines, if all OK I will hve the rest done.. I'll keep you informed..
Rob Flint

This thread was discussed between 26/10/2011 and 30/10/2011

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