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This is really a follow on to a thread last February about converting to wire wheels. I have a Chevette based BCW TD with 14×6 wheels with a 4×100 bolt pattern. It looks like I have the room to convert to 15 inch wheels, and am thinking that Triumph wires would fit and look great. I understand that the adapter hub bolts directly onto the existing bolts. But does the adapter hub only fit Triumph wheels? or can I substitute a wheel off a Healy or some other car?
Any thoughts or help would be greatly appreciated.
Dicks post above was originally a pm to me. I thought it might be of interest to others. Here was my response:
> Dick,
>
> Regarding your conversion, I will say that a BCW is probably the finest
example of the TDrs and is most worthy of true English knock-offs.
>
> If you already have hubs with a 4x100 pattern, you really are almost there.
Triumphs used adapters that simply bolted up to your existing brake drums. They
used special nuts that were rounded on both sides. These nuts fit nicely into
the donut shaped recess built into the basket of the wheel. This is very
important so as to allow the inside of the wheel basket to properly center
against the flare of the adapter.
>
> Some things that you may want to consider:
> Are the 15" wires that you are considering 48 spoke wires? In my opinion,
the 48 spoke wires are marginal (regarding strength) when used with radial ply
tires. You may recall that radial ply tires did not exist until the 1960's. If
they are 48's then I think that I would keep looking for some 60 spoke wires
(Austin Healey 15" & MGB 14") or possibly some 72 spokers (Triumph Stag 14").
If you do go with 48's then I would take corners carefully. You should also
note that none of these wires were tubeless. There may be someone that makes
tube type small 15" tiires but I do not know of any. Therefore, you will be
using tubes, most probably in tubeless type tires. I do not think that this is
a problem because our cars are light and not capable of speeds over 80 mph
therefore there is not a great amount of heat generated.
>
> Be advised that you need to be careful of the condition of the splines - both
in the wheels and on the adapters. Unfortunately, I have no measure to judge
the condition that I can relate in an email. Regarding the adapters and the
knock-offs. Be aware that there were two different threads used, Early
adapters and hubs were fine toothed, Later (most all) were coarse toothed. All
used right hand threads on one side of the car and left hand threads on the
other.
>
> The only problem that I encountered in the conversion (I own a VW based TDr)
was when I went to put disc brakes on the front. They would not clear my 14"
wires and required a significant modification before I could get them in since
original VWs were 15" wheels.
>
> My last advice is that you need to be careful about the condition of the wire
wheels. If you can, Install one of the adapters on the front of your car and
mount each wire on it. Spin the wheel (tires are not necessary). Then check
the axial and radial runout. If you can get it within 3/16" you are good. 1/4"
a bit excessive. More than that, keep looking.
>
> The cost of having a shop balance and true the spokes is excessive, and if you
can afford it, you might be better off buying new wheels.
>
> If you are lucky and get a set of wires that have not been abused, you will be
very happy with the look. I am sure.
>
> My entire conversion, not including tires cost me about $200, but I stole the
wheels, did all the machining myself and would say that if you can do it for
$500 -$800, you did very well.
>
> Give me a call if you want.
>
> You really should post your intentions on the forum. Some member may have
some adapters or wires available. Or know where there are some - it's how I got
mine (Allen - newkitman, knew of a guy that had some)
>
> If you do post, I may post this email as a response, or you can if you want.
Good luck.
> --
> RoyLastly, the 15" wheels from an AH-100 & 3000 and all other British cars that I am familiar with (Sunbeam,
Singer, MGA, Morgan, Jensen Healey) as well as 14" MGB are interchangeable and use the
same spline. Most/all Jag wheels use a larger spline. I think that my old Bugeye had 13" wires.
Many of the lesser expensive cars with wires were painted vs chrome. They look great also and some say
that they are stronger. (I'm not sure that I believe that.)
Your existing wheels are proper period correct for TDs and look great. Why not just put
the correct hub caps on and call it "done".
Royal2013-12-04 11:36:17
That’s quite a tutorial, Roy. Now that I know what’s what, and since I do drive a lot of curvy county roads, I do believe I’ll stick with the alloy wheels that came on my Lafer.
And as always, I’m truly thankful for all the expertise so freely shared here. Much appreciated.
1981 Lafer TI
1600 cc Type 1 engineAll the MWS wheels (India-made Dunlops) since 2008 are tubeless. The TR2, TR3 and TR4 kits at 15×4.5 should work with our cars. The out-the door, five-wheel (painted–better looking imho but not stronger), four hub & spinner price at Rimmer Bros is–depending on the day’s exchange rate–about $1350. Not bad.
Not clear from Roy’s post, but crucial: you will need to re-drill your hubs for a 4 x 4.5-inch bolt pattern. That’s what these splined hubs bolt to. The kit comes with the
studs andnuts.Orjust buy grade 8 bolts and put them through from the back.Some Brit guys say the 60-spoke rims, but not the 48 or 70-spokers, won’t work with their disk brakes. If I were buying I’d go 60s but if you can borrow someone’s wheel and hub (buy a used hub to mount your spare; spline condition is not as important) it might save some trouble.
I think 48s would work fine on our cars, unless raced. I plan to auto-x for a bit so I’m out of the wire wheel chase for now.
edsnova2013-12-04 20:56:59
All this really helps. Thanks.
Drilling out the rear brake drums to a 4×4.5 bolt pattern should not be a problem, but I have disk brakes on the front. Can a machine shop handle that without braking the bank?I should think that you could get a machine shop to do the work for $100+/-. I couldn’t find a shop that I trust that would do it. They were concerned about liability. I converted (re-drilled) my VW drums myself on a $125 table mounted drill press. And then converted the front to disks and drilled and tapped them myself also. So far they have survived a couple of thousand miles and a Carlisle Autocross where Ed whooped my but…..as the Brooklyn Dodgers used to say “wait ’til next year”.
So there you have it: send your drums and rotors to Roy and he will drill them for you. Sounds like he might have a pair of done VW drums for sale as well. 😉
Can I just say, too that Dick’s present wheels look pretty TD’esque as they are. One hole more than the originals, and the center thing is wrong but not terribly so. You want to look authentic, I say buy a set of TD hubcaps from Moss, drill three small holes in your wheels equadistant from center, just inside the circumference of those caps, screw some small sheet metal screws about halfway in the holes and install the hubcaps over them. You’ll pretty much pass.edsnova2013-12-04 21:04:19
Roy: you’ve been outed.
Every so often someone sells a set of Miata wires like these.
4x100mm bolt-on and they look right (though those are 14s).Dayton, of course, would be happy to build you a set of 15-inch 4×100 bolt-ons with 64 spokes. Haven’t priced them lately but recall a number in the $2000 range. The good news with Dayton is they’re custom, so you will know they fit. Some guys say these American-made wheels are better quality than the MWS variant.I know MG Magic sells wire wheels for the ford and chevette based TDs. Direct bolt on. $795 for a set of 4 and $875 for a set of 5. This is there link. http://mgmagic.homestead.com/MGPL__10-12-2013.pdf
A side note on their wires. They do make a set for the Mercedes Gazelles and SS-100s for VW based cars but talking with them they say that they will direct bolt on for the TD as well but the problem is the TD fender width. Their wire wheels for the VW based TD would stick out past the fender by about 2 to 2-1/2 inches. newkitman2013-12-05 09:49:55
Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
"If one thing matters, everything matters" - from the book The ShackIf anyone would like to see what the MGMagic wheels look like ,go to my photo gallery . I’ve changed the center caps to a mg style center didn’t like what they came with .
or look for 10025 in the phot gallaeryTDREPLICA Map
http://www.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewer.html?webmap=7f9174ad614e43b680deba085b0abf48
OK, ultimate 48-spoke wire wheel strengthening system: http://www.acmefluid.com.au/larry/oldshealey.html
This guy did this in 1957. He’s running a Healey 100-4 with an Olds V8, drag racing it with 118 mph trap speeds. The wheels are still original.Well, they’re kinda original. But with his “strengthening” system??? Oh well, ya pays yer money and ya takes yer chances. They do look great and from an appearance standpoint, I like 48’s best. I wear 72’s because that’s what they were. Don’t forget that the starter at the Carlisle autocross said to me while I was sitting on the line, waiting my turn: “Wow, real wires, I haven’t seen anybody race them for years”. Of course, at that time he didn’t realize that I was going out for what our Wobby called a “Sunday drive.”:lol:
Orangatang Poke Rims by Texan Wire Wheels
http://fancy.to/a3isbpHope this posts…the strangest wires ever
edsnova2014-01-13 07:54:08Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"AKKK!! Bill I’m eating!
Things people do to their cars…Oh wait…I’ve been asked the same thing “why would you do that to your car?”No trees were injured in the making of this message, but some electrons were inconvenienced.
I think those are Ben Hur Special Edition wheels…
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Didn’t James Bond have spinners like that, razor sharp that tore the other guys tires and anything else up. Except his retracted back in looking normal.
Bond’s Aston Martin DB5…
Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica RoadsterIf you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)
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