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Recommended reproduction wheels?

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christophe

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Where should I purchase reproduction 72 spoke wheels from? I found some on eBay for a decent price, but they are mostly stainless steel and just don't have the same look as chrome.
Moss Motors?

Thanks!
 
they are mostly stainless steel and just don't have the same look as chrome.? I bought new wheels for my BJ8 from Bruce Erfer long before he moved to Hawaii


They must be dirty!------Mine are stainless & will blind you on a sunny day. :cool:

I bought new SS 72 spoke wheels for my BJ8 from Bruce Erfer long before he moved to Hawaii.---:encouragement:



Additionally, they are easy to clean.:applause:
 
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I thought you had decided on black wheels for your car? Most wheels are chrome rims and hubs with stainless spokes. The story is the chrome spokes are more brittle and subject to breakage than the stainless. And, as Keoke says, the stainless are pretty shiny. I'd talk to Dayton Wire Wheels and see what they can do to meet your needs: https://www.daytonwirewheels.com/catalogue.php They can even do custom finished wheels in case you want to go with black. Usually, it's a good idea to buy new hubs along with the wire wheels as old hubs can wear out the new splines in the wheels quickly. If you were going to do that, I'd look at Dayton "dental" drive wheels and hubs as better to take the horsepower from your motor: https://www.britishv8.org/Articles/Dayton-Wire-Wheels.htm
 
Yes, I did decide on black painted wheels for my 54. This is for my parents 3000 That I am wrapping up the restoration on
thanks!.
 
christophe said:
Yes, I did decide on black painted wheels for my 54. This is for my parents 3000 That I am wrapping up the restoration on
thanks!.
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OK, got it. I'd still suggest Daytons. If you want to do it right, talk to Allen Hendrix at https://www.hendrixwirewheel.com/. He'll sell you a wheel and tire package, true the wheels, mount and balance and shave the tires for roundness. And while you're at it, send him the rear brake drums for balancing as they can make a huge difference in the shake these cars get around 55 mph. It won't be cheap, but you'll have a smooth riding Healey.
 
Have a chat with Hendrix wire Wheel. I spoke with Allen and he shared decades worth of experience.
 
I fitted MWS chrome 60 spoke wheels to my 100 over ten years ago. They are still great. No spoke problems, no rust, and still run true. I have done five or six long distance trips (in Australia we have huge distances between our cities) with no problems. They look great, and are easy to clean.
 
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pan said:
I fitted MWS chrome 60 spoke wheels to my 100 over ten years ago. They are still great. No spoke problems, no rust, and still run true. I have done five or six long distance trips (in Australia we have huge distances between our cities) with no problems. They look great, and are easy to clean.
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thanks! Who is MWS?
 
I just ordered the MWS units off eBay for $1,540.00 with free shipping. From what I've read, it appears the lower spoke count wheels are the ines that have had issues from both or all manufacturers.
Thanks for all the help and suggestions! I'll post updates on the 3000 soon; It's almost finished
 
G'day Christophe,
MWS stands for Motor Wheel Services. They took over the manufacture of Dunlop wheels in the '70s. Although they are an English supplier, their wheels are actually manufactured in India, but from my experience they are made to a very high standard. Since we do not manufacture anything in Australia it was a matter of deciding which imported product suited my needs and pocket.
cheers, Alwyn
 
christophe said:
Where should I purchase reproduction 72 spoke wheels from? I found some on eBay for a decent price, but they are mostly stainless steel and just don't have the same look as chrome.
Moss Motors?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Christophe--

This is one of those taste things but to my eye, at least, 72 spoke wheels look way too busy on roadsters, even 3000's. The chrome around the cockpit of a BJ convertible somewhat offsets the extra flash of the 72's, but I nevertheless feel 60 spoke wheels are a better esthetic fit on Healeys.
 
Hi Christophe,

This may be a side topic but the issue you are addressing is "Satisfaction with New Wire Wheels" and that means not only how they look on the car but how they feel when driving your Healey. In many respects the choice of how your new wheels appear on the car is a matter of taste and that can only be your selection. However, there are a number of factors that will affect your satisfaction when it comes to driving and that involves the features of the wheels as well as how they roll on the car.

About 20 years ago I purchased Dayton 72 spoke chrome wires and have been very satisfied...although not always. After my initial enthusiasm and expectation that my "scuttle shake" would be totally eliminated (attributing it to my original wires), reality set in. Although the shake had been reduced significantly, it was still present and ever changing from almost non-existent to significant. As further forum discussions have identified, although all scuttle shake can not be attributed to one issue, many of us have found that imbalanced brake drums are a major factor and the changing dynamic was due to the ever-changing position of the rear drums due to the differential. If you have not yet had your rear drums balanced, I strongly urge you to do so whatever you ultimate wheel choice.

Because of my past satisfaction with Dayton, I would probably still consider Dayton's 72 spoke wires as my top selection but I would also add that such new features as Tubeless and Perma-true would contribute to that decision as well. Again, although the choice of spoke number is a matter of perception and taste, I would also suggest you contact Hendrix or another to make sure your drums are balanced and not inflicting dissatisfaction into your choice.

All the best,
Ray(64BJ8P1)
 
Thanks! Since we never really got to drive this car due to all off the problems, i am not really sure if the drums will need balancing or not, but most likely they will. I will look into it once i pull the old wheels off. Again, thanks!
 
The 60's are easier to clean compared to the 72's. Unless you're doing some hard driving you won't need the 72's per Allen. I put the larger tires on my BJ8 and with the 60's they fit perfectly. The rear drum balancing is a no brainer! Ship them to him and he can ship them back to you with the wheels saving you money. I had my drums painted gloss black by Allen for a better contrast showing the wheel spokes better. He used hi-Temp paint.
 
72s look good to me
 
35 years ago, I purchased 60 spoke chrome Dunlop wheels. Broke several spokes while flat towing the car.
Replaced with 72 spoke chrome Daytons. No broken spokes since. I think you will be very happy. But, your milage may vary.
 
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