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Mystery Wheels

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aerospike

aerospike

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I need some help identifying some wheels I wound up with in with a bunch of TR4A parts. They are 15" with eight spokes. The center caps screw on but they're bigger than a standard knock-off(please see attachment). They appear to be magnesium based on the color and weight. There is no brand name any where on them that I can find. I've looked all over the web and can't find who made them. Anybody recognize these?
 

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  • 128337-tr4a_wheels.jpg
    128337-tr4a_wheels.jpg
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I think those are magnesium wheels that were optional on a TR250 (and maybe on a TR4)... very, very very rare from what I understand. I've seen a set in person, and I'm pretty sure I was told you could get them from the dealer, but I'm completely sure since the conversation took place about a year ago.
 
I have an old Triumph buyer's guide book by Richard Newton, and he has a picture of those wheels on a TR250. Under the photo, the caption reads:

"This is the good wheel. If you find a set of the optional wheels in this condition prepare to pay serious money for them. It might be cheaper to just buy the whole car, especially since the vintage racers have developed a fondness for these wheels."

I tried to scan the page, but it appears that I am a total duffer with computers (confusers, more like!!) and so I gave up and just copied the text. If you want the picture then I will have another go!

Hope that is useful.
 
If they are the magnesium version AND if they're in good shape, they are worth BIG $$$$ to the right people. Some caveats: Old magnesium wheels might not be much more than display pieces -- they should be checked very carefully to make sure they are sound. Also, the special "knockoffs" are very, very difficult to find.
 
Hi aero,
What you have lucked into is a set of American 'Silverstone' wheels. I believe they became available in '64 but could have been slightly earlier just can't remember. They were part of what was called the 'Continental touring package' on TR4's. That included the mags, a surrey top, overdrive, and some other bits. They came in widths of 5" (most common although they did produce some in aluminum, which are fairly rare), 5.5 (the racer's wheels- SCCA allowed an increase 1.5" over the stock 4" rim back then), and toward the end of the run some 6" rims were produced (these are very rare and recently I saw two sold on ebay for $430 with no lug nuts). Which brings up an important point if you did not get the original lugnuts, you must get some proper fitting equivalents, which have separate washers. The originals are a straight sided (NOT CONED) slip fit into a good wheel hole and locate the wheel on the stud/hub so it spins true. The original washers are finely machined so that they would not spin against the magnesium (so the nut would spin against the washer), therefore won't gall the seating surface. They were produced as a unit, you can't remove the washers off the originals. (If you should need the dimensions I'll get them for you.) The fake knockoffs are rarer than the wheels because they break easily or got lost along the way. And they are threaded for the right and left sides like real ones to avoid coming loose. That's probably how a lot of them got lost. There are some later caps which different types of triumph logos. If you get them refurbished (usually $40 or 50 per wheel), make sure it's a competent shop. They are very durable though. I had my share of off track excursions and one shunt with nary a crack, except for minor scrapes. Still as true as the day they were new, which is more than I can say for alot of the factory TR3 thru 6 steel wheels. The part # on the inside of the casting should be 61550. Thats all the 15" TR wheels. They did make them for other triumph and other makes MG, Sunbeam,etc, but seemingly made more for TR's. Send pictures when you put them on.
Tom Lains
 
Thanks to all of you for your great information. The number on back is 61550 just as TRTEL predicted. I had thought I would put these on my car but the special lug nuts and center caps weren't with them. It looks like the cost to come up with these would be a bit over my TR budget. I guess they'll have to hit the auction block. It would make my wife happier if I got a bit of the money back out of my acquisition anyway. Thanks again for your time and knowledge.
 
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