New Knock-off Spinners

[Legal Bill]

Please let me know if there is anything wrong with the knock off spinners that Moss sells. If you were buying them for a high quality resoration, would they lose you points for some reason? Moss has a sale until the end of the month that I'd like to take advantage of.

 

[Randy Forbes]

I just bought four (4) of the 3-ear Borrani style spinners, and I'm quite sure you'd get thrown off the field with these, but they sure are pretty (pretty heavy too).

A <valid> point that I do want to make though, is that fresh out of the box, they're a bit tight on the threads; these being the 12 t.p.i variety. I spent a few minutes with a fine polishing stone on the internal/external threads and then a swipe with a wax stick lubricant, and after working them on and off a few times, they now live up to the term <span style="font-style: italic">Spinners</span>. These were on brand new hubs too (well 3 of 4, the LH front is on B/O).

All of the above were sourced from Moss Motors, and the quality appears to be very good.

 

[Rob Glasgow]

I purchased a set of four "two ear" knockoffs from Moss about 3 years ago. They look almost like the originals execpt for the lettering in the centers. The lettering is thicker than the original and not as crisp. I would say anyone with experience can quickly tell they are not orginal. The ears seam to feel a little thicker also. The chorme is good and they have keep the wheels on just fine....

 

[nevets]

I'm guessing the reason why the lettering is thicker than the original is that the manufacturer may have used an original as a pattern, which resulted in some loss of resolution/detai...kind of like what happens when you make a copy of a copy of a document. I could be wrong but knowing how stuff gets made in China, India, et al, I would not be surprised.

Wow red type! nice touch Basil...

 

[Johnny]

Please let me know if there is anything wrong with the knock off spinners that Moss sells. If you were buying them for a high quality resoration, would they lose you points for some reason? Moss has a sale until the end of the month that I'd like to take advantage of.

Yes, I too have noticed that the Moss knockoffs are really hard to put on. If replacing hubs the 8 tpi variety are thicker and probably safer and stronger than the original. Just hold both the 12 tpi and the 8 tpi and you'll see what I mean. However, I have noticed both new hubs and new knockoffs are difficult to tighten. On my BJ7 I have octagonal knockoffs and they too are hard to put on. However, they do stay tighter than the original I have on. I doubt you'll lose any points on concours. Of course you could try and find a good set of originals and have them re-chromed.

BTW, does anyone know if you can have chrome wheels on a concours car????

 

[Randy Forbes]

You can't put the 8 t.p.i. front hubs on anything but BJ8 spindles. The spline tube is thicker, yes, but at the expense of requiring a smaller diameter outer bearing.

The new rear hub extensions, while being 12 t.p.i., have the thicker cross-section of the later 8 t.p.i. ones (.330" vs .168" for the originals).

While I have received one (1) new front hub, I can't seem to find my originals at present to compare them (new one is .170", so likely identical to original).

As for the tightness of the threads, several repetitions of screwing them on and off loosened them up considerably. I'll bet it was just a matter of working the chrome plating off the internal threads of the spinners.

 

[Legal Bill]

...

BTW, does anyone know if you can have chrome wheels on a concours car????

Oh, you can have them. You'll just lose points. BUT the spinners can be used on the chrome wheels or the painted wheels, so if you have chrome for show and painted for judging, you are in good shape with the same set of spinners.

 

[Legal Bill]

I wonder if the spinners from Dayton are better? And, I guess I wonder if they are even different.

 

[Randy Forbes]

I wonder if the spinners from Dayton are better? And, I guess I wonder if they are even different.

The Dayton's are not paterned the same as the originals: https://www.daytonwirewheels.com/accessories.html

 

[Michael Oritt]

"I just bought four (4) of the 3-ear Borrani style spinners, and I'm quite sure you'd get thrown off the field with these, but they sure are pretty (pretty heavy too)."
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I have these on my 100--I call them my Ben Hur spinners. Fer sure they are non-concours but they do look neat both at rest and underway--I think they have that "keep your distance" appearance about them!

 

[Randy Forbes]

Your car looks good Michael, darn good!

I'm looking forward to seeing chrome center-laced wheels on my car again, but it will probably be the end of January (according the Dayton) before they're produced.

 

[Legal Bill]

Well, Doc Martin tells me his spinners are imported from England. But he was not aware that the later 3000s were 8tpi. He says he has 8tpi spinners, but thought they were for Sprites. I wonder if they are the correct diameter??? I wonder if they are any better? Maybe I'll just get the Moss set...

 

[longbridgehealey]

Hi Michael - Those spinners look great on your car. Who did you get them from?

Merry Christmas!
Larry

 

[Randy Forbes]

Well, Doc Martin tells me his spinners are imported from England. But he was not aware that the later 3000s were 8tpi. He says he has 8tpi spinners, but thought they were for Sprites. I wonder if they are the correct diameter??? I wonder if they are any better? Maybe I'll just get the Moss set...

Spridgets and Big Healey splines are the same diameter (42mm?__been a while since I've thought about it, and really don't have time to measure them right now...) but the Spridgets hub is a little shorter, so the same spinner would work on either. The wheels/spinners also fit MGs and Triumph models.

 

[Michael Oritt]

"Those spinners look great on your car. Who did you get them from?"
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British Wire Wheels in CA, about 10 years ago.

 

[Randy Harris]

I had to send back two of the four that I purchased from Moss about 8 years ago. The chrome was very poor, cloudy and thin in areas and wavy in others. The replacements were somewhat better. Of course that was many years ago and perhaps they have tightened up their QC since then.
Randy

 

[Johnny]

Michael, are they the same as Jaguar spinners?

Oh, I noticed on the "today" show their airing Tom Brokaw's "Route 50" tour starting on the 18th of January. I think I'd rather see your tour than his.

 

[Randy Forbes]

I had to send back two of the four that I purchased from Moss about 8 years ago. The chrome was very poor, cloudy and thin in areas and wavy in others. The replacements were somewhat better. Of course that was many years ago and perhaps they have tightened up their QC since then.
Randy

The new *Borrani style* ones have very good plating_quite mirror-like. I have no way of knowing how thick the plating is, except that I suspect that's the reason they were initially difficult to screw on.

Back in the 80s, I purchased a set of 3-eared spinners from either Moss or Victoria British, and I had no issues with the plating, but they were more like a 3-eared version of the original; the the blades being more straightened, and not particularly *directional*

I plan to order a fifth (5th) Borrani style 3-eared spinner, and put that and a spare RH/RR hub (usually the first to fail) in my spare tire, which is very visible in a 2-seater (unless you have the carpet bag).

I wish that guy Dean would tell me where he sourced his tire hold-down belt(s) as seen in his BN7 <top> frame thread. I asked, but got no reply, and he has his profile set so you can't send him personal correspondence...

 

[Genos2]

I had a set of 3-eared years ago, they were off Sunbeam Alpine, I sold them for $30, Genos2

 

[HealeyBN7]

I had to send back two of the four that I purchased from Moss about 8 years ago. The chrome was very poor, cloudy and thin in areas and wavy in others. The replacements were somewhat better. Of course that was many years ago and perhaps they have tightened up their QC since then.
Randy

I wish that guy Dean would tell me where he sourced his tire hold-down belt(s) as seen in his BN7 <top> frame thread. I asked, but got no reply, and he has his profile set so you can't send him personal correspondence...

Hey. I resemble that comment. I looked all over my profile and can't figure out how I might have it set to "privacy". I made the belt set and can take a few more pics once I return to town. They are really quite easy to create.

If you know how to change my profile setting, please do tell. I don't mean to be illusive

Dean
PS:Merry Xmas