To Wire Wheel or not to Wire Wheel

[Matt Mugherini]

I honestly wouldn't read too much into my previous comments. It was really said in jest and was made just to point out that there are other wheel options out there that one might consider.

All that stuff about picking up women and the like was not even made by me, check the post, but was added by others, probably in jest as well. I'm not real sure what 'seeking attention' and having hair, a wife or children have to do with each other anyway. If it still offends your sensibilities, send me a PM or ask me to edit the post; I have no problem with doing that as it was not made to with the intention of offending anyone.

Moving on, there is one comment above on 'period' wheel options which I think is incomplete. Period wheel options (for any triumph, mg, etc.) would not be restricted to wires or factory-issued steel wheels. It is true that certain ' modern aftermarket' wheels hadn't been invented during the time- but there were several 'period' wheels, aftermarket of course, that were available. Lots of the current wheel offerings attempt to mimic these styles. The wheels I posted, which are bolt on (you can see the lug holes) with a 'fake' threaded knock-on (fake in the sense it does not secure the wheel to the hub, but still threads onto the wheel itself) appear in the Williams restoration book and other publications. I'll try to find a period photo of the wheels in use. I'll admit that it was an extremely lucky find, since they are rare, but there are other types of 'period correct' wheels out there with similar styles. Soem of these wheels could/would have been original dealer options. Other period wheels used on TR3s and others appear from time to time on Ebay, as well.

 

[prb51]

Question; when did panasport/minilite alloy wheels become available?
I've never seen a period picture in any of the TR2/3 studies that show a vehicle in alloys, only wires/factory steel wheels. The only mods were other than standard hub caps.
I'm guessing the alloys came upon the scene in the mid 60's?

 

[Brosky]

Are you in Boston or Texas? If here Mass, we have great club's in Cape Cod British Car Club, New England Triumph's, and British Motor Car Club of New England, which is out of RI.

Please feel free to join us at any of the events. The links are all on my web site.

 

[YankeeTR]

[ QUOTE ]
Are you in Boston or Texas? If here Mass, we have great club's in Cape Cod British Car Club, New England Triumph's, and British Motor Car Club of New England, which is out of RI.

Please feel free to join us at any of the events. The links are all on my web site.

[/ QUOTE ]
I think Brosky has the right idea, Matt. Join the fun, it looks like a lot of nice cars are out on the "right" coast...after a few Brewskis with Broski no one will care what wheels are on the car! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thirsty.gif

 

[kodanja]

Well said! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/iagree.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/england.gif

As i said in my post, it's a matter of choice, my choice is CHROME DAYTONS /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/england.gif

HO HO HO! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/angel.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/england.gif

 

[duckspuddle]

I put dayton wire wheels on my TR6 a couple of years ago. There are a lot of hidden costs if you do it right, and I'm not sure that I will continue to use them forever. Hubs wear out, wheels go out of true, and nobody seems to know how to mount, balance tires on these things anymore. I've paid local tire shops to mount new tires with disastrous results. One shop ruined a new rim on a mounting machine. TRF says their Dayton wheels don't need trued out of the box. I have to disagree. After normal spin balancing my car shook like it had DT's. I have to wax lyrical about Allen Hendrix at Hendrix wire wheel in Greensboro NC. He fixed all my wire wheel problems. My car drives great with no steering wheel shake at speeds in excess of 80mph. The balancing machine he uses is particuar to wire wheels. So far, the wires have stayed true for 20,000 miles. He ships mounted/balanced tire/wheel packages. The cost to have the wheels trued, tires shaved to round, and balanced is expensive. If you drive the car a lot and anticipate replacing tires every couple of years, the mounting costs will add up. Nothing looks better on a british car (in my humble opinion)
Joe Davis

 

[Brosky]

Amen to that!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/iagree.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thirsty.gif

 

[milemarker60]

I went the other direction on my TR3 several years back. Mine came with wires and I switched to steel. I can't explain why, but I've always been partial to the steel wheels on the TR3s. At the time, no one had a TR3 with anything but wires and mine stood out. Attention getting wasn't my M.O. but something about that car just looked "right" with discs. The nice thing about this type of transformation is that it can always be reversed. I am a big fan of doing what "I" like rather than what everyone else likes. That car should make you smile everytime you catch sight of it so if wires make your cheeks hurt, do it.

I'm also a fan of steel discs on MGAs.

 

[Alan_Myers]

Hi again,

All this just goes to show that there are all sorts of ways to personalize your car and have fun with it.

And, hey, I learned something new today! Despite owning TRs since my early 20s back in the 1970s, and having read and reread most of the reference books regarding originality, restoration, etc., I've never heard of a two-tone factory paint job on a TR before today! I wouldn't be surprised if some were sprayed two-tone at dealerships. And, from my own experience working at car dealerships, I'd say that sort of thing is usually either done to cover up shipping damage or at a customer's request and expense. But, I could have sworn all TRs came from the factory in a single body color!

With regard to the 8-spoke alloy wheels (now most often refered to as Minilites), although I'm sure some racers probably had experimented with various wheels in the late 1950s, these particular wheels were first installed and offered as an option on TR4s.

On earlier TRs, you'll most often see steel disk wheels in race photos from the 1950s, and occasionally wires. Probably that's largely because racing was much more grassroots and "seat of the pants" in those days. It was mostly individuals who had very limited budgets and were even driving their cars to and from events.

In the N. America the 8-spoke alloy wheels originally were American Racing. I don't if that same brand - or any other at all - were ever offered in the UK and elsewhere. The vast majority of the cars were being shipped to the U.S., anyway.

One of the first and more notable instances of American Racing wheels being fitted was for the Canadian Shell 4000 Rallye in 1965, when the Factory Team TR4s were shipped over from England. Kas Kastner, who ran the factory racing program in the U.S. (which didn't involve rallies) was asked to prep the car and one change he made was fitting the American Racing wheels. (Note: The 1963 Sebring TR4s Kas prepped all used standard disk wheels.)

The alloy wheels were originally protested by the Shell 4000's FIA tech inspectors, who felt they might not be strong enough to hold up under rally conditions, which pretty much confirms that alloys weren't being used much by anyone rallying in those days. Actually it turned out to be the opposite. One car lost a tire and ran for some miles along gravel roads on just the alloy rim until the next check point where it could be repaired... And the bare rim was still usable after a little cleanup. This and other appearances of these wheels on TR4 race cars sort of established its reputation, which spread to sales for street cars I'm sure.

Later Panasport began making the similar Minilite design... and really marketing it worldwide. Then KN, Compomotive and others started offering knockoffs. Although it might be considered a wheel from a later era, IMHO the "Minilite" and it's clones look very good on TR2/3/3A.

Triumph listed wire wheels in a variety of paint colors, at least through TR4 production. The most common wires installed seemed to be silver or "Argent" painted. But, they also offered choices of the various body paint colors, either to match or contrast. Chromed wire wheels were available, but expensive and very uncommon. Stainless steel were unheard of.

I think disk (steel) wheels were also offered in a wider variety of colors on TR2/3/3A, but by the time of TR4 this was less common and more standardized. TR4 through 6 seem to offer disk wheels mostly in white, black and silver.

This is similar to what happened with optional factory hard tops, which seemed to be offered in choice of black, white or virtually any matching body color on TR2/3/3A. But on TR4 through TR6 the top colors were primarily black, white, or in primer ready to be sprayed by the dealer. Occasional special order body match colors seem to have been done at the factory, but rarely. Note: Few cars seemed to leave the factory with hard top only. I've actually only seen one TR4 that was most certainly never fitted with hoodsticks and a soft top. More often, hard tops seem to have been sent out as kits for dealer retrofit, and that would include body-color matched painting if the customer requested it.

I suspect that some key changes occured after British Leyland took over Triumph in 1962, maybe fewer options as a cost cutting move. It appears some of the many body paint color changes were also made shortly thereafter, perhaps also reflect different suppliers than before. Incidentally, BL originally didn't support the factory race programs, but came around to it pretty quickly once they began to recognize the marketing benefits of success on the track.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

 

[Brosky]

Alan, a regular poster here from England has a black & white TR3 with a red interior. His name may be Morgan? Not sure.

 

[prb51]

Thanks Alan, so basically the alloys would not be period correct for a TR3 but would be for a TR4a. Period correct being defined as available during the cars production run.
The 1959 TR3 California show/display car had a strange two tone paint job that did not follow the panel lines as is normally seen. I'd also guess this was locally done but I've seen photos of local Brit cars with the two tones too.
My Daytons were balanced locally (not a wire specialist- just a kid taking his time) and run truer than the steel wheels ever did, not a bit of scuttle shake.

 

[PSUTR3B]

It is about personal preference, and I seem to be in the minority. I like the look of disc (steel) wheels on TR3's,though a nice set of wires does look sharp. I prefer disc or wire to alloys which I think just don't quite look right on a TR3. For me the stock wheels and rings on a TR6 are the way to go. The factory look is great. But if you like alloys on a 3 or wires on a 6, then by all means do it. I just wouldn't do alloys on my 3 and doubt I will ever switch to wires, though the woman I get in my car (wife) likes them.

 

[prb51]

The nice thing about the Tr's is you can have it both ways. I have steel wheels/hubcaps and 60 spoke wires and with the ease of conversion - remove the spacer and adapter and slap on the discs, there you are. My spokes balance out better (truer) than the discs in my case. I'm going to pick up some nice period bias ply for the discs just to see the ride/handling dif.

 

[YankeeTR]

[ QUOTE ]
The nice thing about the Tr's is you can have it both ways. I have steel wheels/hubcaps and 60 spoke wires and with the ease of conversion - remove the spacer and adapter and slap on the discs, there you are. My spokes balance out better (truer) than the discs in my case. I'm going to pick up some nice period bias ply for the discs just to see the ride/handling dif.

[/ QUOTE ]

You will notice the difference in handling between the bias plies and the radials right away. But I have bias plies on my '56 F-100 (cheater slicks in the rear) and I will have a set of 5.50 X 15's on an alternate set of wheels for my TR2.

Driving on bias plies REALLY takes you back in time! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif

 

[YankeeTR]

Here's a few samples to look at...

Check out the wheels on the black racer....

 

[JFS]

Or alloy knockoffs. These directly interchange with wires.

 

[YankeeTR]

[ QUOTE ]
Or alloy knockoffs. These directly interchange with wires.

[/ QUOTE ]
JFS,

Is that your TR? I like the hood louvers. That pic must have been taken in Rockford, IL...I recognize the "Clock Tower" in the background...

 

[JFS]

YankeeTR,
Yep, that's my TR. I had the louvers punched in about 15 or so years ago by a local hot rodder to help cool it. Are you a member of VTOW?

 

[YankeeTR]

[ QUOTE ]
YankeeTR,
Yep, that's my TR. I had the louvers punched in about 15 or so years ago by a local hot rodder to help cool it. Are you a member of VTOW?

[/ QUOTE ]
Not a member...I probably would have joined but, after looking a their website and seeing how out of date it is, I figured it wasn't a very active group.

Tell me I'm wrong...

 

[JFS]

Here's a better pic of the knock off alloys.

Yankee TR,
You are not wrong. VTOW was active until about three or four years ago; however, the Fox Cities British Car Club is very active if you are near the valley; we even have a club house available complete with shop, lifts, tools, equipment, storage, kitchen and pub.