Wire Wheels and Top installed

[Deleted member 21150]

I finally have my wire wheels and top installed. Once I had the correct hubs to convert from bolt on hubs up front, the install was pretty straight forward. I had the rear hubs redrilled by a local machine shop to 4.5" to fit the Ford rear end. The top also wasn't as bad as I thought it would be to fit. Overall I'm very happy with the outcome and the car looks so much better without the wide tires and centerline wheels!

 

[55modified]

What kind of steering set up do you have there?

 

[Deleted member 21150]

I'm not 100% sure, it was installed when I bought the car. Maybe from a sprite I think.

 

[Deleted member 21150]

Here’s a pic from before I changed the boots, it shows a little more.

 

[maxwedge5281]

coming along nicely and looking good keith!

 

[Deleted member 21150]

Thanks Larry!

 

[HealeyRick]

Nice looking car, Keith. Centerlines and wide tires just look so "70s on a Healey, although they probably improved traction quite a bit.

 

[CLEAH]

I'm not 100% sure, it was installed when I bought the car. Maybe from a sprite I think.

It would be great to know, or maybe another picture of the rack. About the only thing I would like to change about my car is the steering.

 

[HealeyRick]

Could be an MGB rack. Here's a cached webpage of a B rack into a 100 by Greg Greathouse: https://web.archive.org/web/20160426163527/https://modifiedhealeys.org/Technical/R&P1.htm. Ian Osborne in the UK later bought Greg Greatholuse's "UNCOBRA" and replaced the B rack with a Ford Escort Mk II one: https://www.britishv8.org/other/ianosborne.htm or you could go with Martin Jansen's kit: https://www.jule-enterprises.com/services/rack-and-pinion/

 

[Deleted member 21150]

Thanks Rick, here’s a before pic. Definitely not the look I wanted.

 

[Deleted member 21150]

CLEAH, if I get some free time tomorrow I’ll take some more pics for you.

 

[Randy Forbes]

It would be great to know, or maybe another picture of the rack. About the only thing I would like to change about my car is the steering.

The biggest drawback, for me anyway, is I've yet to see an upgraded steering system that allows use of the original turn-signal function.

As my original trafficator still works (only taken apart to be cleaned/lubed twice in the last 40 years) I'm reluctant to do away with it. I suppose with some clever engineering, a 4-circuit slip-ring could be adapted/fabricated, and hidden somewhere under the dash, but you still have to get those wires out from the center of the column...

 

[Deleted member 21150]

Here are some more pics, hope they help. If anyone knows what the rack is from, please let me know.

 

[Bob_Spidell]

It would be great to know, or maybe another picture of the rack. About the only thing I would like to change about my car is the steering.

On that note, has anyone installed the DWR improved box? They claim it's 'the next best thing to rack-and-pinion?'

 

[HealeyRick]

I've noticed some of the Cobra replica guys have been going to electric rack and pinion systems. Wonder if some hot shot fabrication guy could adapt something like this to a Healey: https://www.jegs.com/i/EPAS-Performance/563/1101/10002/-1

 

[CLEAH]

The biggest drawback, for me anyway, is I've yet to see an upgraded steering system that allows use of the original turn-signal function.

As my original trafficator still works (only taken apart to be cleaned/lubed twice in the last 40 years) I'm reluctant to do away with it. I suppose with some clever engineering, a 4-circuit slip-ring could be adapted/fabricated, and hidden somewhere under the dash, but you still have to get those wires out from the center of the column...

Randy, I agree. Ultimately, like a lot of things Healey, this is a study in compromise. Better, more precise steering? Self canceling turn signals? Take your pick, you can't have both. I 'm used to a toggle for turn signals--that's what's on my Sprite, and that is what was on the BJ8 originally when we bought it. There was a toggle screwed to the steering wheel in place of the trafficator! Eventually my dad wired in a buzzer so we would not be driving around with the turn signal going. I was embarrassed by the buzzer. Eventually he sourced a used trafficator and all was well. But I think I would trade off in favor of the steering.

 

[CLEAH]

On that note, has anyone installed the DWR improved box? They claim it's 'the next best thing to rack-and-pinion?'

And on yet another note, does rack and pinion do anything for slow speed heaviness? I know my Sprite steering is very light and a delight to use, but of course the car is very light. Rick's electric rack and pinion is really intriguing--possibly because having just turned 55 I am probably officially really old so power steering sounds good to me!

 

[HealeyRick]

Here's my WAG, based on a little experience with Sprites and big Healeys. A rack and pinion would probably take all that slop that is inherent in the big Healey's worm and roller out of the equation. But you still have that heavy lump of a motor hanging over the front end weighing down on the steering and tires, making the steering slow. I know when I put the lighter V8 in the BJ7 it made the steering much quicker and lighter. Perhaps a power assist on the steering would make it a little lighter and quicker. The rack and pinion (non-power) kits I've seen for the Healey require quite a bit of work as the steering column will pass through the radiator without some jiggering around. I've never heard of anyone putting an electric rack on a Healey and don't know what clearance issues there would be (not to mention a complete lack of originality that could easily be seen). For those of us that have driven Sprites, the big Healey handling has always been a let-down.