When did chrome wire wheels become the norm?
Discussion
I know wire wheels have been fitted to cars for a century or so, but when did the chrome version become a factory fitment. I'm particularly interested in sporty British cars like Aston-Martin, Austin-Healey, Jaguar, MG, Sunbeam and Triumph.
Nowadays it seems that most of these have chrome wires as a matter of course, rather than the painted versions I remember as a kid. Was chrome-plated always a factory option for UK market cars?
Nowadays it seems that most of these have chrome wires as a matter of course, rather than the painted versions I remember as a kid. Was chrome-plated always a factory option for UK market cars?
Chrome wire wheels aren't the norm. As "TooMany2cvs" says, they are restoration bling. Are they an aberration that came from the US? I don't know, but visiting car shows there you often find lots of things chromed.
Actually chrome plating the spokes is a bad plan. The process of chrome plating makes the spokes brittle and they need some flex. I think that most chrome wires these days use stainless spokes because of this.
Painted wire wheels are still the best IMHO*, but I think that some people find the chrome/stainless ones easier to clean.
(*) OK, I'm not sure about red painted wire wheels, sometimes they look OK, sometimes not, and I'm not sure why I find this.
Actually chrome plating the spokes is a bad plan. The process of chrome plating makes the spokes brittle and they need some flex. I think that most chrome wires these days use stainless spokes because of this.
Painted wire wheels are still the best IMHO*, but I think that some people find the chrome/stainless ones easier to clean.
(*) OK, I'm not sure about red painted wire wheels, sometimes they look OK, sometimes not, and I'm not sure why I find this.
a8hex said:
Chrome wire wheels aren't the norm. As "TooMany2cvs" says, they are restoration bling. Are they an aberration that came from the US? I don't know, but visiting car shows there you often find lots of things chromed.
Actually chrome plating the spokes is a bad plan. The process of chrome plating makes the spokes brittle and they need some flex. I think that most chrome wires these days use stainless spokes because of this.
Borrani wires should only ever use chrome spokes and chrome hubs, and whilst the rims are polished alloy not chrome, I would suggest that they set the 'look' of chrome wires from the early 60's. Actually chrome plating the spokes is a bad plan. The process of chrome plating makes the spokes brittle and they need some flex. I think that most chrome wires these days use stainless spokes because of this.
A couple of links about the problem
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_embrittleme...
http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/wheels/wl121.htm
I couldn't see any details on the Borrani website
http://www.ruoteborrani.com/en/wire-wheels-for-aut...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_embrittleme...
http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/wheels/wl121.htm
I couldn't see any details on the Borrani website
http://www.ruoteborrani.com/en/wire-wheels-for-aut...
Here you go:-
https://www.borrani.com/borrani-wheels.html
"Borrani wheels cannot have the following characteristics:
- the use of stainless steel spokes"
Proper Borrani wheels have the chrome spokes, although I must confess that when mine were refurbished I did go for stainless....
https://www.borrani.com/borrani-wheels.html
"Borrani wheels cannot have the following characteristics:
- the use of stainless steel spokes"
Proper Borrani wheels have the chrome spokes, although I must confess that when mine were refurbished I did go for stainless....
Many of the modern wire wheels are actually stainless steel rather than chrome.
When my TR was new chrome wire wheels were an optional extra to the more usual steel wheels or painted wire wheels, although they were not a very popular option in the UK home market.
For the 4A Triumph offered only 60 spoke wires, in a choice of either lacquer, bright chrome or aluminium finish, as an alternative to steel wheels, 3 options in all, a choice that continued for the TR5.
In contrast the 4 had previously been available with the option of 48 or 60 spoke wires, either available in bright chrome, dull chrome, aluminium or lacquered finish . . . 8 options in all.
Cleaning them is not that laborious - I use Cilit Bang stainless bathroom cleaner. Spray it on, hose it off. At the beginning of the year, I apply some decent polish to the spokes which is time consuming but in a funny way quite therapeutic.
When my TR was new chrome wire wheels were an optional extra to the more usual steel wheels or painted wire wheels, although they were not a very popular option in the UK home market.
For the 4A Triumph offered only 60 spoke wires, in a choice of either lacquer, bright chrome or aluminium finish, as an alternative to steel wheels, 3 options in all, a choice that continued for the TR5.
In contrast the 4 had previously been available with the option of 48 or 60 spoke wires, either available in bright chrome, dull chrome, aluminium or lacquered finish . . . 8 options in all.
Cleaning them is not that laborious - I use Cilit Bang stainless bathroom cleaner. Spray it on, hose it off. At the beginning of the year, I apply some decent polish to the spokes which is time consuming but in a funny way quite therapeutic.
Edited by TR4man on Wednesday 11th November 22:10
The Surveyor said:
Maybe miss-read the blurb on the older Borrani wheels, but I was told that proper Borrani wires all had chrome spokes along with chrome hubs. It looks more like they shouldn't have stainless spokes and can be either chrome or painted steel.
When the older Borranis were in production stainless steel spokes weren't available so of course they used chrome. I had some Borranis (circa 1950's) rebuilt with stainless spokes by an official Borrrani dealer some years ago. I can't see a single advantage in using chrome spokes.
Borrani seem to have forgotten that they supply alloy motorcycle wheels with stainless spokes. Then again as the rims are made in China perhaps that doesn't count.
I would guess that chrome wheels became an option on British cars in the late 1950's early 1960's.
My experience of modern chrome wires is that they still quickly rust around the spoke area if the car is used regularly.
The minor drawback with stainless wheels is that they have a slight golden "tinge" if that bothers you.
I quite agree - resto bling! My XK 120 has painted wires, which would have been a period option, I believe, though mine was originally supplied with steel discs. I reckon that the painted ones are probably easier to clean - I take them off and wash them with a soft brush and just let them dry as I have better things to do than going round them with little polishing cloths and brushes like I've seen at shows, like actually driving the car around!
TooMany2cvs said:
That website isn't actually Borrani. It's Longstone Tyres.
Which one? Longstone are an agent for Borrani, but the website linked is www.borrani.com. The official site. The Surveyor said:
TooMany2cvs said:
That website isn't actually Borrani. It's Longstone Tyres.
Which one? Longstone are an agent for Borrani, but the website linked is www.borrani.com. The official site. whois said:
Domain Name: BORRANI.COM
Registry Domain ID: 1009517675_DOMAIN_COM-VRSN
Updated Date: 2014-07-31T00:00:00Z
Creation Date: 2007-06-03T00:00:00Z
Registrant Name: Dougal Cawley
Registrant Organization: Longstone Tyres
Registrant Street: Longstone Road
Registrant Street: Hudsons Yard
Registrant City: Bawtry
Registrant State/Province: South Yorkshire
Registrant Postal Code: DN10 6NX
Registrant Country: GB
Registrant Phone: +44.1302714072
(trimmed down)Registry Domain ID: 1009517675_DOMAIN_COM-VRSN
Updated Date: 2014-07-31T00:00:00Z
Creation Date: 2007-06-03T00:00:00Z
Registrant Name: Dougal Cawley
Registrant Organization: Longstone Tyres
Registrant Street: Longstone Road
Registrant Street: Hudsons Yard
Registrant City: Bawtry
Registrant State/Province: South Yorkshire
Registrant Postal Code: DN10 6NX
Registrant Country: GB
Registrant Phone: +44.1302714072
The Surveyor said:
TooMany2cvs said:
That website isn't actually Borrani. It's Longstone Tyres.
Which one? Longstone are an agent for Borrani, but the website linked is www.borrani.com. The official site. Roy C said:
The Surveyor said:
TooMany2cvs said:
That website isn't actually Borrani. It's Longstone Tyres.
Which one? Longstone are an agent for Borrani, but the website linked is www.borrani.com. The official site. TooMany2cvs said:
GoodOlBoy said:
Borrani seem to have forgotten...
That website isn't actually Borrani. It's Longstone Tyres.I see on the Borrani site that they invented the wire wheel. This would be news to Rudge Whitworth under who's licence the first Borrani wheels were made.
I wonder if Borrani know that their Red Hand trademark also came from Rudge ?
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