Vixen wheels on a 3000M
Vixen wheels on a 3000M
Author
Discussion

Cedar

Original Poster:

51 posts

199 months

Wednesday 14th April 2010
quotequote all
I was wondering whether it's possible to fit Vixen alloys on a 3000M ?
Any thoughts? If so, does anybody have a lead on a (refurbishable) set?

nwarner

612 posts

276 months

Wednesday 14th April 2010
quotequote all
Here's a picture of an "M" with Vixen Wheels.


Cerberus90

1,553 posts

229 months

Wednesday 14th April 2010
quotequote all
Should be fine, the vixen wheels are an inch bigger so shouldn't be any problems with clearance.

Might need to have a play with tyre height ratios to make sure you get roughly the same rolling radius.

Slow M

2,834 posts

222 months

Wednesday 14th April 2010
quotequote all
Yes, they're taller (15") but they are narrower.
B

Adrian@

4,420 posts

298 months

Wednesday 14th April 2010
quotequote all
Cedar.. you are defining these as Vixen wheels, but they were standard fitting on M's late 74. I have 4 sets in my storage ..all of them need refurbishing. PM me.
Adrian@

Seabass

193 posts

215 months

Wednesday 14th April 2010
quotequote all
I've got three sets of these wheels which I've collected over the last five years.

Be aware that they are;

1) Highly Porous - to the extent that some don't seal properly. They'll blister if powder coated poorly as air is released.
2) Very Heavy
3) Poorly balanced most likely from offset machining.
4) Quite soft and easily buckled/damaged by tyre fitters.

They do look just right for the car though.

JC

Slow M

2,834 posts

222 months

Wednesday 14th April 2010
quotequote all
Seabass said:
I've got three sets of these wheels which I've collected over the last five years.

Be aware that they are;

1) Highly Porous - to the extent that some don't seal properly. They'll blister if powder coated poorly as air is released.
2) Very Heavy
3) Poorly balanced most likely from offset machining.
4) Quite soft and easily buckled/damaged by tyre fitters.

They do look just right for the car though.

JC
Don't powder coat Al wheels!
B

Cedar

Original Poster:

51 posts

199 months

Thursday 15th April 2010
quotequote all
nwarner said:
Here's a picture of an "M" with Vixen Wheels.

Thx! Yep, IMHO they look at least as good as a T-slot on a chrome bumper M (would be a different story with rubber bumpers, in which case I'd go for wolfraces).
Any ideas what the original tyre-size was on those early M's? Now running 185/70 on the 14"s.

youngnick

125 posts

233 months

Thursday 15th April 2010
quotequote all
I seem to remember they were 180 x 80 x15 on my 1972 TVR, when I bought it in the early 70's

Alan

Adrian@

4,420 posts

298 months

Thursday 15th April 2010
quotequote all
IMHO it is a valid point about the 'look' of the earlier car ...very feminine, and as the model evolves it becomes more masculine...I posted on the TVRCC club site and as the above pictures shows...chrome bumpers only truly fit to the first 2 versions of the bonnet the other 3 versions of the bonnet had the extensions to mount the rubber version and retro fitting them is a mare.
Adrian@
and 180 80 15 is OE spec for that rim.

Edited by Adrian@ on Thursday 15th April 12:12

nwarner

612 posts

276 months

Friday 16th April 2010
quotequote all
Adrian@ said:
and 180 80 15 is OE spec for that rim.

Edited by Adrian@ on Thursday 15th April 12:12
Is it a wider rim fitted on the M ?

My Vixen is fitted with 165 80 15 tyres and that's also the tyre size in the owners handbook.

Cedar

Original Poster:

51 posts

199 months

Friday 16th April 2010
quotequote all
My 3000M is fitted with 185/70 14 tyres, wich, once converted, is clearly not as tall as either size above.
Am I right to assume I should run a taller tyre, or should I look for something like a 180/65 15 to keep the circumference the same?

DavidY

4,489 posts

300 months

Friday 16th April 2010
quotequote all
185/70 on a 14" is too small, tyres should by 185HR (works out at 80/82 profile) or 195/70 as fitted to turbo or some later cars

Slow M

2,834 posts

222 months

Saturday 17th April 2010
quotequote all
nwarner said:
Is it a wider rim fitted on the M ?

My Vixen is fitted with 165 80 15 tyres and that's also the tyre size in the owners handbook.
Finned=5 1/2J-15(all),
T-slot=6J-14.

B

nwarner

612 posts

276 months

Monday 19th April 2010
quotequote all
Slow M said:
nwarner said:
Is it a wider rim fitted on the M ?

My Vixen is fitted with 165 80 15 tyres and that's also the tyre size in the owners handbook.
Finned=5 1/2J-15(all),
T-slot=6J-14.

B
What I actually meant was are the finned alloys fitted to the early M's wider or the same width as those fitted to the Vixen

Terminator

2,421 posts

300 months

Monday 19th April 2010
quotequote all
nwarner said:
What I actually meant was are the finned alloys fitted to the early M's wider or the same width as those fitted to the Vixen
They are the same wheel.

smokin2

Cerberus90

1,553 posts

229 months

Monday 19th April 2010
quotequote all
Up until this afternoon, we had 165/R15 on our 1600M with finned alloys, and even worse the tyres were about 30 years old and about as round as a brick!

We've just got some Yokohama 195/65/15 fitted.

ATE399J

732 posts

253 months

Monday 19th April 2010
quotequote all
Strictly speaking...... They aren't Vixen Wheels, they were specially designed for the Tuscan V6 and later used on Vixens. But then I would say that and who cares anyway!biggrin