Wire wheels or Minilites?
Discussion
THREEFISHORANGE said:
N,
Where can you get the originals rebuilt? Is it worth it? Or is it better to replace with a minilite style?
C.
There are a couple of companies that can strip, blast and re-wire your original wheels. It is very expensive often more than new but if you want period originality is the way to go.Where can you get the originals rebuilt? Is it worth it? Or is it better to replace with a minilite style?
C.
You can also buy modern Wires from a number of suppliers. in my opinion Borrani type wires are the best and look fantastic on a vixen or grantura. because they give the appearance of a deep set rim Again they are expensive.
How are you restoring your car and whats its use? fast road, track, polishing? Wire wheels deform and spring, because they are spoked. alloy wheels don't. so for ultimate handling alloys will always be better, easier to re-furb and take less looking after.
Tec del minilight in my opinion offer a very nice product and will make the correct backspacing, not like compomotive who tell people that the TR6 is the same.
A 6J minilight if sold to you as a TVR fitment being the same as TR6 BEWARE. They are not the same fitment. a 5.5 J fits but to get a 6J you will need a spacer and longer studs at the rear or to measure the correct backspacing to ensure your tyre sidewall will not get too close to the bottom pivot bar.
I like minilights but Its your car!!
N
I agree with just about everything Neil pointed out except that I don't think that you'd have to worry too much about wheel flex with Borranis in such a light car.
Additional points for consideration may be desired wheel/tyre diameter tyre selection/availability. This also relates back to desired use.
I do like the look of the Minilites more than just about anything else (with the possible exception of some Halibrand pin-drive wheels and the original type Torq-Thrust which would require a conversion to 5-lug) for the Grantura body style.
One thing about cast/forged/squeeze cast vs. wire wheels -To quote the immortal words of Ron Popeil "set it and forget it."
B.
Additional points for consideration may be desired wheel/tyre diameter tyre selection/availability. This also relates back to desired use.
I do like the look of the Minilites more than just about anything else (with the possible exception of some Halibrand pin-drive wheels and the original type Torq-Thrust which would require a conversion to 5-lug) for the Grantura body style.
One thing about cast/forged/squeeze cast vs. wire wheels -To quote the immortal words of Ron Popeil "set it and forget it."
B.
Fiscracer said:
I had Dayton Wire Wheels on my Griff and they looked excellent. If you PM me I'll post a picture of my Grantura with minilites and the Griff with wires - never worked out how to do it on here. Unless you are going on track there is no contest IMHO
I just tried...
[url]
|http://thumbsnap.com/v/dTwBAPgR.jpg[/url]
Fiscracer said:
Fiscracer said:
I had Dayton Wire Wheels on my Griff and they looked excellent. If you PM me I'll post a picture of my Grantura with minilites and the Griff with wires - never worked out how to do it on here. Unless you are going on track there is no contest IMHO
I just tried...[url]
|http://thumbsnap.com/v/dTwBAPgR.jpg[/url]
They are a TR6 fitment with a 185/65/15 yoko from memory if poss you should take a photo showing the relationship of the tyre inner rim with the lower pivot rod. I think I ended up using 10mm spacers on the rear of the vixen they were on beforehand.
How is the green car coming along bye the way??
N.
heightswitch said:
How is the green car coming along bye the way??
N.
It's not. With a lightweight E type, another Grantura and an MGB it is effectively on hold.N.
I have given Spadge Hopkins a Happy New Year though by serving a writ on Ginetta Heritage on the basis that it is a pheonix company trading on the goodwill of Cottage Classics with same location, telephone numbers, same directors, same staff, cloned website and trading in the same business.....
Threefish,
Is it Minilites in particular that you're interested in or cast/forged wheels in general?
There were a number of other wheel styles during the sixties that were used on racing cars that are very attractive.
There are also Panasport and Superlite copies of Minilites in addition to the previously mentioned Compomotives.
Are you trying to accommodate a specific tyre diameter and/or width?
B.
Is it Minilites in particular that you're interested in or cast/forged wheels in general?
There were a number of other wheel styles during the sixties that were used on racing cars that are very attractive.
There are also Panasport and Superlite copies of Minilites in addition to the previously mentioned Compomotives.
Are you trying to accommodate a specific tyre diameter and/or width?
B.
Granturadriver said:
On a Grantura I prefer wire wheels (very thin 40 spokes or 60 spokes) or the very rare Grantura wobbly wheels, comparable to similar wobblys from early Lotus cars.
the same with me,will keep the wire-wheels on my ´61 Grantura.
Only thinking about buying new ones at Limora or refurbishing the original ones.
Mini-Lites just don´t fit the classik looks of a Grantura!
Jon, John, those look GREAT!
Jon, I really like the color choice!
John, are your five spokes also Image wheels?
Amazing how the two lend a completely different character to the car.
While the four spoke wheels make the wole car look like it's right out of 1970, the five spoke wheels give the impression of a late seventies car.
John, on the Image site those wheels are listed as cast. Are they a little heavier than equivalent strength forged centers? Do you know if they use a sqeeze casting technique? The "Tech" part of their site isn't particularly informative.
B.
Jon, I really like the color choice!
John, are your five spokes also Image wheels?
Amazing how the two lend a completely different character to the car.
While the four spoke wheels make the wole car look like it's right out of 1970, the five spoke wheels give the impression of a late seventies car.
John, on the Image site those wheels are listed as cast. Are they a little heavier than equivalent strength forged centers? Do you know if they use a sqeeze casting technique? The "Tech" part of their site isn't particularly informative.
B.
The grey 7's are ALOT Darker than that in proper light. Half way between silver and Satin Black - Antracite 
I was goin to go for some Split rim 7" Revolutions (big money per wheel but very light), but when we got them they were the wrong offset - stuck way out - we told the company (MOSS) and starangley they were surprised having sold alot of 140 or so, but the wings on our 6 are std shape. They were miles out. So got a set of ML's direct from Comp with the offset pulling the rim as inbored as they do. They stick out a fraction but Much less, may have to pop a very mild falre on at some point but not this year (too much other stuff to do).
The Griff will now look like the Dark Blue car BTW (200-5-191). All body mods will have been done by next week.
I was goin to go for some Split rim 7" Revolutions (big money per wheel but very light), but when we got them they were the wrong offset - stuck way out - we told the company (MOSS) and starangley they were surprised having sold alot of 140 or so, but the wings on our 6 are std shape. They were miles out. So got a set of ML's direct from Comp with the offset pulling the rim as inbored as they do. They stick out a fraction but Much less, may have to pop a very mild falre on at some point but not this year (too much other stuff to do
).The Griff will now look like the Dark Blue car BTW (200-5-191). All body mods will have been done by next week.
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