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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Wide wire wheels.

About 25 years ago I acquired 2 wide wire wheels. At the time the guy that gave them to me said they were BMC Special Tuning. Identification marks written on the inside of the rim LP88 5 1/2 J x 13 KU. The Dunlop sign then Made in England. Its got 48 spokes and fits the midget spline.
Can anyone answer any of the following:
Does this sound like a Sprite Midget Special tuning wheel or just a wire wheel from another make of vehicle?
With road tyres fitted would the 5 1/2J clear a standard RWA car?
Anyone have another 2 stuffed in the garage I could buy :0)
Is there anywhere I could buy/have made another 2?

Sorry for all the questions, any help much appreciated.
Simon Ricketts

5.5" rims will just fit in a square arch if the offset is right so round arch should not be a problem, again if the offset is right.
Paul Walbran

At 48 spokes it doesn't sound like any sort of special tuning wheel, even the originals had 60 spokes so a 48 spoke wheel would be much weaker. I suspect that they are from some other type of car. Many British cars used the same Rudge type spline. I'd guess from the size and spoke count something special made for an early F3 or Formula Junior car. Light weight and very small displacement.
B Young

It just so happens I have a set of original and to special order 5.5" wire spoked wheels. Did I mention there are books with this stuff in?

The rims fit a square arch car ok, the problem is what tyres you fit to the rims.

I'm not about to count the spokes...

Since my car now has 5.5" tubless wire spoke wheels I may sell my original 5.5" wires once I've had the rear arches flared - the 5.5" tubless wheels dish out by over an inch compared to standard or my old 5.5" wires (the latter dished in). The fronts fitted ok on the existing flares.

The early 5.5" and even 5.0" wire wheels are NLA and have been for years. The new tubeless 5.5" wheels are from MWS. Did I mention there are books with this stuff in?
Daniel Thirteen-Twelve

Hi Daniel,

in wich book are these mentioned? if i would like to have such wheels build to my car here in germany, i would have to proof, that this was an period thing in order to keep my classic car status. So, real period pics are a great help. Do you have a number for the 5.5 MSW wheels? What tires are you using? 155/80 or 165/70?

Regards

Uwe from Germany
Uwe Elfering

hi Uwe,

Photo attached of the current book but the tubed w/w appeared in an earlier book as long ago as 1992. This type of wheel is no longer available new.

The tubeless wire spoked wheels for the Spridget have only been around for I guess 5 years or so maybe a bit longer.

You probably need someone else to tell you when 5" and 5.5" wire wheels were first fitted to a Spridget.


Daniel Thirteen-Twelve

Hi Daniel,

couldyou please make a picture of your car fitted with the 5.5 tubeless wheels, so i can see how these wheels fit the wheel arches.
Thank you

regards

Uwe
Uwe Elfering

Thanks Daniel,

I'll see if I can borrow the book :0)

I'll stick an ad on classifieds in case someone has a couple stashed somewhere.

Si
Simon Ricketts

Simon.
I have Dunlop 60 spoke 5.1/2 inch x 13 wires on my mk3 Sprite, but I have converted to round wheel arches. I used to have full height 175 tyres but was getting contact with the front inner and outer arches, so I bit the bullet and splashed out on a set of 175/70x13 Uniroyal Rainmasters. Not only did they get rid of the rubbing problem, they completely transformed the ride and handling of the car. (The picture was taken before I changed the tyres)I think the maximum you could get under a square arch is 165/70x13.

Bernie.


b higginson

Hi Bernie,

are the wheels on your photo the new MWS Dunlops as one could buy them by now, or are these the old ones?

Regrads

Uwe
Uwe Elfering

Hi Uwe. No, they are old, I bought them in 1970. They have been shot blasted, primed and painted Mercedes silver base coat and clear laquer in 2007. The paint seems to be holding very well. I had thought about having them powder coated, but I was advised by the guys on here not to as it is brittle, so I'll stick with the paint.

Bernie.
b higginson

Thanks Bernie, I've got RWAs so should not be a problem. As B Young pointed out 48 spokes seems a bit light. I was hoping someone may have a Special Tuning Price List to confirm spec, I did have one years ago but can't place it now. Interestingly when I bought them years ago they still had worn slicks on them.
Simon Ricketts

Simon, the ST catalogues (1275 and earlier 1098) both say:
60 spoke wire wheels C-AHA 7573. These are 13" with 5" rim width.
Unfortunately they are omitted from the price list I have.
HTH
David Smith

Dayton do a lovely (race proven) wire wheel. I'd like some 5" or even 51/2" for the Frogeye if I can afford them...

Mark.
M T Boldry

the special tuning wheels were 60 spoke part # C-AHA7573
it doesn't say how wide they were.


Bob
Bob Fisher

My cars old style wire wheels that need an inner tube are 60 spoke.
Daniel Thirteen-Twelve

"Bob Fisher, Pennsylvania, USA, mgfish@comcast.net

the special tuning wheels were 60 spoke part # C-AHA7573
it doesn't say how wide they were."

the UK ST cat says almost word for word what I quoted three posts above, the width is 5"
David Smith

Mark,

I think Dayton don't do anything wider than 4.5 for the Spridget.
Daniel Thirteen-Twelve

Ok, thanks guys, I think that sorts that little mystery. Still need some replacement standard wires though as mine are shot. Anyone got any nice ones they want to part with?

Si
Simon Ricketts

Ive got 175/70/13's on a square arch car. You just need to tease out the rear arches a tad with a bottle jack. I also found that -ve camber trunnions were just enough to tuck the wheels back into the arch and remove the rub at the front
S G Macfarlane

Daniel, I've been in touch with Dayton and the WILL build 5" x 13 for the Spridget... but you don't want to know how much.....!

Mark.
M T Boldry

Dayton will build wire wheels to any size, width, and offset you want, it's a 4-5 month wait period for something that isn't standard though. Price I was quoted (for 15x7 wires to suit a flared Midget) was actually quite reasonable compared to prices elsewhere for similar.
AndrewF

This thread was discussed between 30/03/2011 and 08/04/2011

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