I've got to second the sentiments written here. Before I switched my
MGB over to wire wheels, I did a bit of research on the list, talking to
various members of the list and parts suppliers. Everyone I talked to told
me that, if properly maintained, wire wheels will be just as safe and secure
as steel wheels - and maybe even more so! (Given the fact that wire wheels
must be maintained and serviced, any faults are more likely to be found
before a wheel fails.) One member of the list told me that the reason wire
wheels have such a bad rap comes from the days of the pre-war wire wheeled
cars. When an 18" wheel has 14" of wires holding the thing together, it is
more prone to problems and stresses faced in cornering. The modern 13 or
14" wire wheels don't face the stresses of larger wire wheels.
I wouldn't have made the switch if I didn't feel it was 100% safe - as a
testament to their ability to handle modern problems, I'm driving my wire
wheeled MGB as a daily driver, making trips of over 500 miles to and from
college. Before taking the plunge, I did the car up right - new wires,
tubes, and tires. Yes, it cost me more than keeping the car as a rostyle
would have. But, every car sold today has bolt on wheels - wire wheels are
a throwback to the legacy of the MGB. The wires, IMHO, make Little Miss a
legitimate heir to the MGB throne. If done well, a wire wheel can handle
all the stresses of daily driving and do it in style.
Of course, for the original poster who intends to race the car, this is
useless logic. I don't blame you - I'd love to autox my MGB, but I won't
dare try it with wire wheels. But for anyone else doubting the strength of
wire wheels, don't worry. They've proven themselves in the past, and
continue to do well on thousands of cars every day.
>Hi Fred,
>I've had my 'B' for nearly 20 years, the last 8 of which sported chromed
wires
>(because I liked the way they looked).
>I've seen friends loose wheels because they forgot to tighten the knock-off
>after bleeding those brakes, but I've never had a problem.
>I keep them well greased, change tires by hand and inspect for bent or
broken
>spokes regularly. After all, wires were the only way to go in early racing
and
>rallying.
>Bob Stahlbush
>'66 MGB GNH 3L 78708
>'60 TR-3A TS 76779
Michael S. Lishego
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/3706/
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