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Re: Wire Wheels, Just "Fishin"

To: Mark Endicott <endicott@nashville.com>
Subject: Re: Wire Wheels, Just "Fishin"
From: Scott Fisher <sefisher@cisco.com>
Date: Thu, 06 May 1999 18:05:12 -0700
Cc: Spridgets <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Organization: Cisco Systems
References: <37322391.97FEF4F@nashville.com>
Reply-to: Scott Fisher <sefisher@cisco.com>
Sender: owner-spridgets@autox.team.net
Mark Endicott wrote:
> 
> I am thinking about the knock off Minilite reproductions.  

Excellent wheels -- I used them on a '71 MGB.  The difference when I
mounted them on the car -- from old wires with only a couple of spokes
missing to new, balanced alloys -- was staggering.  I ran 185-60 tires
on them; it's an excellent size for 14 x 5.5 rims (it's the stock rim
and tire size on a Popular Japanese Two-seat Convertible).

However, when I sold that MGB, I contributed the "Minator" wheels
(actual brand name) and the A008RSes on them to a friend who's putting
together a Midget for a weird vintage event we want to run in a year or
two.  If I read the Moss accessories catalog correctly, the 14 x 5.5
wheels they recommend as a "plus-one" fitment for Midgets are exactly
the same part number as the wheels I bought for my MGB.  Because Jeff
has already fitted '72-'74 rear arches to the tub he's using, we weren't
concerned about the outer fender clearance.

They don't clear the rear springs with the stock Midget axle. 
Apparently, my friend has been able to acquire offset rear leaves
(semi-elliptic) from, I think, The Winner's Circle, and things are good
again.  I think there were also some minor problems at the front, but
nothing that a baseball bat couldn't solve.  (Rolling it, not wielding
it!)

So... just to set your expectations, the centre-lock alloys may not be
as easily installed on your Midget as they would be on a B.  You may
need to change more than just the rims.  And if you rely on the car (for
more than simple mental health, that is), you might want (as difficult
as it may be financially) to buy the Minators FIRST, solve any fitment
problems, and THEN sell your wires.

While we're talking about Midgets and alloy rims, anyone using the Moss
Panasport replicas from the current accessories catalog?  Any fitment
problems on round-arches?  I'm going to suffer through the Rostyles for
this year, but before next summer I can see myself splurging on a set of
those with suitably sticky rubber on them.

--Scott Fisher

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