Escadrille Ecosse Posted October 31, 2020 Share Posted October 31, 2020 I do like those number plates with the raised letters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radioactive Man Posted November 10, 2020 Author Share Posted November 10, 2020 Managed to grab a 5.5" wide wheel as I would like something a little bigger than the standard 4.5". I had contemplated alloys but wanted to go with something thats a little different. Just need to find 3 more wheels. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escadrille Ecosse Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 Personally I think the steel wheels in 5.5" flavour suit the Spitfire best, regardless of year. Also back in the day when I was collecting them they were a lot cheaper than the alloys and fairly readily available too. All changed now of course. Tough as old boots too 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radioactive Man Posted November 13, 2020 Author Share Posted November 13, 2020 30 minutes ago, Escadrille Ecosse said: Personally I think the steel wheels in 5.5" flavour suit the Spitfire best, regardless of year. Also back in the day when I was collecting them they were a lot cheaper than the alloys and fairly readily available too. All changed now of course. Tough as old boots too Yep, there's a set of four on eBay at the moment that there asking for £300 for. At least one looks like a 50p and needs some work doing, another's heading that way. Might try a cheeky offer. Or I keep trying to pick up odd ones as the cost of a single one will be lower per wheel I reckon. The one I bought was not a stupid cost. Patience required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardB Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 I agree on the 5.5s. Just wish they weren't so heavy, a shame you can't get a replica in alloy or something similar in 13" like Jaguar D type alloys. This is them on my Spitfire: http://triumphspitfire.rickbaines.com/files/2013/05/photo-1024x768.jpg Very original looking and make the 175/70s look in place too. I can't remember how I tracked mine down but I got them from a guy who had them on a kit car - I think he might have seen my TSSC wanted ad as I seem to recall they published in car mags as well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escadrille Ecosse Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 They aren't light by any means but I don't think that they're much heavier than the average 'alloy' wheel. Unless you start spending the kind of money I spend on wheels for my bicycle, but there's only two of them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escadrille Ecosse Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 That is a very tidy car Richard by the way 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radioactive Man Posted November 13, 2020 Author Share Posted November 13, 2020 Thanks for sharing that photo @RichardBaines thats how I want mine to look. I do like the Dunlop D1 and Cosmic style wheels and bizarrely new alloys would as you say probably work out cheaper but i do like that subtle look of standard but wider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 IIRC the 5.5 steels turn up in couple of different offsets depending on their origin. Quite a few came from the formula world originally. Both offsets will work in most cases but something to be aware of. I picked up a set of 5 recently for £160. Was lucky - don’t think the seller knew what he had and the other guy bidding wasn’t sure enough to turn up the heat. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radioactive Man Posted November 13, 2020 Author Share Posted November 13, 2020 Thanks Nick for the tip, looks like I need to do a little more research before i end up with a right mish mash of bits. Let me know when you want to sell your bargain set Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardB Posted November 14, 2020 Share Posted November 14, 2020 (edited) Good point about the offsets Nick. I dug out my old emails and managed to find some photos from when I got them in 2012, I'd paid £50 for a set of 5 that needed refurbishing. I took them to a local place in an old mill in Eccleshill, Bradford that cleaned them up and powder coated them for (I think) about £160 cash. Seems like a bit of a bargain given what they are going for these days. Anyhow photo attached of the inside of the rim in case that helps determine the offset. Shame I don't know which way it's facing! Edit : checked these in person, they are a 16mm offset. They have a 16 stamped on the face of the wheel. Edited November 19, 2020 by RichardBaines Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conor L Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 These have just been posted on Flebay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triumph-GT6-Spitfire-Wheels-5x-5-1-2-J-/164521028886?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 Hmm...... thanks for the link. They might stay cheap due to poor pics, location and no postage..... You only have his word for the 5.5" - absolutely no clues from the photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radioactive Man Posted November 20, 2020 Author Share Posted November 20, 2020 On 11/18/2020 at 8:28 PM, Nick Jones said: Hmm...... thanks for the link. They might stay cheap due to poor pics, location and no postage..... You only have his word for the 5.5" - absolutely no clues from the photos I find it really bizzare how some people go about selling stuff. Its not that hard to take a few decent photos... sometimes wonder about people. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escadrille Ecosse Posted November 20, 2020 Share Posted November 20, 2020 Sometimes??? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted November 21, 2020 Share Posted November 21, 2020 The other concern is whether the vendor actually knows how to measure the wheels (very difficult with tyres on). Just putting a tape across the outside lips of a standard 4.5” wheel gives perilously close to 5.5”...... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radioactive Man Posted November 21, 2020 Author Share Posted November 21, 2020 So shiny stuff arrive this morning. 3/4" lowering block for the rear. Wasnt to difficult to fit. Finished result, car looks lower and naturally (psychologically at least) the handling is transformed All back together. Hardest part... getting the cover for the access panel to the spring to fit again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escadrille Ecosse Posted November 21, 2020 Share Posted November 21, 2020 Good job. That really is a very nice looking car 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radioactive Man Posted November 23, 2020 Author Share Posted November 23, 2020 So while I have been trying to collect 5 1/2" steel wheels badly I ended up buying a set of Cosmic 2 alloys that have lived the last 15 years in a bush. Jet washed to crap off... and most of the paint on a couple of wheels so a painting project is on the horizon. No rush to get them on the car. Want to get my head round M12 wheel studs etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted November 23, 2020 Share Posted November 23, 2020 Are those 5.5” or 6”? Both exist but the latter are rare. Look closely at the metal between the wheel nut holes and the centre bore. There isn’t much and they are prone to cracks. Most have steel inserts but cracks in the surrounding alu are still possible. whe considering larger studs, consider that if you want to keep using the factory wheel trims, you set yourself a serious challenge if you go M12. 7/16” UNF from TR or a big saloon allows the use of TR6 wheel nuts, which gives a fighting chance. They can be fitted without major dismantling too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radioactive Man Posted November 23, 2020 Author Share Posted November 23, 2020 21 minutes ago, Nick Jones said: Are those 5.5” or 6”? Both exist but the latter are rare. Look closely at the metal between the wheel nut holes and the centre bore. There isn’t much and they are prone to cracks. Most have steel inserts but cracks in the surrounding alu are still possible. whe considering larger studs, consider that if you want to keep using the factory wheel trims, you set yourself a serious challenge if you go M12. 7/16” UNF from TR or a big saloon allows the use of TR6 wheel nuts, which gives a fighting chance. They can be fitted without major dismantling too. I thought they are 5.5" wheels - thats what they were advertised as. Just double checked and... It appears that there are three 5.5" and two 6" wheels. I guess the 6" will be going on the back and the 5.5" on the front - do you see any issue with that? dont look to be any cracking but I need to get the paint stripper out to get them back to base metal. Might see if I can get them crack tested at work. The 7/16" UNF wheel studs sounds like a plan, can they fit without having to pull the rear hubs off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted November 23, 2020 Share Posted November 23, 2020 20 minutes ago, Radioactive Man said: It appears that there are three 5.5" and two 6" wheels. Interesting. That's the exact combination I sold about 14 years ago to a Herald owner in Yeovil. Had them on my Vitesse for many years before that. 6" on the rear as you say. In fact the 6" came later on when I discovered a crack in one of 5.5" and went looking for others. Found a part set of 3 on ebay for not much - which was just as well as one of them was cracked too. Advertised as 5.5" but were actually 6". I'm told you can fit the (right) 7/16" studs without removing the hubs from front or rear. My informant even showed me a video! Typical crack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radioactive Man Posted November 23, 2020 Author Share Posted November 23, 2020 Thanks Nick, I will be sure to take a close look at them for cracking. Mine do also have the steel inserts but as you say they wont stop cracking occurring in areas such as that. Mine came from Evesham, think they have been in the fellas hedge for some years. Tyres were about 16 years old I think so they are in the bin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radioactive Man Posted December 13, 2020 Author Share Posted December 13, 2020 Shiny. Cant wait to mask up and paint the rest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted December 13, 2020 Share Posted December 13, 2020 Nice! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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