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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Refurb Wire Wheels

Hi Everyone

Just a quick note to ask about wire wheel refurbishment.

The wires on my midget really need a rechrome, but it all boils down to cost etc.

The picture attached gives you a rough idea of the condition.

Can anyone advise on how much it woudl cost and where the work could be done in the kent area?

Thanks again

Rylan


R Williams

"The wires on my midget really need a rechrome"

Rylan, your sure they are not silver painted?

Rechroming wheels could be as or even more expensive then buying new chrome ones.
Why not powdercoat them silver, somebody on here must know a local company in your area.
But again only worth it if the spokes are in solid condition.
Arie de Best

Hi Arie

Thanks for the reply

They are painted silver at the moment, but I am under the impression they should be chrome?

The car is a 1975 midget if that is of any use?
R Williams

"but I am under the impression they should be chrome"

Actually, they "should be" painted, on a Midget (at least, that's how they came from the factory).


Some folks think that chrome looks nicer than paint.
Some others feel that chrome wires look like a mid-'70s pimped out Cadillac (or V12 Jag, roughly the same thing). :)



Norm "I like paint" Kerr
Norm Kerr

Chrome wheels were an option on US market cars, don't know about home market cars. The standard wire wheel was painted and your's appear to be standard speck wheels. For a good repaint you probably should remove the tires and have the wheels media blasted before repainting but you can acheive pretty good results by just sanding down and feather edging the chips and then respraying after a good cleaning. The small bend in the rim in the photo can be straighted pretty easily with a few hammer blows while the tire is still attached. Clean well painted wheels with new knock off nuts can look quite good on the car. There are a lot of us that think they look better than the chrome wheels.
B Young

Powder coating will probably crack due to the spokes flexing. I did mine by having them media blasted then spraying them with Mercedes silver and clear laquer.

Bernie.
b higginson

I think chrome wires are a bit ott for midget and would also vote for cleaning them up and painting. I got quite a nice look using simoniz silver wheel paint.

Mark
M Adams

Not an expert but were wire wheels actually an option on a rubber car?
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Rob, the wire wheels were optional extra's for the 1500 from 1974-76, I don't know if the car had them when it left the factory or not, but either way I am happy :D

On a different note what is the best method to ise to re-paint them?

Rylan
R Williams

many years ago I painted a set of wires with black Hammerite and put them on my classic trials car - it lasted amazing well for several seasons and allowed me to just hose the mud off.
David Smith

Mr Twist done a vid on this recently (not concours) see - http://www.youtube.com/user/Universitymotorsltd#p/u/2/krmid6p-FUs
Nigel At

This thread was discussed on 03/10/2011

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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