Wheel types
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- Location: Wales
Wheel types
DID TIGERS EVER SPORT WIRE WHEELS? If not why not?
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The test Tigers using the alpine wires shredded the spokes.. that said, alpine wires are not strong and not overly endowed with spokes. A set of tripple lace wires woudl be fine, as would 72 spoke wheels or stainless spoked wheels. Boranis are a VERY expensive option, but aston martin/AG XKE uprated spec wires would work.. but you have to make splined hubs to fit the tiger.
There is a MKII in germany i have seen on the net sporting what looks to be 1415" knock ons
There is a MKII in germany i have seen on the net sporting what looks to be 1415" knock ons
Wheel Types
Derek.
As said before wire wheels plus knock ons were never offerred as a factory option since the 13" Alpine wheel simply shredded its spokes. If you go to www.sunbeamtiger.co.uk/pictures/scans/B9470010_AF.jpg you will see one of the 'AF' development cars at Jensen sporting wire wheels.
This shot was taken around April/May '64 and shows one of the 'AF' SIV Alpine GT's after being built up as a Tiger by Jensen Motors but still on the wire wheels as delivered by Rootes to Jensen. (interesting to see the bumpers still covered in protective delivery wrappings) I acquired B9470010 (the last MK1 'AF' Tiger) in 1993 and it came with one of these wire wheels together with a set of splined hubs. There are no road test reports by Don Tarbun's Project Engineering team (yet found) describing wire wheel testing but one of them is reported to have said that even mild drop clutch starts could snap a couple spokes.
Custom wires of 72 + spokes in 14" & 15" sizes that will take the power can be obtained from specialists but a cost of 4 times a Minilite!
STOC Editor
P.S. It is possible this shot was wanted for styling studio purposes - the car stands too high suggesting no motor installed and there are no signs of exhaust pipes!!
As said before wire wheels plus knock ons were never offerred as a factory option since the 13" Alpine wheel simply shredded its spokes. If you go to www.sunbeamtiger.co.uk/pictures/scans/B9470010_AF.jpg you will see one of the 'AF' development cars at Jensen sporting wire wheels.
This shot was taken around April/May '64 and shows one of the 'AF' SIV Alpine GT's after being built up as a Tiger by Jensen Motors but still on the wire wheels as delivered by Rootes to Jensen. (interesting to see the bumpers still covered in protective delivery wrappings) I acquired B9470010 (the last MK1 'AF' Tiger) in 1993 and it came with one of these wire wheels together with a set of splined hubs. There are no road test reports by Don Tarbun's Project Engineering team (yet found) describing wire wheel testing but one of them is reported to have said that even mild drop clutch starts could snap a couple spokes.
Custom wires of 72 + spokes in 14" & 15" sizes that will take the power can be obtained from specialists but a cost of 4 times a Minilite!
STOC Editor
P.S. It is possible this shot was wanted for styling studio purposes - the car stands too high suggesting no motor installed and there are no signs of exhaust pipes!!
Has anybody had experience with / thoughts on Dayton direct bolt wire wheels? I'm looking at getting them in 15/6 and 15/7, 72 stainless spokes, bead lace (bead lace is what I *think* the development car has in gvickery's photo above, which is perty).
http://www.daytonwirewheels.com/pdf/cat ... ume_92.pdf
(page 15)
$500 range seems like a good deal (Turinos with splines are on the order of $1300 each!). Then either Vredestein Sportrac 5s or Dunlop Sport BlueResponses, unless someone can point me to a reasonable sports tire with whitewalls.
Any thoughts or issues you think I've missed, given the apprehension for wires by some as per above?
http://www.daytonwirewheels.com/pdf/cat ... ume_92.pdf
(page 15)
$500 range seems like a good deal (Turinos with splines are on the order of $1300 each!). Then either Vredestein Sportrac 5s or Dunlop Sport BlueResponses, unless someone can point me to a reasonable sports tire with whitewalls.
Any thoughts or issues you think I've missed, given the apprehension for wires by some as per above?
I have 72 spoke 15" 5.5J wires on my Healey which has a 325BHP 289 V8. Absolutely no problems on hillclimbs etc. The only thing I would say is that they are a b+++er to balance properly. I much prefer the Minilites on my Tiger. I think if you went to 7" wires the extra grip might be too much for the wires. I have Avon ZZ's which are excellent and look quite period but are also quite sticky.