Thank you Mike.
Since the Factory V-8 cars came with very strong alloy wheels, the
conventional wisdom is that the mighty V-8 was too much for wires.
Certainly, it is an individual situation, dependent upon how the car is
to be driven.
I have seen several V-8's with wire wheels over the past 8-10 years of
shows & such, but none were the stock MGB wheels. The 72 spoke (?) - I
was never good at counting spokes- on heavy duty centers & first class
splines are probably fine. If the Ferrari uses them.....
A few modern muscle cars came with wire wheel options, notably the
Corvette. These were Dayton wheels with spokes many times thicker than
anything I have ever seen on a B. My neighbor restored a '60 something
'Vet with wires, but he always seemed to be sending them back to Dayton
to be re-trued. He had 300+ HP & a heavy foot. Some awsome street rods
have been built with wire wheels as well, lots of T-buckets & A
roadsters, but you don't see them at the strip.
If someone wants to use wires, have deep pockets or a light foot. Hard
to own/drive a V-8 B without occasionally hammering the loud peddle.
Personally, I have never considered wires on any of the Midgets or B's
that I have owned, because of the miles I rack up. They are a
maintenance item, & I am lazy. Love the look, though.
Jim Stuart
2 V-8's, looking for a donor car for the 3rd, still no sense
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