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Re: will opel gt wheels fit on a 74 mgb

To: jphillips@cvalley.net (Julie Ann Phillips)
Subject: Re: will opel gt wheels fit on a 74 mgb
From: Barney Gaylord <barneymg@ntsource.com>
Date: Wed, 20 Dec 2000 22:40:22 -0600
At 10:10 PM 12/20/2000 -0600, Greg wrote:

>.... carroll shelby wheels that look like minilites off a opel gt for $100
does anyone know if they'll fit my 74 mgb?

Check the bolt pattern first.  The bolt pattern has to be 4 bolts on a
4-1/2" basic circle.

Stock MGB wheels are 14" diameter (at base of the bead) and 4" wide (inside
the flanges).  The 1980 MGB LE wheels are a little wider, 4-1/5 or 5" wide,
but with the same offset, which is important.  The mounting face of the
wheel where it mates to the hub when it bolts up is about 1-1/2" outward
from the centerline of the wheel.  This sets the wheels inwards toward the
centerline of the car for a narrow wheel track.  If the wheels do not have
this negative offset the tires will rub on the fenders.

The Opal GT was also a narrow body car, so there's a good chance that those
wheels will also have a negative offset, but it bears checking all the
same.  Given the proper negative offset, wheels up to 5-1/2" wide (possibly
even 6" wide) and tires up to 185-70-14 will fit on the MGB.

The MGC used 15" wheels, and those can be used as +1's on the MGB.  A good
tire size then would be 185-60-15.

195 wide tires have been mounted on the MGB, but that usually requires a
slight "rolling" of the inside flange on the rear wheel arch to clear the
sidewall of the rear tire.  Also the 195 tire may rub against the front
anti-sway bar at full lock (except that the 1974 MGB may not have a front
sway bar).

Okay listers, did I miss anything?

Barney Gaylord
1958 MGA with an attitude (and 195-60-15 race tires)
    http://www.ntsource.com/~barneymg

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