wheel project A is abandoned... wheel project B is taken on

[twigworker]

Sad to say that my wheel project to weld wire wheel splined centers into steel wheels has been abandoned. I just can't find anyone around here that will do the work, primarily because of the liability issues. One guy wanted $250 to "test and do one wheel" but he couldn't confirm that it would happen. Too bad 'cause I really did want the look of the old Rudge knock offs.

Plan B is to remove the centers from some 4" MGB steelies that I have and weld them into a set of 5.5" rims off of a Nissan. 14" of course. To my mind there is nothing wrong at all with the look of a set of steelies and hub caps, in fact they might be just the thing for the "Fantasy Ride".

I have someone who does this sort of thing for the good 'ole boys around here who run their dirt trackers pretty hard so I am confident that the work will be safe.

The "Fantasy Ride" is a 79 roadster, 3.4 injected, T5, Guzman 4-link suspension and a 3.3 MGC axle. I want it to be something of a sleeper, but I am lowering it to CB height, ditching the bumpers in favor or Sebring style valances front and rear, avoiding any fender flares, and using the aforementioned steel wheels and hub caps.

My question is....Should I go with an ideal "back space" dimension, or an ideal "off set" dimension? The deeper the off set the better it will look, but I don't know what I can have and not have fender lip or geometry problems. Of course the back spacing is a little critical as I don't want to get involved with fouling the fender apron or anything else under there.

I am assuming that 5.5" rim width is okay as I know that the later GTs had them, but if anyone can convince me to go in either direction I am all ears.

I am not a fan of ultra low profile tires so I suspect I will end up using something like a 185 or 195 65 or 70 series tire.

[rficalora]

Did you check Stockton (http://www.stocktonwheel.com/)?  They're the ones who put standard rostyle wheel centers in wider rings for Leonard Marshall.

[jimbb88]

Stockton made my 15" x 6" "steelie" MGB wheels with genuine early B centers and hub caps for my 1966 4.0 roadster. The runout on the wheels was better than the factory wheels.

If I were buying/making wheels today, I would try to stay away from 14", as decent tires are starting to go away. 15" should be the minimum for a performance car. 60 or 65 profile tires work and do not look like rubber bands.