The wire wheel conversion kit converts a bolt-on steel disc wheel MGA to centre-lock wire wheel fitment, a substantial specification change that goes well beyond a wheel swap. The MGA disc-wheel hub is a different item from the splined wire-wheel hub, and a complete conversion requires replacement hubs at the front stub axles and at the rear axle output flanges, along with any associated fittings. MGOC Spares supplies a complete conversion kit for the MGA 1500 drum brake car, carrying a 12-month warranty.
What the kit does
The kit transforms the appearance and specification of a bolt-on disc wheel MGA by replacing the four-stud disc wheel hubs with splined centre-lock wire wheel hubs. Once fitted, the car can be run on Dunlop-pattern centre-lock wire wheels, the same fitment available as an optional extra from the factory, with the associated knock-on or octagonal-spinner fixing method. The visual transformation is significant: a wire-wheeled MGA has a different character from a disc-wheeled car, and the conversion is the most commonly-made specification change for pushrod MGAs in private ownership.
Kit contents
The complete MGA wire wheel conversion kit includes:
Splined hubs
, replacement wire wheel hubs for fitting in place of the car's original bolt-on disc wheel hubs. The splined hub accepts the centre-lock fixing of a Dunlop-pattern wire wheel and is the core component of the conversion.
Replacement brake drums
, replacement drums where necessary for the MGA conversion. The original MGA 1500 drum brake uses a combined hub-and-drum arrangement on the disc wheel car; the wire wheel version uses a separate brake drum that fits over the splined hub, so replacement drums are supplied as part of the conversion where required.
All fittings
, the studs, pinners, grease caps and associated hardware needed to fit the splined hubs correctly. These are the small parts that are easily overlooked but essential for a complete installation, the hub itself cannot be fitted without the correct studs and pinners, and the grease caps retain lubrication at the hub bearings.
Two eared spinners
, the kit includes two eared centre-lock spinners (knock-ons) of the appropriate thread size for the conversion. These are the items that secure the wire wheel to the splined hub and allow the wheel to be tightened or released with a copper hammer.
Copper/hide hammer
, a copper or hide-faced hammer is included for fitting and removing the spinners. A soft-faced hammer is essential for centre-lock wheel work, a steel hammer will mark and distort the spinner's chrome finish, while a copper or hide face transfers the blow without damage. The copper hammer was part of the original factory toolkit for wire-wheeled MGAs.
Application, MGA 1500 drum brake cars
This specific conversion kit is supplied for the MGA 1500 drum brake car. The 1500 uses Lockheed drum brakes at the front and rear, and the wire wheel conversion for this variant replaces the drum-and-hub combination with separate splined hub and drum items.
Owners of MGA 1600 and 1600 Mk II cars, which have Lockheed front disc brakes, should discuss their specific conversion requirements with the MGOC help desk, as the disc-brake front hub conversion involves different components to the drum-brake conversion shown here.
Twin Cam and De Luxe, out of scope
The conversion kit does not apply to Twin Cam or De Luxe cars. These variants use Dunlop centre-lock disc wheels with peg drive to the hub, a fundamentally different centre-lock architecture from the pushrod splined wire wheel system, and cannot be converted to wire wheels using this kit. Twin Cam and De Luxe owners should retain their factory centre-lock disc wheel specification; the Dunlop peg-drive wheel is not interchangeable with pushrod wire wheel items.
Related items
The wire wheels themselves are not included with the conversion kit and must be ordered separately, MGA wire wheels in centre-lock painted and chrome finishes, in 4x15 and 4.5x15 sizes, are covered under the Wire Wheels node. The tapered chrome wheel nuts required to secure modern wire wheels are covered under Wheel Nuts, Caps, Clamps & Tools. Additional knock-ons and octagonal spinners beyond the two supplied with the kit are covered under the Wheel Spinners node. Wire wheel balancing cones, required for accurate tyre balancing on centre-lock wheels, are a separate item covered under the Wire Wheel Balancing Cones node within this Upgrades & Alternatives section.
Ordering considerations
The kit supplied is for the MGA 1500 drum brake specification.