Painted wire wheels are the correct period specification for factory option cars and provide a more understated, authentic appearance than chrome, particularly appropriate for concours restoration or for owners who prefer the original factory look over the showier chrome finish. The wheels were normally painted Aluminium, the same silver-grey as the disc wheels, as chrome was the optional upgrade and painted the standard fitment. All wire wheels supplied are of an improved tubeless design, requiring no inner tubes or rim bands.
Sizes and Fitment
The original 60-spoke 4.5x14-inch centre lock painted wire wheel is the correct factory option specification for UK MGB cars and remains the most period-correct choice for restoration and road use. The 5.5x14-inch centre lock painted wire wheel offers a wider rim in the same 14-inch diameter for owners wanting a broader tyre contact patch without moving to a 15-inch fitment. The 72-spoke 5.5x15-inch centre lock painted wire wheel provides the maximum spoke count and rim width in the painted range, and a black finish version is available for owners wanting a darker, more contemporary look. On the MGC, painted aluminium 72-spoke wire wheels in the original factory silver-grey are manufactured to the original 15-inch specification for correct spoke tension, trueness, and rim profile.
When to Replace
Wire wheels deteriorate over time, even when well maintained. The spoke nipples corrode and seize, making adjustment impossible. The rim develops dents and distortion from kerb contact and pothole impacts. The paint fades, chalks, and eventually allows corrosion to attack the underlying aluminium.
A wheel with multiple broken or seized spokes, significant rim distortion, or corrosion that has compromised the spoke-to-rim joints is beyond economical repair and should be replaced. New painted wire wheels arrive correctly tensioned and trued, ready for tyre fitting, representing a fresh start that will provide decades of further service with appropriate care. Correct balancing requires wire wheel balancing cones, and spinner thread pitch and handedness must be confirmed before ordering spinners.