Two steel wheel designs were fitted as standard equipment during Midget production, the plain pressed steel wheel of the early years, and the Rostyle wheel that replaced it from the late-1969 GAN5 facelift onwards. Identifying which type is fitted determines the correct hub cap, centre cap, and wheel nut specification when ordering replacement parts.
Plain Pressed Steel Wheel
The plain pressed steel wheel was the standard fitment from the earliest Mk1 Midgets through to the late-1969 GAN5 facelift. It is a simple dished steel wheel, fitted with a push-on hub cap carrying the MG logo in the centre. The wheel uses standard dome-head wheel nuts. The hub cap is a friction fit and can come loose over rough roads, a firm tap with the heel of the hand after fitting confirms it is fully seated against the wheel face.
Rostyle Wheels
The Rostyle wheel was introduced with the GAN5 facelift in late 1969 (1970 model year) and remained the standard steel wheel fitment through to the end of 1500 production in 1979. The Rostyle has a distinctive slotted appearance created by pressed recesses in the rim face, finished in satin black between brighter silver "spokes" to imitate the look of a true alloy wheel. It uses a separate clip-in centre cap with a replaceable MG badge, and chrome or stainless steel wheel nuts. Two wheel nut finishes are available, plain and MG logo embossed, in both chrome and stainless steel.
Rostyle Variants
Two Rostyle wheel variants were produced. The Early Rostyle (sometimes called the "Jubilee" wheel) was fitted from the 1970 model year through to the end of the 1971 model year, identifiable by its square-edged hole design.
The later Rostyle was introduced with the 1972 model year round-wheel-arch cars (RWA) and continued through to the end of production in 1979. Both types share the same centre cap, wheel nuts, and tyre specification, but the Early Rostyle is slightly less common and may be preferred by owners restoring a 1970 to 1971 car to exact period specification.
Rostyle Renovation Kit
A complete Rostyle renovation kit is available for owners refinishing corroded or chipped Rostyle wheels to near-original appearance. The kit contains twenty-five die-cut self-adhesive masks matching the Rostyle recess pattern, silver wheel paint for the "spoke" faces, satin black paint for the recessed areas, and wet-and-dry sandpaper for the preparation work. Patience with the masking is the key to a professional-looking result, the boundary between the silver "spoke" and the black recess follows a compound curve, and a crisp paint line here is what distinguishes good work from poor. The MGOC Spares blog article "Refurbishing Rostyle Wheels" provides a step-by-step guide to the process.
Stainless Wheel Trims
Polished stainless steel wheel trims are available as a bolt-on accessory that covers the Rostyle face with a single polished stainless disc, providing a different visual treatment without replacing the wheel itself. These are a straightforward way to alter the appearance of the car without committing to a full wheel change, and they are a particularly good option for owners whose Rostyles are structurally sound but beyond cosmetic restoration. The stainless trims secure to the wheel without requiring any modification and can be removed for a return to original Rostyle appearance.
Wheel Nuts
Rostyle wheel nuts are available in four specifications: chrome plain, chrome with MG logo, stainless steel plain, and stainless steel with MG logo. Stainless steel is the recommended choice for long-term durability, as chrome plating eventually deteriorates through exposure to brake dust and road salt. The MG logo embossed nuts are a subtle period-correct touch that rewards close inspection of the wheel, while the plain nuts are often preferred on cars refinished in non-original specifications where the additional logo detail would be visually cluttered.