Wire wheels were a factory option on Midgets for most of production, from the Mk1 through to 1976 when they were dropped from the option list. They remain one of the most visually distinctive features of a classic British sports car and are a popular fitment whether retained as original equipment or added as a retrofit to a steel-wheel car. The Midget wire wheel is a 60-spoke design in 4x13 inch size, with choice of painted or chrome finish.
Painted Wire Wheels
Factory-fitted Midget wire wheels were supplied in painted finish, typically silver. Painted wheels are the correct original specification for UK-market cars and are the appropriate choice for owners maintaining factory authenticity during a restoration. The painted finish is also more forgiving of the road conditions and storage environments that classic cars commonly encounter, chips and surface marks can be touched up without the need to strip and re-plate the wheel.
Chrome Wire Wheels
Chrome wire wheels were not a UK factory option but are widely available as a period-correct aftermarket fitment and are perhaps the most visually striking wheel choice for the Midget. Chrome wire wheels use the same hub adaptor and spinner system as painted wheels, and are interchangeable as a matched set. Quality matters with chrome, the modern-production wire wheels sold by MGOC Spares conform to current automotive plating standards, using stainless steel spokes and multi-layer nickel-chrome plating for durability. Regular metal polish during winter is essential on any chrome wheel, as road salt accelerates plating breakdown.
Hub Adaptors and Spinners
The wire wheel fits onto a splined hub adaptor bolted to the axle half shaft flange at the rear and to the front hub assembly at the front. The wheel is secured by a knock-on spinner. Spinners are handed, right-hand thread on the right side of the car, left-hand on the left, to prevent unscrewing under driving loads. Two spinner styles were offered: two-eared and octagonal, each available with or without an embossed MG logo in chrome or stainless finish.
Spline Greasing and Wear
Wire wheel splines require regular greasing to prevent wear and the sharp knocking sound that develops under heavy acceleration or braking when the splines are dry. If spline peaks have worn sharp rather than their original slightly rounded profile, both wheel and hub adaptor should be replaced, worn splines on one component will rapidly wear a new mating partner, so renewing only one is a false economy. Purpose-made spline grease should be applied at least annually, or more frequently on cars driven in wet conditions or through winter.
Wire Wheel Conversion
A wire wheel conversion kit converts any steel-wheel Midget to wire wheels. The kit includes front and rear splined hub adaptors, spinners, and associated fixings. The conversion requires the rear steel-wheel half shafts to be replaced with wire-wheel half shafts (flanged end for the hub adaptor), and the front hubs changed to wire-wheel specification.
This is a fully reversible modification, the original steel-wheel components can be retained and refitted if the car is later returned to steel wheels.
Wire Wheel Accessories
A range of accessories supports wire wheel ownership. Copper-hyde hammers are the standard tool for tightening and releasing two-eared spinners, the soft copper face prevents damage to the spinner ears where a steel hammer would deform them. A lead-faced hammer provides a heavier alternative for stubborn spinners. Octagonal spinner spanners fit octagonal-style spinners as an alternative to hammer work.
Wire wheel cleaning brushes are shaped to reach between the spokes where ordinary sponges cannot, and balancing cones ensure accurate wheel balancing on a workshop machine, as the standard flat cone does not locate correctly on a splined hub. Tubeless wire wheels with silicone-sealed nipples are available as a modern alternative to the original tubed design.