Author Topic: Wheels within wheels  (Read 269 times)

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Offline jbcollier

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Wheels within wheels
« on: Wednesday,January 19, 2022, 08:48:13 PM »
I really like the look of the stock steel wheels with hub caps and trim rings.  Two problems: too narrow, and, not the best for tubeless tires.  So I bought and refurbished a set of Cosmics. They are great looking wheels but quite heavy and I prefer the steel wheel look.  So I started to explore getting new “rims” welded to the old centres.  Then this turned up:

https://www.imagewheels.co.uk/elan-billet-alloy-wheel/

I enquired and they can do them as a bolt-on as wheel.  So I ordered a set of 13 x 5.5” rims with the same offset as my Cosmics.  I also sent them a hub cap so they could fit the hubcap nubs.  They're a bolt-together, billet wheel so the rim section is just a bit wider and the centre section a smidge smaller.  This means the vents are just slightly covered when the hub cap is on. I haven’t received them yet but I think they are absolutely spot on with the period look I like best.


Offline 4129R

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Re: Wheels within wheels
« Reply #1 on: Thursday,January 20, 2022, 12:52:14 AM »
Extra un-sprung weight?

Offline JR73

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Re: Wheels within wheels
« Reply #2 on: Thursday,January 20, 2022, 05:47:52 AM »
I really like those jb, I expect them to look good on the car and very similar to the original steel wheels. I’m sure you will share some pics of them fitted when you receive them?

I liked the ‘prisoner’ alloys that Caterham had made some time ago, even toyed with the idea of getting a set for the Europa but the offsets aren’t quite right for my car (15” diameter  would have been ok for me) - the ones you have found have me thinking again about a spare set of wheels, especially because the wheels I have are from Image too.

Offline jbcollier

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Re: Wheels within wheels
« Reply #3 on: Thursday,January 20, 2022, 06:51:34 AM »
Will post photos for sure.

"Extra un-sprung weight?"

I'm moderately confident that the new rims with hub caps will be lighter than the Cosmics.