wheels, wheels, wheels

[Bryan Boyle]

Just spitballing and chatting with Steve V over txt...anyway...if I want to keep the same tire size arrangement as I have on the TCS, but want to go to a decent 'period correct' wheel that was less fraught with issues balancing (stud vs cone centric)...what are the current thoughts?  I know the PCD is 3.75, wheel is 13x5.5...and the offset is

Or, will stock Spitfire sizes work...Or...

Don't want to go to larger diameter/lower profile (the roads are really bad here in MA...I've spent lots of $$$ on my Jetta with low profile tires bubbling sidewalls from pothole arguments); the extra sidewall height helps provide additional cushion, so staying within the 13" family. 

Just looking for thoughts.

[jbcollier]

From Tim Engel:


Europa Wheels
Lotus .......... Lotus ......... Spitfire
Alloy ........... Steel .......... Steel
5.5" ............. 4.5" ............ 4.5" .......... Width
+0.637" .... +1.094" ..... +0.812" ...... Offset, inches
+16.0mm... +27.8mm... +20.6mm ... Offset (mm)
 
Revolution.. Cosmic ...... Panasport
Alloy ........... Alloy ........... Alloy
6.0" ............. 5.5" ............ 6.0" .......... Width
+1.158" .... +0.938" ..... +0.630" ...... Offset, inches
+29.4mm... +23.8mm... +16.0mm ... Offset (mm)
 
I measured my Europa wheels, and borrowed a friend's Spitfire wheel.   I can't say that every Revolution/ Cosmic/ Panasport wheel 'for' the Europa will have these dimensions, but mine do/did.

And again:

13 x 4.5", +1.062" Offset, +27.0mm ET - Europa Steel Wheels

13 x 5.5", +0.637" Offset, +1.62mm ET - Europa Alloy Wheels

13 x 4.5", +0.812" Offset, +20.6mm ET - Spitfire Steel Wheels

The Twin Cam's Brand Lotus alloy wheels are not only 1" wider than the standard steel wheels, the smaller positive offset moves the wheels outward by 1.062 - 0.637 = 0.425".

Straying a little off-topic, but the Triumph Spitfire steel wheels some Lotus owners use also have less positive offset, which moves the wheels 0.25" outward compared to the Lotus steel wheels.

Regards,
Tim Engel

[gideon]

Revolution wheels are reasonably priced, reasonably light, reasonably "period" and I believe you can specify the offset.  They also ship regularly to the US.  If you can spring for a more expensive three piece wheel then you could look at Image Wheels or Force Racing.  Or the various Minilite style wheels, of course. It would take a while to list all the Minilite style options.

https://revolutionwheels.com/product-category/road/4-spoke-classic-road/
https://www.imagewheels.co.uk/lm4-alloy-wheel/
https://www.imagewheels.co.uk/elan-billet-alloy-wheel/
http://www.force-racing.co.uk/wheels/force-racing-13-wheels/

[gideon]

Or John Brown Wheels (JBW) actually have a few options, including Cosmic, Revolution and "D1" styles

https://www.johnbrownwheels.com/wheels/13-alloys?wheel_fitment=85

I don't recall seeing the 13x5.5 - 95.25PCD Cosmic style at JBW before.  Also I wonder how JBW Revolution style wheels compare to actual Revolution wheels...

[Bryan Boyle]

Or John Brown Wheels (JBW) actually have a few options, including Cosmic, Revolution and "D1" styles

https://www.johnbrownwheels.com/wheels/13-alloys?wheel_fitment=85

I don't recall seeing the 13x5.5 - 95.25PCD Cosmic style at JBW before.  Also I wonder how JBW Revolution style wheels compare to actual Revolution wheels...

I'll add in VTO Wheels which was passed on to me this afternoon:

https://www.vtowheels.com/Classic-8-13-x-55-4-x9525mm-19mm_p_52.html
https://www.vtowheels.com/Retro-4-13-x-55-4-x9525mm-19mm_p_103.html

Look pretty nice (and called them up...they are true centers for balancing).  Grab a few emblems (they don't have Lotus, probably because of licensing and such issues) and put them on the plain caps.   What's not to like?  And they even are spec'd at 95.25 PCD, 13x5.5, and offset of 20mm with a 4" backset.  Even list the Europa as a fittment.  And the price isn't too bad, considering.


[/quote]

[Bryan Boyle]

Revolution wheels are reasonably priced, reasonably light, reasonably "period" and I believe you can specify the offset.  They also ship regularly to the US.  If you can spring for a more expensive three piece wheel then you could look at Image Wheels or Force Racing.  Or the various Minilite style wheels, of course. It would take a while to list all the Minilite style options.

https://revolutionwheels.com/product-category/road/4-spoke-classic-road/
https://www.imagewheels.co.uk/lm4-alloy-wheel/
https://www.imagewheels.co.uk/elan-billet-alloy-wheel/
http://www.force-racing.co.uk/wheels/force-racing-13-wheels/

Some nice ones in there...but the shipping would be painful (probably more to ship per piece than the piece cost...;(

[Richard48Y]

I just had two fuel tanks, a set of pistons, and a trailing arm shipped for $150.00
Trailing arm required a second box.
The first box was not heavy but dimensionally similar to a set of wheels.
If considering any purchases from UK the rate is still good but has gone up a little.
Large companies get better rates which they hopefully pass along for more sales.

[gideon]

Some nice ones in there...but the shipping would be painful (probably more to ship per piece than the piece cost...;(

When I enquired with Revolution a while back I thought the shipping cost was surprisingly reasonable.  I don't recall the figure,  but once you subtract the VAT the total price including shipping may not be that much more than a UK customer, especially with the exchange rate as it is.

Any idea how much the VTO Retro 4 wheels weigh?

[Richard48Y]

I've been shipping a fair amount of LBC parts the past few months.
UK to US shipping seems to be cheaper than domestic coast to coast. 

[jbcollier]

You can modify your current rims to easily mount correctly.  First have them spun up on a big lathe and have the centres machined true.  This is very easily done.  After that can either use two steel wheel lug nuts on opposite studs to properly locate the wheel before fitting the other lug nuts.  Or, you can make up entering rings that slip on to centre the wheels.  I think option one is the easiest myself.

[Bryan Boyle]

You can modify your current rims to easily mount correctly.  First have them spun up on a big lathe and have the centres machined true.  This is very easily done.  After that can either use two steel wheel lug nuts on opposite studs to properly locate the wheel before fitting the other lug nuts.  Or, you can make up entering rings that slip on to centre the wheels.  I think option one is the easiest myself.

Thought of that, but there is a dearth of auto machine shops in my area; I could not even find (and this is in a minor metro area that stretches from Providence RI to Cape Cod) a radiator shop or fuel tank repair place (to go through my set of fuel tanks before I mount them).   Shops don't fix stuff anymore, just rip and replace.

(I do mount them with the diametrically opposed tapered nuts, put the two lotus nut/washers in, tighten down, then remove the tapered nuts and put the last two in).   

[jbcollier]

Don't need an auto machine shop.  In fact, they generally don't use need lathes that large.  You want a general machine shop.  I googled machine shops in your area and got a lot of hits.  Phone around, they'll be someone willing.

[rjbaren]

Going back to John Brown Wheels in England, I bought a set of 5.  Each wheel came with chrome lug nuts and a center cap.  Shipping was not expensive; it was less expensive to buy the 5 wheels from England than to have my 5 TCS alloys refinished.  If I remember it was around $500.00 for five 13x5.5 Mini Light style wheels including shipping, and I like the way they better than the TCS alloys.  I never cared for the center cap on the Lotus alloys. 

I also bought a used set of 13" Cosmic wheels, a pair of 5.5-inch wheels for the front and a pair of 6-inch wheels for the rear.  The center caps and lug nuts from the John Brown wheel fit perfectly.  Now I have a choice of the John Brown center caps with a lotus badge from RD Enterprises, or the Cosmic wheel center caps I bought which are still available.

[Richard48Y]

"Cosmic wheel center caps I bought which are still available".

Where? My search's turned up none.

[jbcollier]

https://www.cip1.ca/c32-cos-5515-cap/