Citroen Specials Club - the club for all lightweight cyclecars

Hello all,

I am planning on replacing QFAD's wire wheels and although I know they are 4J - 15" wheel with 48 spokes, I do not know what they originally were designed to fit. I assume the splinned 'spinner' mounting is std for this type of fitment.

I would appreciate any guidance offered.

Many thanks,

Steve

PS I went to the Vintage Nostalgia event at Stockton over the weekend. Good selection of vehicles & stands and the Lomax attracted a lot of attention - I passed on the CSC website details to all - so hopefully we will get a few who will actually visit the site. There was one young couple who owned a 2CV and they asked many questions. Another two young chaps talked of knowing a mate who had one and they thought they should buy it and finish it off.

There was a new Morgan parked nearby and it did not get as much attention as QFAD!

Steve,
I think you'll find that the wheels used were/are intended for MGA's. If you look at MWS Wheels web site, you should be able to confirm this.
When you say "replace", with other wires or something else? If it's the latter, and you have hub adaptors you wish to sell, please let me know. I'm intending to fit wires to the special I'm currently building.
With that in mind, I've collected a number of wheels, all of which originated on MGs

Ian

Beware of adding unsprung weight! The MGA wheels with adaptor and knock on nuts add about 7kg per wheel. That is the equivalent of 5 bags of flour. Before you rush out and spend a fortune go to the supermarket and take two baskets, each with 5 bags of flour in them. The handling of your car will be noticeably different in what is likely to be an unpleasant way.

Hi Ian,

I intend to replace the original blues painted wire wheels as some of the spokes are seized so I cannot tighten and one spoke is bent (hit something?). I kept spraying penetrating oil into the threads but no luck.

So I have decided life is too short to keep saving for the future - so I am going to treat myself and spoil QFAD with some TLC! The first step is a new set of wheels.

Yes I was looking at the very same website and thought the 48 spoke MGA type looked very similar - I just wanted to be doubly sure before treating myself to a chrome set!



Duncan,

I noted your warning - but life is always a compromise and if younger, then I would go for the handling ( I always road Italian bikes for that very reason) - but now looking good is a factor.

Durr, I didn't read "replace", oops. Who would have guessed that I tend to bang on about unsprung weight?

Hi Duncan,

No worries - from an engineering point of view you are right to 'bang on' and it does seem a shame to add all that weight; especially as Citroen have gone to the trouble of mounting the disc brakes on the gearbox output stub rather than the usual fitment on the wheel hub.

Mind you the above does not stop me from totally ignoring a sound logical argument in favour of a bit of 'bling'.

My Lomax has the MGA knock on knock off wire wheels, and they make the car look great, I have had some difficulty getting new tyres, they normally have to be placed on special order from Italy, but the wheels are a real winner in my books.

Ian, As you're using MGA wire wheels, I assume you use 155 x 80 x 15 tyres. These are VW beetle size and currently some are available on Ebay, Item number:150985346997. £43.90 each with free delivery. I've no previous experience of Toyo tyres, but IMO, that's a pretty good price.
I've managed to get Firestone F560s (same size) for the special I'm building, which will also be fitted with wire wheels. I too think they look great!
At the Detling Kit Car show last month Ian Cheswright turned up in his very well fettled Pembleton, complete with recently fitted wires which I believe are built specifically for the Pembleton, using a much modified 2CV hub with a spigot welded on and the wheel built around this mod. Very nice they looked, and no need for the normal adaptors!

Firestone F560's are the same as I have on all 4 + 1 spare , but never seem to be in stock at local tyre fitting garages, thanks for the details of the alternative option.

4,5J-15 chromed MWS (XW452) with 155-15 Vredestein