Mk VI hub conversion & Wire wheels wanted

[Gordon Tulley]

Hi I am looking for fitting wire wheels to my 1948 Mk VI special I understand I will also need shorter wheek nuts & Spinners please kindly contact me on gt@theycandoit.com or 07836202158 Many thanks Gordon

[Stephen Blakey]

Hi Gordon,

It's not clear whether you are making bolt on wires. Years ago there was a company doing this by cutting the centres out of steel wheels and modifying those such that a rim and spokes could be laced onto them. You see quite a few of these at club gatherings.

Most people these days seem to fit splined hubs and knock on/off wheels.

For those, you will need to replace the front hubs with a splined version. At the rear, there is a splined adaptor that bolts onto the outside of the brake drum in the same fashion as the original wheel.

The parts are made by Orson Equipment in Wolverhampton;

https://www.orsonequipment.co.uk/

They're not cheap. As far as I can tell, they are the only people making them, so you get the same parts wherever you buy them. The website doesn't show the full range but it does give you an indication of the prices.

They do them in the correct Rudge Whitworth sizes (which bear no relation to anything you can measure) for vintage wheels and also 50's/60's Jaguar wheels. The latter option allows you to use old or new 16" wheels off an XK140 which gives you a vast choice of tyres.

Depends on which look you are going for.

Do let us know how you get on.

Stephen