Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Ray White]

[peter scott]

I must admit that I've never removed a car tyre without levers but I have put them back on with my heels and no lever.

Peter
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http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[badhuis]

[Ray White]

[kevin2306]

Painted for me.
Back in the day when I was racing classic motorbikes, it became the norm to powdercoat frames when rebuilding, I’ve seen more than enough frames crack and for that crack to go un-noticed due to the powder coating masking it.
Paint is easily touched up and also redone if needs be.

Kev

[Bitumen Boy]

IMHO powder coat is horrible stuff, it doesn't seem to give any better protection to steel than a decent quality paint system and as others have pointed out, all sorts of nastiness can be going on behind slightly damaged powder coat before it becomes obvious.

It's also the devil's own job to remove it with ordinary tools; I'm currently stripping failed powder coat off a simple steel box (I aim to make it into a parcel box to put at the front of the house) and it's so much more difficult to remove than simple paint as wire brushes melt the coating and simply smear it around while most other abrasives simply clog to uselessness almost instantly. Best results so far are from the very open textured stripping discs/wheels, but they're neither cheap or long lasting. Anything with a complex shape - and you'll not get a much more complex shape than wire wheels, I fancy - would be practically impossible.

[lowdrag]

So, I did some research. Firstly, although my cars are Jaguars, the principle has to be the same, and 20+ years ago when stainless spokes first appeared they got a reputation for snapping under load. But the problem was addressed and I haven't heard of it for many years now.

I admit to having no idea as to whether powder coating or painting is the best, so had a look at those who make and sell wheels - MWS. I copy from their site:-

"The MWS wire wheels are primer coated using Cathodic Electrophoretic technology. This increases the corrosion resistance to very high levels. A topcoat of silver ash or black follows this.

The paint system provides salt spray resistance of 840 Hrs when tested and evaluated on panels as per ASTM B117".

Some of you will know all about this I'm sure, but if the experts use painted and not powder coated then that's what I would use.

And, if you need wheels Ray (perhaps you are redoing your own) hten you can find them here:-

http://shop.mwsint.com/product_details.asp?id=28

It is telling though that the cosmetic warranty is only one year though. All I can say with knowledge is that my painted wires have had tyres changed and they are not chipped, but I only let the experts do them at the garage. No tyre levers for me these days!

My chrome wheels lasted over 20 years, not a spoke broken despite hard use, but were rusty and way past their best. The painted ones have done 9,000 miles and look like new.

I hope this helps.

[Ray White]

Thank you for the link Lowdrag. I have visited that site before and tried to assess their claims.

At one point I thought chrome/stainless looked good. Yes, on their own I think they can look quite attractive -but when fitted, they seem less so. I think it might be a case of "trying too hard" so I will most likely buy a set of silver painted ones.

[lowdrag]

A wise decision I feel, but - black may well looki more purposeful and stand out from the crowd. It surely does when I see a car with wheels painted in a different colour:-



But it is your car and therefore your choice. Whatever, you are now I believe on the right road.

[mikeC]

I'm another one that fancies the idea of coloured wheels, but interestingly a Google search reveals an almost 100% hit for silver wheels on a TC; this was the only one I could find with non-silver wheels:



I rather like it! It's also unusual to have non-body colour on the wings.
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in the garage: 1938 Talbot Ten Airline
Recently departed: 1953 Lancia Appia, 1931 Austin Seven, 1967 Singer Chamois, 1914 Saxon, 1930 Morris Cowley, 1936 BSA Scout, 1958 Lancia Appia coupe, 1922 Star 11.9 ... the list goes on!

[alanb]

Peter, my father was in the tyre trade all his life, since before the war until he retired in 1977, he only ever used tyre levers to remove tyres never to fit them. When I replaced the tyres on my two seater Morris 8 with wire wheels I found it quite easy fit them without levers just pressed them on using my feet.
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old tourer


Morris 8 two seater

[peter scott]

[Ray White]

I have vivid memories of my Dad falling over when trying to fit tyres like that.

[Rich5ltr]

Borrani use stainless steel for the spokes of their lightweight wheels: Aluminium hubs and rims with stainless steel spokes. One assumes that one of the most reputable wheel manufacturers know what they are doing.

p.s. in answer to the question - painted, undoubtedly. Chrome wires on a TC would look dreadful. They'd need a nice set of whitewall tyres for the full effect

p.p.s. The cream crackers were two tone cream and brown.

[Ray White]