Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Roadster Wheels

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Roadster Wheels

    Is anyone able to identify the wheels currently fitted to my Marina based Roadster please? I've "Googled" in every way I can think of, but with no success. Do you think they would have any value if I tried to sell them, or is the 13" size and PCD size too restrictive?

    I know the "alternative wheels" question has been raised several times before, but despite looking through all the earlier replies, I still can't find a nice simple answer to the question "Is there an alternative 14" or 15" wheel that will simply bolt on to replace the current 13" wheels fitted to my Marina based Roadster?", bearing in mind that any necessary alterations would have to be paid for as I don't have any workshop facilities and I have very limited mechanical skills anyway. I have a very limited budget so a set of brand new wheels and tyres isn't possible I'm afraid.

    I took "Batty" to his first car show last weekend and the first person who stopped to look said they liked the look of the car, but wondered why it was fitted with such small wheels! I agree that they do look small and that's not helped by the enormous gap between the top of the rear tyre and the mudguard. A little bit higher gearing would be good too.

    I'm quite taken with Franklin's idea of using MGF spare wheels and may well go for that, but I would also have been interested to have heard from anyone who has successfully done something else, using MGF alloys perhaps? Any ideas greatly appreciated!
    Attached Files

  • #2
    Re: Roadster Wheels

    Has the axle got the alloy lowing block between it and the shock mount. If not that's one reason the car is a bit high at the back. The rear winnings look to be in the correct location.
    - 9th owner of T693 SSC possibly a factory built Ford based V8 Sportster
    - 4th owner of Q309 RNV, an early Cabrio built by Bob Copping, owned Doug & Liz Billings for 16 years
    - 9th Custodian of JRR 929D, Triumph Vitesse based special Paul Moorehouse built prior to the Triumph Roadster kits.
    - 8th owner of Roadster chassis number 2395. Now owned by Barry!
    - Builder of chassis number 2325 (PKK 989M) in the mid 80's. Now owned by Eric & Lynne.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Roadster Wheels

      Hi,
      I had the same issue with the huge gap between the rear wheel and the arch. I fitted 2 inch lowering blocks that made a fair bit of difference.
      I also tried fitting MGF alloys but they foul on the top trunnion by about 20mm. ie. you would need 20mm spacers and longer studs.
      I decided not to bother. I also lowered the front by moving the torsion bar round a few these but this takes a bit of trial and error or you end up with the tyres hitting on bumps.
      If you are looking to get rid of your current wheels I would be interested.
      Best Regards
      Graham

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Roadster Wheels

        Be carefull as MG TF have differant offsets - they are marked on the back of the wheel - also you may need to drill the hubs as you need to change to longer 12mm studs and fit a wheel spigot ring to match the hub and the wheel - so you are not relying on the wheel studs to locate the wheels ..

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Roadster Wheels

          Originally posted by David View Post
          Has the axle got the alloy lowing block between it and the shock mount. If not that's one reason the car is a bit high at the back. The rear winnings look to be in the correct location.
          I'll try and check that out David and perhaps take a photo if I'm not sure what I'm looking at!

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Roadster Wheels

            Originally posted by fouter View Post
            Hi,
            I had the same issue with the huge gap between the rear wheel and the arch. I fitted 2 inch lowering blocks that made a fair bit of difference.
            I also tried fitting MGF alloys but they foul on the top trunnion by about 20mm. ie. you would need 20mm spacers and longer studs.
            I decided not to bother. I also lowered the front by moving the torsion bar round a few these but this takes a bit of trial and error or you end up with the tyres hitting on bumps.
            If you are looking to get rid of your current wheels I would be interested.
            Best Regards
            Graham
            Thanks for your reply Graham. It sounds like MGF alloys are out. Drilling hubs and fitting spacers and longer studs are all the sorts of things I don't really want to get involved in. It sounds like the lowering blocks might be a good place to start. I'll get in touch if I do decide to sell my current wheels.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Roadster Wheels

              Originally posted by dbazdavies View Post
              Be carefull as MG TF have differant offsets - they are marked on the back of the wheel - also you may need to drill the hubs as you need to change to longer 12mm studs and fit a wheel spigot ring to match the hub and the wheel - so you are not relying on the wheel studs to locate the wheels ..
              Thanks for your reply. I would never have guessed there would be so many issues just trying to swap from one style of wheel to another. It almost sounds like "try before you buy" is the only way forward!

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Roadster Wheels

                Several of the small Triumph cars, Herald etc, use the same PCD and stud diameter. But it sounds as if you have been through the process.
                The MGF is the only 'recent' car to use the same PCD, but only the space saver steels give you the correct offset.

                20mm spacers on the front will work but remember they are hub centric wheels, the studs are not designed to carry the weight of the car or center the wheel on the car.

                The lowering block was tapered by about 3 Deg and has a 1" boss to locate it between the two spring hangers. You will need longer U bolts depending on the dimensions you choose. Here or there

                pictures of the lowering block and more discussion here
                Last edited by stevejgreen; 23-05-16, 08:13 AM.
                MOC member since 05/97
                1984 Marlin Roadster SWB.
                1800TC, Unleaded ported head, stage 2 cam. Ford Type 9 gearbox, Dolomite Sprint rear axle fitted with MGF disc brakes.
                Three core radiator, Renault Clio vented front discs.
                The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.

                Loads of Marlin Reference can be found documents here or there.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Roadster Wheels

                  Thanks Steve. I will study the information you refer to later, but meanwhile, here are a couple of photos I've just taken of things as they are now. I can't really see the aforementioned lowering blocks, but perhaps they're obvious to others??

                  Paul
                  Attached Files

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Roadster Wheels

                    Originally posted by seasider790 View Post
                    Thanks Steve. I will study the information you refer to later, but meanwhile, here are a couple of photos I've just taken of things as they are now. I can't really see the aforementioned lowering blocks, but perhaps they're obvious to others??

                    Paul
                    Nope, you ain't got one there, nor have you got the wedge (a part shown in the parts books, apparently fitted retrospectively) that was used to angle the nose of the diff upwards by 3 Deg.

                    What was the age of your donor car (if known)?
                    MOC member since 05/97
                    1984 Marlin Roadster SWB.
                    1800TC, Unleaded ported head, stage 2 cam. Ford Type 9 gearbox, Dolomite Sprint rear axle fitted with MGF disc brakes.
                    Three core radiator, Renault Clio vented front discs.
                    The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.

                    Loads of Marlin Reference can be found documents here or there.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Roadster Wheels

                      Hi,
                      Hopefully a couple of attachments of heights with spacers and picture of the spacer in place. You might have to stand on your head to view them though!!!!
                      Regards
                      Graham

                      updown1a.jpg updown2a.jpg
                      Last edited by cameronfurnival; 24-05-16, 06:50 AM.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Roadster Wheels

                        So, that could be the reason that the back sits so high then.
                        The Morris Marina donor was a 1979 1300 coupe.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Roadster Wheels

                          Thanks for the photos Graham, even if I did nearly fall over when I tried standing on my head!! The blocks certainly make a big difference to how the wheel looks within the mudguard. I guess the downside is that there's 2" less ground clearance at the back so you have to be even more careful with large speed bumps?

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Roadster Wheels

                            How strange ....... when viewed on my ipad the photos were the right way up; yet on my pc they are upside down.

                            - how does that work?

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Roadster Wheels

                              Hi Mike perhaps your ipad is upside down
                              Last edited by b_caswell; 23-05-16, 09:28 PM.
                              Ben Caswell probably not the last word on anything here!!

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X