Bobtaylor Posted July 9, 2019 Report Share Posted July 9, 2019 Can anyone confirm that late Spitfire wheels are a bolt on swap for a Vitesse 1600. And are they any wider than the original vitesse wheel? Cheers Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted July 9, 2019 Report Share Posted July 9, 2019 All Herald family cars used the same hubs / PCD / offset so 1500 Spitfire wheels will bolt straight on a Vitesse 1600, or even a 948 Herald if you're so inclined. I think the oval-hole wheels came in two widths - 4.5J and 5.5J? - the narrow being more common and the same width as Vitesse 2L and Herald Estate wheels. Herald saloon / convertible and early Spitfire (Mk1/2?) had narrower 3.5J wheels. I'm not 100% sure which were fitted to Vitesse 1600s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted July 9, 2019 Report Share Posted July 9, 2019 Don't forget the 5j wheels used on dolly SE's But yes, all should be ok, but watch the offset on 5.5j wheels, there are at least 2 versions (one at least used on formula ford) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Flinn Posted July 9, 2019 Report Share Posted July 9, 2019 The Spitfire MkIV and GT6 had 4.5J (4.5" Wide) Oval hole style Rims, earlier 1500 Spitfire also had 4.5J (I Think?), however the very late 1500 Spitfires had 5J (5" Wide rims) 5.5J (5.5" Wide) Oval Hole type Dunlop wheels were also available as an Option I believe? Similar style wheels were also fitted on some of the lower classes of Formula series racing cars of the late 70's and early 80's The Later Dolomites 1500SE and the last ones made (1979/80/81) also had 5J size Oval wheels, but not sure if the offset was the same as the Spitfire ones though? Regards Gary 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted July 9, 2019 Report Share Posted July 9, 2019 A std 1600 has 4.5"J rims Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobtaylor Posted July 9, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2019 Thanks for the replies. I will need a new set of tyres soon and so thought about getting 5” rims at the same time. i had considered getting minilite copies until I read that you need to fit longer studs, hence the original question. i think I will try to find a set of steel 5”. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted July 9, 2019 Report Share Posted July 9, 2019 Any small chassis triumph will benefit greatly from upgrades to 7/16" or 12mm wheel Studs quite an easy mod . No more stripped or sheared 3/8" whether you use big saloon unf or ford or landy metrics its a real must have . Regardless of what wheel or length you require. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul H Posted July 9, 2019 Report Share Posted July 9, 2019 This is the link for M12 stud upgrade . Not a difficult upgrade . Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trigolf Posted July 9, 2019 Report Share Posted July 9, 2019 I have Spitfire 5J x 13 steel wheels fitted to my Vitesse. I think they suit the car well and makes a change from the inevitable minilites ! Gav 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herald948 Posted July 10, 2019 Report Share Posted July 10, 2019 15 hours ago, Pete Lewis said: A std 1600 has 4.5"J rims Pete I thought the original Vitesse 6 had 3.5" wheels? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted July 10, 2019 Report Share Posted July 10, 2019 Wsm only shows 4.5j on all vitesse / all estates / courier /spit 123 on wires 3.5D on all 1200 12/50 13/60 saloons/CV /coupe & spit to mk3 My Vit6 was april 64 and had orig 4.5j steel wheels soon got swapped for 5.5minilites on 12mm studs Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Flinn Posted July 10, 2019 Report Share Posted July 10, 2019 4 hours ago, Herald948 said: I thought the original Vitesse 6 had 3.5" wheels? I thought so too? This is a quote from Wikipedia which states the 2 Litre Vitesse models got the 4.5J Rims? I believe all the Herald Estates had 4.5J rims and these were utilized on the 1963 Monte Carlo Rally Vitesse's? Vitesse 2-Litre[edit] A 1967 Cactus Green Triumph Vitesse 2-Litre convertible (although fitted with mock alloy wheel trims only introduced on the Mk2. The original 2 litre had hubcaps) In September 1966 Triumph upgraded the engine to 1998 cc, in line with the new Triumph GT6 coupé, and relaunched the car as the Vitesse 2-Litre. Power was increased to 95 bhp (71 kW), endowing the new car with a claimed 0–60 mph time of just under 12 s, and lifting top speed to 104 mph. (The 2-Litre was advertised by Triumph as "The Two Seater Beater"). The performance increase was welcome, but it highlighted the deficiencies of the rear suspension. Other detail modifications for the 2-litre, included a stronger clutch, all synchromesh gearbox, larger front brakes (still without a servo), and a stronger differential with a slightly higher 3.89:1 ratio. Wider & stronger 4.5-inch wheel rims were fitted, but radial-ply tyres were still optional, at extra cost. There was a satin silver anodised aluminium-alloy cowling above the new reversing light, and badges on the side of the bonnet and in the centre of the grille read 2 litre. The Vitesse boot badge was retained as italic script but lost the 6 of the earlier model - replacing that with the rectangular 2 litre badge and with a chrome strip underlining the Vitesse badge. Cars with overdrive had a separate badge on the cowling above the number plate/reversing light. Inside the car, the seats were greatly improved, with softer (more plush) covering and a better back-rest shape which slightly improved rear-seat knee-room. A new leather-covered three-spoke steering wheel was also added. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobtaylor Posted July 10, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2019 I have had the wheels off but can't see any size stamped anywhere. I used to have a 12/50 Herald with 3.5" standard rims and 145x13 tyres. My vitesse wheels 'look' the same but have 155x13 tyres. So still no clearer, my car is a 1966 Vitesse 6 1600. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Flinn Posted July 10, 2019 Report Share Posted July 10, 2019 1 hour ago, Bobtaylor said: I have had the wheels off but can't see any size stamped anywhere. I used to have a 12/50 Herald with 3.5" standard rims and 145x13 tyres. My vitesse wheels 'look' the same but have 155x13 tyres. So still no clearer, my car is a 1966 Vitesse 6 1600. Bob The size should be stamped on the Wheel, not sure off the exact position but it should be 3.5D or 4.5J? Alternatively measure the width in between the rim edges, it should be around 3.5 Inches for an original Vitesse 6 or Herald Rim or 4.5 Inches for the Later 2 Litre Vitesse Herald Estate Rim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted July 10, 2019 Report Share Posted July 10, 2019 A word of caution. (From wasting a long trip to buy 5.5j wheels that were 4.5🙄) If measuring across the rim, it needs to be where the actual tyre bead sits, not the very lip. The difference is 1".... Difficult to measure with the tyre fitted. But do-able with some spacers etc or better still some calipers. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted July 10, 2019 Report Share Posted July 10, 2019 all the triumph manuals show the vit 1600 as 4.5J 3.5D is only listed for 1200- 13/60 and spit 123 mine was original 4/64 and def 4.5j steels . Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted July 10, 2019 Report Share Posted July 10, 2019 According to the BMIHT certificate my 1200 Estate came with 3.5J wheels, so not all estates had the wider wheels. Easiest way to tell the width is to use a small coin, like a penny. It will overhang the narrower 3.5J wheel but sit comfortably on the wider 4.5J wheel. The black wheel is a 3.5J Herald steel and the white my 4.5J spare from the GT6. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobtaylor Posted August 30, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2019 Help!! I have acquired a set of Spitfire 1500 wheels which I think are 4.5". They have 155 80r13 tyres and 175 70r13 fitted at the moment. I have measured the existing wheel in my Vitesse 1600 and they appear to be an inch narrower, and they too are fitted with 155 80 r13 tyres. So can I swap the tyres on to the wider rime? and would is a sensible tyre size choice for the new spitfire wheels? I appreciate this topic has been covered before but I can't find the info I am looking for, Cheers Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted August 30, 2019 Report Share Posted August 30, 2019 non of my factory manuals show a 1600 on 3.5J rims 1600 vitesse should only have 4.5J wheels fitted 3.5 came from heralds .. estates and vans had 4.5 175/70 is a good match for a 5.5 rim 155/80 on a 4.5 will suit 175 on a narrow rim gives too much sidewall overhang and less sidewall stability if that helps Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted August 30, 2019 Report Share Posted August 30, 2019 the 155 80 tyres will fit very well on the spitfire rims, it was the factory size on those wheels. But unless you are DIY the wheel swap, consider new tyres if yours are more than 3 or 4 years old. Decent new tyres are a great revelation! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobtaylor Posted August 30, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2019 I know it seems odd, but the spit wheels are definitely 1'' wider. I will need to wait until I get the tyres off to measure it properly but they have old 155 x 13 tires on at the moment as opposed to 155 80 x 13 on my Vitesse. I previously had a Herald and by sight the wheels look the same, maybe the originals got swapped with Herald wheels for some reason, I can't think of any other explanation. I think I will go for 155 80 on the new wheels , the one wheel I have with 170 70 has so much rubber on the ground I suspect it may make the steering rather heavy. I had thought about splitting the difference, but I can't find a 165 that is anywhere near the correct circumference. Thanks, Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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