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Spitfire Mk3 Wheels - a few questions


Dave Ashworth

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Hi all,

 

I have recently acquired a rough MKIII Spitfire and would like some help identifying the wheels.

 

The car has the later MK4 and 1500 style wheels. Were these fitted to a 1971 MKIII does anyone know?

 

I would like to replace these with the earlier style wheel, but a bit wider. Does anyone know what width the Vitesse wheels were and will they fit the MKIII Spitfire.

 

I was looking for something around 5" to 51/2" in standard steel wheel.

 

Thanks for any help received.

 

Cheers.

 

Dave.

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the oval hole wheels were never fitted from the factory.

 

I think mk3 spit had 4.5j hubcap wheels as std, same as vitesse and herald estate.

 

5 1/2 j are available (Dunlop LP923) it seems good sets fetch up to £600 a set these days and don't come up often. If you do find some, check them very carefully for straightness.

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The earlier Mk3 had 3,1/2" steels, with the option of 4,1/2" wires. That was up to the facelift at FD75001, when 4,1/2" steels became standard. (Facelift easily identified by number plate / reversing light combined cluster, rather than separate.)

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Dave

 

As you have taken a fancy to 5.5J hubcap wheels, be prepared for the cost (perhaps best to sit down!), and also the fact that they are rarly ever straight.

 

4.5J Vitesse / Estate wheels are cheap option.

 

What size are the oval hole wheels you have??

 

4.5J I suspect.

 

Cheers

 

Colin

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  • 3 weeks later...

My Mk2 Vitesse had the std silver Triumph 4.5in rims then several years ago I purchased a set of Australian Performance Minilite replicas which are 5.5in wide, they never got onto the Vitesse my daughter pinched them for her 66 Spit Mk2 (look good) so I ended up with her set of Ford 5.5 J reverse rim cream wheels (like formulae Ford used) which we both hated, so I purchased from a club member here in Oz a set of Spit 5.5in oval slot wheels, but they were not the best condition, they were relatively cheap.

I had the wheels sand blasted, re-rolled straight and dings in the lips removed, then powder coated silver grey, they look great on the Vitesse with the black plastic wheel caps. By the time I'd finished they had cost me more than a set of Performance Minilite replica's.

There's a moral there some where but I do have 5 wheels , the spare is only 4.5in tho.

Ok where are the original Vitesse 4.5 in rims, one's a spare for the Spit, I've kept a spare for myself in case? and the other 3 are with other local Vitesse owners, as spare wheels.

There are only about 25 authentic Vitesse's in Australia, a few Aust Herald 12/50's (Vitesse bonnet) with 6 potter engines fitted but not necessarily the other Vitesse upgrades ie the mods are inconsistent and dubious!

Regards

Peter T

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