Looking for new wheels

[amalgamated users from prior forum]

Message originally posted by: Sue Roedel (MOC Editor)
My Berli comes of age this year and for her 21st birthday I am thinking of getting new wheels. That, or I get my existing ones re-conditioned.

A few questions:

- Re-conditioning could be the "dip and strip" thing but I am told this is not a great finish. Any comments?
- Anodising - is this something I should look into instead of dip and strip. Anyone have any comments?
- I have no idea about what to look for in terms of wheel spec if I am to get new wheels. Can someone point me in the right direction for a Cortina based Berli and what I am supposed to ask when looking for replacements ie offset etc?

Totally ignorant of the complexities involved so looking for as much advice as poss.

Thanks in advance.

[Dane_Rescueman]

Re: Looking for new wheels

Sue, my rims are showing their age too.
If you want to refurbish them, it is best to send them to a company that will [gently] bead blast them, X-ray for cracks - especially between the fixing holes, if neccessary fit new steel bushes in the holes and then spray with tough laquer. I have not found a firm near me yet. I expect the process to be rather pricey.

Danny had a complete set of new Berlinetta rims. I was going to buy them but my ongoing engine re-build has left me rather skint.

For new wheels a supplier would be able to measure one of your old rims and advise on a new set there and then.

Good luck and I look forward to the results of your search.

[amalgamated users from prior forum]

Re: Looking for new wheels

Message originally posted by: Sue Roedel (MOC Editor)
Thanks Dane. You will, in due course, hear what the outcome is. It'll take me some time to finally make a decision!

[dogoncrazy]

Re: Looking for new wheels

Sue
Had my roadster wheels refurbished by a local tyre company who sent them away somewhere.Cost at the time was about ?35 per wheel which included removing/refitting tyre and rebalancing-result was good if somewhat pricey.

[Dane_Rescueman]

Re: Looking for new wheels

Alan,
That price does not sound too bad.

Did they x-ray etc?

I have found out that a few firms also machine the rims to remove corrosion around the tyre bead lip to prevent slow punctures.

After all that I suppose it must be cheaper to buy new ones!!

[h_m_cumming]

Re: Looking for new wheels

I stripped the paint and laquer from my Roadster rims with paint stripper and a wire brush. Two coats of silver wheel paint and a couple of coats of clear laquer later they look good. Other than my time, the removal, fitting and balancing of the tyres plus paint was the only cost.

[amalgamated users from prior forum]

Re: Looking for new wheels

Message originally posted by: Carl Trollope
take a look at http://www.lap-tab.co.uk/ just down the road from me and they do good stuff......

[amalgamated users from prior forum]

Re: Looking for new wheels

Message originally posted by: Sue Roedel (MOC Editor)
?35 was what I was told they could cost locally. That doesn't seem too bad a price. The more I think about it the more I think I should go the strip and re-paint look as trying to find replacement wheels that I like and are not exhorbitant is proving quite difficult.

[macdonald.dm]

Re: Looking for new wheels

Hi Sue.

Are your existing wheels the 'spoked' Compomotives as supplied as 'standard' for the Berli?

I've just had a look at mine, and find the offset number to be a bit confusing (the numbers are stamped on the outside rim); it says ET 23-38 NEG.

I presume this means a negative offset, which would mean not only are they different to the Cortina donor, but stick out a lot further giving the Marlin a wider track than the Ford. (I also don't understand why two numbers - I'm guessing they refer to a range of spacers which can be used with the wheel?!)

A negative offset of even 23 is unusual as far as I can see, and 38 is HUGE (really sticky-out)! I think the range of 'off-the-shelf' alloys of this spec will be limited; very likely spacers would be required along with most wheels.

UNLESS I'VE COMPLETELY MISUNDERSTOOD THE 'NEG' ON THE WHEELS!!!

?35 for a wheel refurb sounds pretty good to me. Do they offer a selection of finishes/colours? Do you see yourself being bold enough to go for, say, metallic graphite spokes with polished rims to set against your white coachwork?!!!

On a slightly different note, how comfy is your car?! Mine likes to keep me informed of every ripple and ridge in the road... I've been thinking that if I was to replace my tyres, I'd go for higher profile ones; they are currently 60 ratio (195's) - not exactly low - but I think I'd go higher still - 65's or even more. I don't think the road-holding would suffer significantly, but I suspect any slight loss would be more than made up for by the improvement in ride quality. Also, it would do a better job of filling the arches AND even increase ground clearance a bit! Obviously, the speedo error would be even greater...

Just food for thought - in case you were thinking it was all a bit too straight-forward Clearly, take advice before considering any of this.

[danny_nelson]

Re: Looking for new wheels

Hi Sue, Marlin sold the Compomotive for fitting to the Berlinetta in either 6 inch wide or 7 inch. They are a 15 inch rim with a neg offset of 23-33. The problem with todays after market wheels is that they are all made for front wheel drive so you need to play about a bit. Allow for the cost of tyres off, and the cost of a good inspection, Then the cost of the refurb, Then the tyres on, then balancing. I think approx ?50 to ?60 total dependant on finish chosen.

[08dents]

Re: Looking for new wheels

Local mobile wheel re-furbishers up here in cumbria charge about ?35 per wheel. it seems a standard price. This is for a general tidy of the rims a under coat then spray usually ford moonshine silver and laquer but they can do other colours. the local Audi, Jag and merc dealers use them and the ones i have seen alway do a good job or your money back if not satisfied.

[08dents]

Re: Looking for new wheels

Up date on the colour used it is ford moondust silver not moonshine.
Must be getting mixed up between paint and alcohol, gotta stop watching dukes of hazard.

[amalgamated users from prior forum]

Re: Looking for new wheels

Message originally posted by: Sue Roedel (MOC Editor)
Hi All

Negative offsets and the like all sound far too confusing and much too much like hard work so I shall stick with my Marlin factory wheels and go for the refurb. My next task will be to do the homework thing and find a decent wheelmerchant who won't rip me off. I am in Essex after all. I have a couple of contacts so will start with them.

Thanks for all the advice.

Meanwhile, Donnie, how comfy is my car?! As comfy as yours by the sounds of it. However after all these years of driving it I don't feel hard done by when I swop from a smooth diesel estate to the Marlin. It just feels right. The main "discomfort", if you can call it that, is the road noise that has become worse since I changed the engine. I have a feeling the exhaust is blowing but can't get to my pipe man for a while to check it out. I have 205 70 tryres on mine but quite a few swear by the 185s. That's another huge debate! My car has never been good in the wet with these size tyres, I lose the back end really easily. Sometimes it's fun but not when there's traffic on the same roundabout. I'm thinking of changing the tyres to narrower ones once I have got round to doing the wheels and I was going to source the 185s like Brian Gadd and Tim Hawkesworth have. Don't worry about the speedo thing, as long as you know how much it's out by you just drive accordingly and drop down to 20 when you see the cameras in a 30 mph area. That's what I do!
The dripping rain on my legs is a pain, as is a poor windscreen demister but it's all part of the fun!

[macdonald.dm]

Re: Looking for new wheels

Ha ha!

I have '60' profile tyres which I think contributes to the 'firm' ride! 70's are higher than most tyres on 'modern' cars (65's are common), so I'd have thought it would be a little gentler.

What 'profiles' do Tim and Brian use on their 185's, I wonder?

I know what you mean; when I climb into our Zafira, my first thought is how quiet and comfy it is, then I start to wonder if the steering has 'gone' - it's all loose and soggy...

(I've tweaked the dials I'm making up for my dash to take into account the different circumferences between the Cortina and Marlin wheels/tyres. I was surprised to find the difference was minimal (around 2-3 mph at 50mph) as the original 13" Cortina tyres were apparently very high profile (didn't actually have a 'profile' no. on them!), whereas the Marlin tyres are lowish. Your 205/70's are a different matter tho'!)

[macdonald.dm]

Re: Looking for new wheels

PS. You're right about the Marlin offset - they are a bit unusual and would probably mean you'd have to source a completely new set of wheels from a dealer (???'s) rather than track down even decent 2nd-hand ones, as few other cars (I don't know of any!) share that amount of 'negative'.

Shame, because there is a huge quantity of alloy wheels flying around out there; I've just picked up a nice set of 15" BK Racing alloys with large 'nut' centre caps for my NG - ?35! Just because the car uses the same offset as its Sierra donor.