7 replies to this topic

[Sputnik]

Hi all,

I want to lower my car (racing in classic car racing) and is currently using 5 x10 mistral rims, that needs the rover special plastic arches to cover them. I am using the 165 70 10 D93 tyres on the car.

In order to prevent the wheels touching the wheel well ends, I can :
1. Tub the wheel wells and force fit the plastic arches again, or
2. Get a 4.5x10 rim (from minispares) and keep the tyres within the wheel wells. (arches will then be removed)

For the period look, I prefer the narrower wheels, but how would this affect the handling and roadholding of the car versus the current setup ?? I need to have the best 'performance' solution' and not my emotional preferences.

I do not want to tub the wells, and then a few days later be disappointed.

Ps: the front wheels wells has been made bigger a bit already, but just a little and to the front to allow for more caster at that stage.

[Cooperman]

With identical tyres I've never noticed any difference in road-holding or handling between 4.5" and 5" wide wheels with 165 width tyres.
What do the regulations say about modified bodywork? Is cutting and re-shaping for tyre clearance allowed?

[Sputnik]

Hi Cooperman,

Our rules does not prevent us from cutting the wheel wels a bit bigger. I think if I cut it to fit 14 inch wheels they will have a problem.
would the wider wheel base not give better road holding ?

[Yoda]

I think you will find that by fitting the narrower wheels, will give you the look you want and keeping the ride height standard should be fine. Ask Paddy Hopkirk!

[Cooperman]

It's actually the track you are widening. In the end it's down to lap times, so the only way to be sure is to try each wheel and see if you are quicker on one width over another. However, it does seem a bit unlikely you'll see any difference in lap times with 5" wheels with greater offset unless you can run sticky slick rubber. The track to wheelbase ratio is quite critical and if it's altered too much it can make the car 'twitchy'. The actual suspension geometry is probably more important than tyre width and offset and with a 165 tyre a 4.5" wheel is usually very good. Of course, my experience is mainly with rally cars on both tarmac & loose, so with regard to tracks and lap times I have less knowledge.

[cradley-heathen]

i have "tubbed" the rear arches on a couple of cars, mainly for use with 13" rims which were only road cars. i did tub one of my own cars which i was going to run on 6x10 minator wheels. it did allow me to run the car lower, but i couldnt find a relativly narrow arch (works grp2 or rover plastic jobbies etc), which would cover the huge radius created by the new, very large wheel arch cavity. in the end i replaced both rear arches and rear quarter panels as i just couldnt get the car to look right no matter what i did with the arches.

as cooperman said (and he does know what he is on about!) i doubt you will feel any notable difference between the wheels, and as Yoda said, this will also give you the look you want to. swiftunes mk1 racer has 4.75x10 rosepetals with no arches, and besides the fact that it looks just lovely, it also still handles incredibly well. i dont think wide always translates to better.
http://www.cckhistor...ni-Goodwood.jpg
gorgeous!

[Sputnik]

Thanks chaps,

Then it is decided, not tubing. I might have to change the two front fenders, if need be, to get them back in 'profile' but only if they do not look the part when the plastic rover arches has been removed.

Would the 4.5 mini lights from minispares do ? Thet are going for just over 33 ponds rather than the 100+ for 4.75 of the rose petals.

I have also noticed the 5" ones form Minisport with the Cooper s offset, but not sure of they will fit.

I have also just noticed that some the thinner wheels needs spacers to prevent them from fouling the brake calipers. Is that correct and if spacers are needed, will the wheel still fit under the well ?

[Cooperman]

The 4.5 x 10 Minilite ST replicas which Mini Spares do are excellent and very strong as well. They are a direct copy, dimensionally, of the original magnesium Minilites, but made from aluminium alloy. They have the correct offset, the same as the standard 4.5" steel optional wheel as on the Mk.1 & 2 Cooper 'S' so wheel arch extensions are unnecessary. Here is a shot of my rally car showing how they sit relative to the body, but of course my car is slightly higher than standard The blue/white Innocenti has the standard offset 4.5" x 10 steel wheels by the way.