Sorry if this is the wrong place, but I havent had much luck lurking around the other Classic Mini sites, or looking at our Classifieds section, as most are unwilling to ship from the UK over to the US.

I know a lot of you guys are pack-rats like me, and have a spare set of wheels in the garage/basement! (I still have parts in my basement from my last 2 cars, lol).

More specifically, I am looking for a set of 13x7 Deep Dish (Polished Lip) Gunmetal wheels. The color is not so important, as I've had a lot of success respraying in the past. The Deep-dish and polished lip idea are important to me, as is NO CURBAGE. I would prefer to have rubber already mounted and balanced, as I've always had poor experiences having local places mount mine.

So let me know what you have on hand. I am well aware of there being gbcarparts, minispares etc. etc., but I prefer to check the pre-owned first, as this might be a good opportunity for you to unload your wheels and get some cash for it too! :D

You can reach me at leonardtlwong@yahoo.com or PM me (but i'm a bit slow with checking PMs)
Thanks!

 

Maybe try Australia instead of UK? Performance Wheel is the manufacturer of Performance & Superlight wheels..

http://www.performancewheels.com.au/...ls_classic.asp


There is a North American distributor. I got a set for my Clubman 1380 a few years back..

 

check out the stock at www.greatbritishcars.com

 

You probably already know this, but remember that with wheels that deep that you'll need to modify the front wing panel to keep them from rubbing. There are many, many threads out there o any number of forums with details on how to do this.

Also, 7" tires will put additional wear on the wheel bearings, so if you've not already done so I'd either inspect them (if you know how) or have them inspected to make sure they're in good operating order, and don't be surprised if they wear out and need to be replaced down the road.

Last, remember that your steering characteristics WILL change with wheels that deep/large, so drive carefully for the first few hundred miles and expect the steering to feel heavier and less nimble.

Good luck!

 

Thanks for the reminder Imagox. I'm quite honestly (and shamelessly) going for the look. I will probably grow tired of it and realize what a chore it is to turn the 13's (as I already comment on how the 12's are tough), and revert back before any harm is done to the wheel bearings.

Also, thanks for the links, as I have checked them all already, and priced out a set of wheel/tire combos I like at a hefty ~$1100 shipped. I am looking to spend considerably less than that on a used set, as like I said, I will likely run them for a couple of months, then want to revert back to the minilites (I know me pretty well, haha). Hence there being no sense in me buying a set of deep dishes brand new in box

This really comes down to a cost thing for me :p

 

btw, seems like I may have found a suitable source for more variety in our wheel selection. Apparently many Golf Carts share the same bolt pattern and wheel sizes to our minis.

I'm currently looking at a 12" x 7" rim with 3" backspacing (the math comes out to -12.7mm offset).

The offset has me a bit worried, as I see other deep dish 13" x 7" wheels from gbcarparts with just -7mm offset. This translates into 4 inches of wheel/tire protruding past the face of the mounting hub. I did a quick eyeball with some measuring tape, and seems like it will just look like a really wide and deep set of wheels. However, I do worry about large (huge) bumps that may smash the tire into my fender flares....

any input about the 3" backspace (-12.7mm offset)?

 

Do not buy golfcart rims, they are not made for highway use!! They will collapse easily with any hard turning or big bumps, especially if you curbed it!!. As a fellow mini owner with 13X8's, my experience with them has been great. I would put a new set of wheel bearings in and keep a set on hand. They will wear out faster. As for the steering, I did feel a little more effort was necessary to turn them. As long as your steering wheel is 12 or 13", you shouldn't have a problem with steering. You will have to modify the front wings for the turn radius, along with the suspension travel. this is not hard to do, just need a small cutting wheel of some sort. Now, with that said with wider wheels on, you are going to have to get some fender extensions to cover them, just measure how far they stick out once you have the mounted and order accordingly. If you are intrested I do have a set of 13X6 alley cat wheels, and a set of 13X7 gray revolution wheels, with rubber already mounted and very little miles on them.

 

If you want to go with a diffrent rim then what's offer for mini's. Some VW wheels do fit.

 

Check rims off a MG Midget or Sprite for fitment...think there's a set on eBay now

 

these one's were ordered from GBcarparts.com but i think they are anthricite

 

Norm, those are the ones I was interested in, but I found their pricing to be a bit hard to justify when buying new. I took a second look at how much I have paid for wheels in the past, and 13x7 just does not seem reasonable at ~$1100. Although I fully understand there is a sense of "novelty" with Mini parts, I do not like to be gouged, I get that kind of treatment often enough with motorcycle parts/labor.

As far as the golf cart wheels go, the tires mounted are DOT approved, and the wheels are built for 750lbs spec (although who rates these "specs" are unknown). I would expect that these wheels would be better built than a steel rim, and am willing to order a set to at least see for myself. If they are obviously not up to their stated spec, I wouldn't mind footing the bill for return shipping. That said, the seller I spoke with over the phone has sold a couple of other classic minis before.

As I mentioned, I will likely only have them on for a season or two, and I drive relatively infrequently. I just wanted a "different look" to refamiliarize myself with :p

Slightly related, but would anyone be familiar with the wheel nut size/thread I would need to order? I keep reading 3/8 UNF, but was wondering if there is a measurement I am missing (like a bolt diameter?). Thanks again!