Some of us live in places where it snows during the winter time, and those fun sticky summer tires just wont cut it.
My winter wheels were painted gold last year, but I didn't do the best job so they started to chip towards the end of the winter.
Yesterday a friend and I refinished the wheels to get them ready for winter.
I tried out the duplicolor metalcast anodize paint this year.
The first picture is the old gold finish.

Second picture is the new finish with the flash third is without.(REFLECTIVE COATING!)

I would like to see what winter wheels other minis are running.

 

Also, here are the wheels in the stages of paint.
First is the primer, second is the silver base coat for the anodize finish.

 

Looking good! I just have some black steelies for my winter shoes. They get me by

 

16" steelies. They aren't flashy but I love em.

 

You don't run that low in winter, do you?

Even on stock springs and dampers, I still feel like a volunteer snow plow.

 

Did u take out that air dam thing under the front bumper?

 

I was thinking of spray painting them some goofy color or spending $20.00 at walmart for some spinners, and painting those

 

Where did you get 16" steelies from? I want to do a whitewall hotrod look, but thought it was not possible.

 

I did when I was living in VA. I just moved to Rochester NY, plan on taking it day by day. If I can make it all winter this low I will.

I did that long ago. Its a necessity for any lowered mini, IMO.

They are very difficult to find. I have heard that some Mini dealers have them but I cannot confirm. My guess is that even if you can buy them from the dealer they probably charge too much to be worthwhile.

 

In the winter, Seamus puts on his 16" galoshes (Dunlop Wintersport M3 runflats):

 

what sizes are those tires?

 

195/55/16

 

Has anyone tried using chrome "beauty rings" on their black steelies, for a kinda poor-man's black-rim/polished-lip look? ...If so, has anyone found suitable center/bearing caps to finish the look?? (The ones that RealOEM show DO NOT fit...at least not on the 15" MINI steel rim. ) I think the effect would be pretty cool in an old school-kinda way--especially on an all-black MINI, but I think the exposed wheel bearings would become an eye-sore, without center caps .

BTW, In the meantime, I'll be using these, (and second pic is where I got the above idea)::

 

Anyone running baby moons in the center of their steel wheels?
I think it would look pretty good. I don't know how they mount though, or if it would work.

 

Finally put my winter wheels on, these are said wheels.

 

Here's my recently acquired '04S with its winter wheels and tires. Bridgestone Blizzak LM60 runflats, 205/45-17's on Tireracks cheapest, simplest alloys ($99 each). Should make washing and cleaning brakes/suspension very easy after running through Canada's salty roads on my trips back and forth from Washington.

Eric