How we refurbish 5 wire wheels to look like new

Article written by Bush Tyres

Refurbishing wire wheels on a classic car like this stunning 1947 classic car is no mean feat and it gave our Grimsby tyre fitters an excuse to get the “Wire wheel Spinner” out of the cupboard. The proud owner of the MG Midget chose Bush Tyres to refurbish all five wire wheels which once restored would be finished off with a set of brand new Excelsior tyres.

REFURBISHING WIRE WHEELS

Refurbishing wire wheels on a classic car is a painstaking process requiring the skills of a traditional craftsman. The MG owner’s wheels were carefully packed and sent to one of our vehicle specialists to be stripped, refinished, chromed, straightened then tightened to the correct settings. This is exactly how they would have been built in 1947 inside the MG factory.

Once the refurbished wire wheels returned, five 4.50×19” Excelsior tyres were sourced from a specialist vintage tyre supplier and fitted by our trained experts at Grimsby. The Excelsior tyres are produced in the USA and made to the DOT/ECE (European community) approved standards.

For a classic car restoration Excelsior tyres are the perfect modern substitute due to their similar design and construction when compared with the more expensive original equipment options from Michelin and Dunlop.

With five newly refurbished wheels and modern replacement tyres utilising the latest construction technologies with classic car styling, this proud MG Midget owner will enjoy worry free classic car motoring spanning Yorkshire and Lincolnshire for many years to come.

1947 MG MIDGET

Introduced 1945 -1949, 10k of these little beauties were eventually built. This customer car is from 1947. The MG TC Midget is one of the best-known cars to come out of Abingdon after the Second World War. The factory resumed car production after a six-year period of building tanks, armoured cars, and aeroplane engines.

Based on the pre-war MG TB, the body was wider by nearly 4″ across the seats without having to change the basic chassis, wings and running boards or facia layout. War-proven technology was added, with rubber suspension bushes, this gives a smoother and quieter feel to the car as well as rubber engine mounts. Within 5 weeks of the official end of the war in October 1945, The MG Car Company had proudly produced 81 examples, given the lack of raw materials, this was an impressive achievement.

The car is partly responsible for the American desire for British sports cars, nearly 2000 cars were exported to the United States. The effect that the TC had on America was unbelievable and it introduced the pleasures of British sports car ownership to people who had never experienced it before. The car helped pave the way for many more imported cars to follow.

The Duke of Edinburgh famously owned a Midget before he married the then, Princess Elizabeth, our future Queen. Sales saw over 1600 produced in 1946 rising to a peak of over 3000 during 1948. In total exactly 10,000 were produced between 1945 and 1949.

LET US RESTORE YOUR CLASSIC CAR

At Bush Tyres we have all the necessary tools and training to look after your modern or classic car. Wheel refurbishment for wire wheels and alloy or steel wheels can be arranged at all our locations. With a quick turnaround and high-quality service, it is well worth asking about wheel refurbishment at your next tyre change. Or call into one of our local branches for more information.

We know that you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

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