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MG TD TF 1500 - wire wheels painted or chrome

What are the advantages and disadvantages between painted and chromed wire wheels apart from aesthetics. Is it a matter of taste or relative cost?
JK Mazgaj

Matter of taste. For originality, doing a concurs car, painted.
PJ Jennings

They were sold new only as painted, however chrome aftermarket wires were available then or soon after (probably in the USA). For many Brits, chromes have too much bling, just like white wall tyres and look wrong for a Brit sports car of that period. I can imagine that chrome also takes rather more looking after and is less practical for our climate. Different entirely in the USA.
Dave H
Dave Hill

Good time to buy in the USA, UK pound is suffering the Boris effect!

5 painted at the door for $1K.

Peter
P G Gilvarry

While the chrome may be to much bling, I prefer them because they hold up much better than painted, The rims and hubs are chrome. The spokes these days are stainless. Bought a set of 5 from Rimmer Brothers last year.
L E D LaVerne

Chrome is easier to clean but painted can be re-sprayed if needed. You can also argue about the durability of plain steel versus chromed steel versus stainless steel, but there really doesn't seem to be a big difference in the grand scheme of things. Other than that it's just personal taste.
Steve Simmons

IMHO, rust will come to all wire wheels. That's why painted have an advantage. They can be touched up. Tom
Thomas McNamara

My experience is that it all depends on how diligent and anal you will be about keeping rust off the chrome wheels. As Tom M wisely notes above, rust will come to all steel wheels.

A thoroughly-prepared and straight wheel, powder-coated, will be strong, chip-resistant and will look good for a long time. Even a stripped and painted wheel will be fine until the first chips, after which touch-up will be necessary.

I like painted on a TF, but chrome wheels on a TC are impressive.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

FEDEX on their way to my house with 5 4.5" X 15" 60 spoke painted wheels right now.

Taking advantage of Boris's furthering of the demise of the UK pound.

Large savings over Moss prices, either at MWS or Rimmer Bros.

Peter
P G Gilvarry

I'm not a fan of powdercoating wire wheels. You can never true them again without breaking the finish, which lets water in, which rusts the spoke nipples solid, which again means you'll never true them again. For a show car it's fine but on a driver I wouldn't do it. On a painted wheel, just do a bit of touch up after truing, or even spray the whole wheel.
Steve Simmons

Steve - I meant to write, "A thoroughly-prepared and straight DISC wheel, powder-coated..." I agree about not powder-coating wire-wheels - too many moving parts.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

Makes sense. Then again there are some who say powder coat will hide cracks even in disc wheels due to its flexibility and thickness, and is therefore a bad idea, but I'm betting no one ever checks their disc wheels for cracks anyway.
Steve Simmons

My 5 of 4.5" x 15" 60 spoke painted wheels arrived, they are beautiful.

$1400 plus shipping from Moss, I saved a LOT off that price by buying through Bob Grunau.

Drop shipped direct to me, 5 days to arrive, no duty paid.

Want more info, contact me.

Peter
P G Gilvarry

Bob has the best prices around! And he can get tires mounted and balanced before they leave the factory.
Steve Simmons

This thread was discussed between 30/09/2019 and 04/10/2019

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