Restoration Part 30

Wheels and Tyres

Now that the Minis was nearing completion I decided to start actively shopping on eBay for some alloy wheels. If within 4 weeks I hadn't found any suitable wheels I would buy new. The new wheels I decided on were 10" x 6 Minilite style. They were available with Falken tyres from most of the specialists at around £330 for a set of 4 and a little more with better tyres. <

After a couple of weeks and loosing out on a few sets of wheels that in my view sold over priced a set of Deep Dish Minilite style wheels came up they had 3 good tyres and one damaged tyre, the tyres were Yokohama A032R. From the photographs the wheels looked to be in very good condition. I put in a bid and l was lucky enough to get them for a bargain price of £134.

I knew that one of the tyres would need replacing so I looked up the local Yokohama suppliers and ordered a tyre.

Unfortunately the fitter damaged the rim and with it being polished it could not be rectified I had the choice of waiting for a new rim or a free tyre. On inspection the rim was not too bad, just like mild kerb damage so I accepted the free tyre. I can always get a rim some other time. All they need now are some centre caps.

Damaged rim.

I fitted a stainless steel hose braid kit that I bought a couple of years back, doing this reminded me that the heater hose would need replacing as the original leaked and I had fitted one from a Morris Minor that a friend had given me but unfortunately the Mini heater cable was about an inch too short. I found a Mini one on eBay. It will be fitted as soon as it arrives.

I now need to sort out the interior and get ready for the MOT.