Identifying various makes of steel wheels

Note: I'm taking the liberty of editing this original post to include info we've agreed on through discussion later in the thread.

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How many different steel wheel makes and models have been used on Formula Fords?

Can you tell them apart? I certainly can't, but perhaps working together we can start building an online identification guide. I'll post some photos and notes below. If you guys can tell anything from the snapshots - or especially if you have other photos/notes - I hope you'll add them below. Thanks!

http://www.britishracecar.com/DickLe...tus-51c-AH.jpg
1 - Dick Leehr's Lotus 51c
Diamond Racing Wheels (specifically their lighter spun-rim version.)

http://www.britishracecar.com/JeffSn...is-Mk14-AO.jpg
2 - Jeff Snook's Alexis Mk14
Diamond Racing Wheels (specifically their heavier rolled-rim version.)
Note that these have a visible weld seam 180 degrees from the stem.

http://www.britishracecar.com/Howard...rlyn-11-AJ.jpg
3 - Howard Freeman's Merlyn Eleven
Weller Racing wheels

http://www.britishracecar.com/Bernar...lyn-11A-AI.jpg
4 - Bernard Bradpiece's Merlyn 11A
Bernard said these are "early Weller" wheels, but we think they're actually Dunlops.

http://www.britishracecar.com/DaveFa...yn-11A-AB1.jpg
5 - Dave Fairchild's 11A
Weller Racing wheels.

http://www.britishracecar.com/KyleKa...us-61MX-AI.jpg
6 - Kyle Kaulback's Lotus 61MX
Ford passenger car wheels (possibly from a Cortina)

http://www.britishracecar.com/ScottF...le-RP3A-AP.jpg
7 - Scott Fairchild's Royale RP3-A
Weller Racing wheels


One more little thing: how many of you run narrower wheels on the front?

The wheels on Kyle's Lotus look like Lotus Cortina wheels. They could be a copy, but it is the appropriate design. The only way to be sure is to look for the part number on the inside. I have a set and can go get the number in the shop if anybody needs it.

The wheel in picture #4 is the original Dunlop wheel, not a weller.

The Leehr Lotus 51 is wearing Diamond Racing Wheels.

Kyle Kaulback's Lotus 61 is sitting on Ford rims.

Formula Ford wheels should all be 5 1/2 in width, by rule.

numbers 4 and 6 look "original"

i recall that "mags" were ok'd around 1974 on

early "Lotus " wheels had weird "triangular" slots

most of mine were bent LOL

There is a nice picture of a Lotus 51 with those wheels, like the ones which were on my '64 Elan, on the Race Car Sales Site:
http://www.race-cars.com/carsold/lot...50439183ld.htm

The sold car is very pretty in the iconic Lotus green & yellow. I have wondered whether Roland is correct - did the very earliest FF's all have 5.5 inch wheels on both ends?
- Frank C
Edit - Thanks Roland (below). I wasn't sure the Elan wheels were 5.5, and I also wondered whether the wheels identified as Dunlop above were Spitfire.

The 1969 GCR, the year that FFord was recognized as a class, specifies that the wheels must be steel, of "standard manufacture" (but offset was free), 13in diameter, and a max width of 5 /12 in. I suppose that someone could have used less than 5 1/2 width on the cars. Triumph Spitfire wheels were 4 1/2 in, fit the front hubs of most cars, and were available. We have a set of wheels that came with Vern Jaques Lotus 51. They were 5 1/2 in all the way around, with the two different bolt patterns. The very first F Fords had wet sump oiling, and I don't think they had the crossflow engine either. Both of those items went away before the cars came to the U.S.

re: Diamond wheels in pic 1 and 2? Diamond does/did make wheels available with either a spun shell or rolled shell. Pic 2 is clearly a rolled shell (weld) while pic 1 may be a spun shell.

Hope that helps.

Any Idea on this wheel. Later rim ?? Did my own short survey at 40th

Hope the picture attached up not that familiar with this ??

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DPLarsen

Any Idea on this wheel. Later rim ?? Did my own short survey at 40th

Hope the picture attached up not that familiar with this ??

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a Triumph center

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DPLarsen

Any Idea on this wheel. Later rim ?? Did my own short survey at 40th

Hope the picture attached up not that familiar with this ??

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...and the hubcap "nubs" in the spider (wheel center) indicate it would have come from a passenger car with hubcaps. This wheel looks homebuilt with a Trumph spider and an aftermarket outer (rim) and will have welments and welds spider to outer and set to the backspacing that is/was wanted and welded. Typical aftermarket rolled outers have an 11.25'"inside diameter and is common in dimension with British spiders.

Incidentally... I was curious about wheel weight.

Diamond's website was helpful. They're claimed weights are as follows:
spun-rim: 10.5#
rolled-rim: 15#

The Weller & Motorsport Events websites don't list weight, so I emailed them.
Weller: 5.7kg (~12.6#)

I bet OEM (street car) wheels are a lot heavier.

British V8
:thumbsup:
Thanks for including my car in your review.
Now that I have bent one of the wheels beyond repair, I am looking for a pair of the 5.5 inch Diamond spun wheels. All suggestions welcome. I will try Diamond direct but willing to go with a used pair as well.

Dick Leehr

Dick..........sent you a pm

JB

Now for something a bit different...

Can one of you please identify these alloy wheels (make and model)?

http://www.britishracecar.com/AndyAn...tan-Mk6-AM.jpg

Thanks!

I believe American Racing "silverstone"

This FF board seems quiet until someone asks a question... but then answers come so quick. Thanks Gord!

Spun vs rolled. Any opinions for formula ford?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by roosta

Spun vs rolled. Any opinions for formula ford?

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obviously the car is better off spun than rolled

[QUOTE=BritishV8;353779]Now for something a bit different...

Can one of you please identify these alloy wheels (make and model)?

http://www.britishracecar.com/AndyAn...tan-Mk6-AM.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by provamo

obviously the car is better off spun than rolled

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Good one

Dave Coughlin

That is Andy Antipas Mk6 and they are indeed American Racing "Silverstone's as mentioned above. Todd