MG Sports Cars

I need some input on this quandary of mine. My project has stalled over wheels and tires. I don’t want to have my 8.8 rear end shortened until I know what wheels and tires I’m going to use for the car. I’m wrestling with which set of wheels that I have on hand to use, if I use any of them at all, with my 77 MGB 302 conversion. I don’t want to add flares to the car but I would be open to rounding the rear wheel well openings.
I poked around the tire rack and looked at several different tires of each size to come up with average tire section widths to get the tire dimensions for the following descriptions of my wheel and tire combinations.

The car as I purchased it has stock 14 inch wheels with 195/60/14’s. I think the stock wheels are 14 X 5.5, 22MM (0.9 inch) offset, 4 lug 4.5 inch bolt pattern. The section width of a 195/60/14 is 7.7 inches. With this combination the distance from the mounting flange to the back sidewall of the tire is 4.75, to the front it’s 2.95 inches.

I have a set Weld Wheels Draglite 90 series, part number 90-58038 (Weld is owned by American Racing Wheels now). These were on my 88 Tbird 302 donor car. 15 X 8, 0 (zero) offset. Two bolt patterns, 4 lug 4.5 inch (114.3 MM) and 4 lug 4.25 inch (107.9MM). These would require 225/50/15’s at a minimum. Those have an 8.9 inch section width. This combination has 4.45 inches from the mounting flange to both the front and back sidewalls of the tire.

I also have a set of MBWheels SevenX’s. (MB wheels are sold by Tire Discounters.) 15 X 6.5, 38 MM (1.5 inch) offset. Two bolt patterns 4 lug 4.5 inch (114.3 MM) and 4 lug 4 inch (100 MM). I would use 205/50/15’s with these. Section width is 8.1 inches. These would have 5.55 inches from the flange to the back sidewall of the tire and 2.55 inches to the front.

The Draglites will bolt to my 4.25 inch spacing 4 lug 8.8 axles, but man they are big.
The MBWheels don’t have a lug pattern that will fit my 8.8. I would need to have my axles and disc brake hubs changed to 4.5.

I don't want to stay with the stock 14 inchers. I'm leaning towards using the MB wheels even though there is the additional cost of having the axle lug patterns changed. With those I would need to have my 8.8 rear end shortened a bit longer than 52 inches to compensate for the additional offset and as I see it I might need to use some shims in the front end to get the front track width the same as the rear.

Suspension will be Bill G 4 link.

Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Steve

I'm not sure I'm following the dilemma -- I think I read you're going to have to narrow the rear axle no matter which wheel you pick. So I think the measurements that matter in the back are:
a) the lug pattern
b) whether the wheels will clear the brakes
c) whether the wheels/tires will fit w/o flares

Sounds like item "c" is ok with either choice. The MB wheels would cost more due to item "a". You didn't mention item "b" so check that if you haven't.

Next, check the front. With 1.5" positive offset on the MB wheels, you'll want to be sure the back side doesn't interfere with steering linkage, control arms, etc. Check brake clearance too if you haven't.

Beyond that, it's a matter of preference. I'm not a fan of the series 90's; I do like the MB ones if they'll fit. Lastly, you might check around for a wheel that's similar to the MB wheels but that you can get with the lug pattern you already have. Buying new wheels and then selling the ones you have might net to less than changing the rear axles. But isn't the front 4x4.5? Seems like you'd want the front & back to be the same so if my memory on the front is right & you have 4x4.25 on the rear, you're likely to want to change one or the other. Or am I mis-understanding something?

Rob,
You're not mis-understanding anything. Basically the object of my post is to get insight from someone who has one or the other of my options (15X8, 0 offset, 225/50/15 vs 15X6.5, 38MM offset, 20515/50).

The front is 4X4.5 and I'll have to change the rear to that from 4X4.25 if I do not use the Draglites.
I'm trying to find some take offs at a tire store or junk yard so I can get them mounted and actually check them out on the car. I've called a couple of places, searched Craig's list, but haven't found any yet.
I've considered that I may need to opt for new wheels and sell what I have.

I find that information on the weight of wheels is hard to come by. I prefer the strongest, yet lightest wheel that can be had for a reasonable price. Quite a compromise, and then if you throw style into the mix the task of selecting the proper wheel becomes extremely difficult. I ran Centerline wheels for quite a long time but they are not built for long term durability as the center seal deteriorates over time, plus they have become somewhat expensive. Weld wheels don't have that problem but neither line is available in the new larger sizes such as 17's. In the end it is a series of compromises and you just have to do the best you can with what is available. I've come to think that the perfect wheel does not exist.

Jim

Steve, it sounds like what you need is something like a Percy's Wheelrite [www.speedwaymotors.com] They're not cheap, but you could probably make up something yourself that would do the job just as well. You can set it to the dimensions of the wheels you currently have and check clearances or adjust it for the optimum fit and then read out what wheel dimensions and tire size will work. Either way that's easier and cheaper than finding test wheels and tires.