Healey Sports Cars

mods & upgrades for Healey (Nash, Austin, or Jensen) cars, including engine swaps

Go to Thread: PreviousNext
Go to: Forum ListMessage ListNew TopicLog In


California Kid
Mark Griffin
Pittsburgh, PA
(9 posts)

Registered:
05/11/2010 10:27PM

Main British Car:
1958 AH 100-6 Ford 331 Small Block Stroker

Looking for Guidance on Wheel Dimensions for AH 100-6
Posted by: California Kid
Date: May 12, 2010 09:06PM

Hello all. I am a new participant to the BritishV8 forum.

I already posted this inquiry to the general 'Suspension' forum by mistake (sorry moderator), and will try to have it pulled.

I am in the very early stages of a 'resto-rod' of a 1958 AH 100-6 two seater (BN6).

I bought the car from photos and have never touched it myself... going straight to Martin Jansen's at Jule Enterprises for a new superstructure. I am planning on putting a 331 ci stroker Ford small block (built by Vrbancik Racing in Ontario, California, and now in route to Ontario, Canada) in the car along with a Tremek TKO 5 speed and narrowed Ford 8 inch rear axel. Martin is about to start taking the car apart...

I am planning on employing bolt-on alloy wheels, replacing existing spline drive wire wheels. Though I like the look of knock-offs, spline and peg drive wheels and hubs don't have the strength of a bolt-on configuration, and wire wheels don't have the same strength as alloy wheels.

I am looking for deatils on stock and slightly modified stock wheel and tire configurations that fit well within the stock wheelwells for an AH 100-6. I am investigating in anticipation of ordering alloy wheels and the narrowed rear axel. Any word on the quality of Dunlop 'style' alloy wheels currently on the market? I've identified a couple of vendors - Classic Jaguar Racing / RaceMettle / D Type Devs.

Can someone provide standard dimensions and backspacing for stock wire wheels and dimensions and backspacing of commonly employed alloy wheels that fit within stock wheelwells for an AH 100-6?

Thanks in advance!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/2010 09:16PM by California Kid.


switchblade7.62x51
James !
The Bourbon Smoky Hills of TN a wee bit south of B
(13 posts)

Registered:
12/01/2010 05:43PM

Main British Car:
1954 Austin Healey 100-4 Chevy 350 LT-1

authors avatar
Re: Looking for Guidance on Wheel Dimensions for AH 100-6
Posted by: switchblade7.62x51
Date: December 24, 2010 07:23PM

Dang, no one with experince has postedjack or sheeite on this???
WTH???
I have a 1954 100-4 that will probaly need a ton of TLC to get it back to strength for the 350 Chevy/Doug Nash Comp 5 that is replacing the botched up 327/Muncie M21 set up in it. So far I and my son have looked at quite a few wheel tire combos. We like the American Salt Flat wheels so far and will be looking hard at changing the itty bitty 3.5 on center five bolt to a updated Mustang II 5 bolt pattern after we strip the frame and rebuild it.
Size will be at this time until we get to that point:
7" x 15" in these to keep initial costs down until we get the sizes right for what we want to end look to be(we are thinking hard top rally/road race). If we have to cut a bit of steel and flare the fenders a wee bit so be it. This car is going to be a screamer and will make a kit Cobra wonder WTF just happened while he is seeing only wee red lights go away
aeo-50-184520s_w_m.jpg.
From my understanding though, OEM dimensions are nominally 14 x 5.5 - 6 and a 4" Back Space is used. for stock wheel wells. Since I am new to this and have only been going through Moss Motors and Victoria British catalogs and this site, that's about the best I can do for ya.
Have fun with it. You obviously have the funding to do it how we WOULD LIKE to do it, but I feel a strong amount of sanding, media blasting, cutting, welding, and lots of fitment fun to get to where we want to go...Disabled Vet budget doesn't go too far and the kid's added work when he starts will definately make this a project over a few years, IOW, lots of father son bonding!


California Kid
Mark Griffin
Pittsburgh, PA
(9 posts)

Registered:
05/11/2010 10:27PM

Main British Car:
1958 AH 100-6 Ford 331 Small Block Stroker

Re: Looking for Guidance on Wheel Dimensions for AH 100-6
Posted by: California Kid
Date: January 07, 2011 12:57AM

Thanks for responding to my post... FYI - the threads that seem to get the most action on this site are those focused on Driveline and Handling issues, and listed in those sections.

FYI - I ended up going with spline wire wheels ("heavy duty" versions from Dayton Wire Wheel)... I am having my car built by Martin Jansen at Jule Enterprises (you should check his web site before you start welding up an old frame), and he has had no problem running Dayton Wire Wheels on his blown Jag-V12 powered AH 100-4 (see the "how it was done" and summary elsewhere on this site).

If (when) I have an extra $10K I might pop for a set of the spline drive reproduction composite alloy Dunlop wheels (you can find cheaper cast ones but I've been warned the quality of the product is not what I would want) like the ones Donald Healey ran on the Bonneville endurance car (driven by Carrol Shelby among others).

Best of luck with your project!


nateobie
Nathan Obermiller

(1 posts)

Registered:
06/19/2011 02:19PM

Main British Car:


Re: Looking for Guidance on Wheel Dimensions for AH 100-6
Posted by: nateobie
Date: June 19, 2011 02:29PM

Anyone try running 15X10s in the rear? Wondering if these would stand up to a 302. Anyone know wire wheel vendors that have wider rims than a 6"?

[cgi.ebay.com]


maxwedge5281
larry ingram
south carolina
(52 posts)

Registered:
09/23/2014 05:59AM

Main British Car:
59 bn6 zz4 sbc 200 4R aod, 59bn6 302 ford, tremec

Re: Looking for Guidance on Wheel Dimensions for AH 100-6
Posted by: maxwedge5281
Date: October 12, 2014 09:17AM

i have minilite look wheels on my stock fendered 63 bj7. they are 6 by 15 and are spline drive. i have been in contact with minilite uk and they have a recomended back spacing for the bolt on minilites as well as pricing for 6 by 15 and 5.5 by 15. i know this is an old post but info might be helpful..currently to members on the forum!! the fronts on my cars are just a tad outside the fender. i think the 5.5s would be just about right. my car has a 383 stroker motor and a 200 r4 aol transmission with stock healey 3.90 rear end.
!cid_0815085937_01.jpg


healey383
Donn Edlund
Elk Grove, California
(15 posts)

Registered:
12/07/2013 04:41PM

Main British Car:
1960 Austin Healey 3000 Chevy 383 Stroker

Re: Looking for Guidance on Wheel Dimensions for AH 100-6
Posted by: healey383
Date: November 22, 2014 01:26AM

Curious about your 200R4 transmission. I have a 350 ci with a TH350 in my BT7. I didn't think a 200R$ would fit ? How long is your drive line ? I have a GM 10 bolt posi, but I don't think it takes any more room than the stock rear end.


maxwedge5281
larry ingram
south carolina
(52 posts)

Registered:
09/23/2014 05:59AM

Main British Car:
59 bn6 zz4 sbc 200 4R aod, 59bn6 302 ford, tremec

Re: Looking for Guidance on Wheel Dimensions for AH 100-6
Posted by: maxwedge5281
Date: November 25, 2014 05:36AM

the 200 r4 fits quite easily in my opinion. i picked it over a 700 r4 as the dimensions were more suitable for the available space but i believe that the 700 would fit as well. no problem with the drive shaft. i cant remember the length of the driveshaft but not much different in length than the healey driveshaft. i do not race my car so i was content to keep the healey rearend....the 3.90 rear ratio dictated an overdrive transmission, especially for interstate speeds! and, i prefer the automatic over a manual for my purposes.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/25/2014 03:10PM by maxwedge5281.



uncle cracker
Robert Lummus

(21 posts)

Registered:
06/04/2008 08:06PM

Main British Car:


Re: Looking for Guidance on Wheel Dimensions for AH 100-6
Posted by: uncle cracker
Date: May 07, 2015 11:21PM

image.jpg
image.jpg these are vintage wheel works they are strong and light, and fit the 1960 look the rears are 17x11 and are with 9" ford 3:70 gears with T-5 new gen.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/07/2015 11:27PM by uncle cracker.


Sidecardoug
Doug Rowe
Northern Nevada
(51 posts)

Registered:
07/04/2012 05:09PM

Main British Car:
1969 TR-6 Ford 302

Re: Looking for Guidance on Wheel Dimensions for AH 100-6
Posted by: Sidecardoug
Date: October 03, 2015 04:11AM

If you are feeling lucky / rich, you might want to see if you can find a set of Borrani wires-
they will definitely handle 400 HP. These are the same wires that came on Ferrari race cars, like the 250 GTO
and 250 LM, as well as early Lamborghinis and Maseratis of the 60's, and use the same spline as the Healey.
These wheels had alloy rims and very thick spokes- possibly thicker than Jaguar wheels.

I had a set on a 61 3000 / Shelby 289, and never had a problem. The rears were about 7-8 inches
wide as i recall, and the Semperit radials just stuck about 1 tread rib past the stock rear quarters, on the stock Healey rear axle. the one thing to watch is the backspacing on the front wheels, so they will clear the calipers-
Ferrari didn't switch to disc brakes on street cars until much later than many others.

Doug


Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.