Hi all, New Boy, first post, have recently purchased my first Morgan, an Anniversary +8 ( should be a picture if I've done things right ) and have been trawling the site looking for inspiration for some cosmetic changes to get the car more to my liking. My car has wire wheels where I would prefer alloys and over riders where I would prefer bumpers but hey, that's the compromise of buying second hand. Seems like the bumper issue can be addressed albeit at a price but as I've seen already discussed, OE centre lock alloys are pretty rare. Has anyone fitted or seen any non Morgan centre lock alloys on a car and if so what were they and did they look right ? I know that Minilites are an option but not sure they would look right. Regards Steve
Hello Steve, Welcome to the Forum :xmascheers: The car looks fab. I can understand the wish to modify something but Wires v Alloys - No contest for a Trad Mog - Wires every time.
Steve, My preference on a trad has always been wires, but as you will find out here, everybody has different views and, thank goodness, we generally respect the differences!! BTW if you do change the wheels and the spinners are surplus, give me a shout as I'd quite like to purchase!!!!!
Thanks gents, appreciate your comments and the search goes on. I do realise that I'm in the minority camp with my alloys over wires preference, its just that my over riding memory of the Plus 8 has always been with full bumpers, alloys and twin spots. The maintenance of the wires is not an issue as I do suffer from a compulsive cleaning disorder ! As a complete Morgan newby, never sampled one before I purchased, I'll give you all my road test impressions as soon as I driven it any distance. Only driven it the 8 miles from my office back home so far as it was delivered to me in a covered trailer and since then time and weather ( cue compulsive cleaning disorder ) has prevented me from giving it a blast. Regards Steve
Just to give you a bit of support, like you I prefer the Plus 8 with alloys and alloy bumpers. It was only in later years that it became available with wires (I can't remember the exact year), and thus the ones that I had all came with this spec.
Having said that my latest trad came with wires, with no option of alloys, so it looks as though I now have a foot in both camps.
Gorgeous looking car by the way, just can't wait to see it on alloys!
Cheers Brian
Brian
1970 Morgan Plus 8 - Moss Box (Indigo Blue) 2014 Morgan SP1 (Rocket Red) 2015 Morgan Plus 8 (Rocket Blue)
I am in the lenghty process of cleaning my Borranis the first time since 1986 (no comments please, I'm a keeper not a cleaner). As they are Italian and have alloy rims I can't take shortcuts (damage would be too expensive). I can't even use the wire wheel brushes, they scratch the alloy. Therefore Steve, if you should make your trial run to Switzerland I would have some relief for your disorder :-).
Besides the cleaning there is the problem of balancing wire wheels. They may be true for some years but with time they get worse and worse to the point where the balancing weights are heavier than the wheel. Trueing is not cheap at all and lasts not too long. Another method is buying a new set which isn't cheap either if you choose a brand which is known to last a bit longer - like I did. The cheapest way is to ignore the unbalance as many do and blame it on the "hard ride" of Morgans. Some of them even try to find out what I have done to the suspension after a ride in my car because they can't believe that it is only the wheels.
So Steve, in my humble opinion there is no reason to stick to wires except for aesthetic reasons - which are a matter of taste.
Well done with the car, personally I'd keep the wires but they can be a pain keeping clean. Like you an Aeroman my dream +8 as a 'youf' always had alloys.
Anyhow your only one county over so if your suffering from cleaning withdrawal I have a Mog that can always do with a brush up :santa2:
