Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Painted wire wheels - advice sought

My existing original chrome wire wheels are showing signs of old age, rust along and at the bottom of a few spokes, so I am considering three options:
1. have the wheels totally re-chromed
2. buy new wire wheels painted to match the red leather interior
3. find a wheel company who can refresh/replace the rusted spokes

I have no experience of painted wires - do they chip easily when removing for cleaning, etc or get chipped or scratched after time? Or chipped when replacing the tyres?
I have had a quote from MWS for new painted wires, who are apparently the OE supplier to Morgan, presumably for all new Mogs with painted wheels.
MWS advise me that it is cheaper to buy new chromes from them than have the old ones blasted and re-chromed.
Does anyone have any advise/experience of any of these options, please, or have knowledge/experience of chrome wire wheel repairers?
Thanks
Geoff

Hi Geoff,

I'm afraid I have no experience of painted wires, but would strongly suggest that if you are going for new wires that you strongly consider going for the Stainless Steel rather than Chrome. No rust and none of the "polishing the spokes with a toothbrush" malarkey.

Rechroming will require a stripdown which is why it costs more than a new chromed wheel.

Painted or powder coated wires eventually lose the coating around the spoke ends and may corrode. Wheel balance weights may also chip the paint so need touching up locally when removed.

So stainless wires are the least effort to keep looking good, even though new painted wires look amazing.

Oh and the centrelock nut grabs the paint and can make it difficult to get off. All this from personal experience.

I would go the stainless route for the reasons Dave mentioned.

Painted wires, either in black or a colour to match the body or interior, look so much better than chrome on a Morgan!

Stainless obviously best however MWS chrome wheels have stainless spokes nowadays don't know when chrome spokes were fazed out.

You still have to polish Stainless steel wires after all it lets you keep an eye on them your life on them. Just had mine off y/day to check and clean them .

Having had both stainless ( brilliant for lack of maintenance ) and painted, I would always go for painted. I don't like the "bling" look of stainless or chrome on a Morgan.

I have black painted spoke wheels for 4.5 years and they still look pretty good. Maybe it's a job to paint every ten years or even longer.

I have silver painted wires on my 4/4.
Hammerite smooth silver is a perfect match to touch in any chips or scuffs.
IMHO painted wires look great on 4/4s, whilst the chrome/stainless suit the wider bodied models.