Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) Wire Wheels - Chrome to Black Options?

Hi all,

I'm a new Morgan owner looking to change my chrome wire wheels to black, I'm interested to hear from anyone who's had their chrome wires powder coated or wet painted black.

Who did you use to paint or powder coat your wheels?

Are you happy with the outcome?

I live just 10 miles from MWS so I'll be paying them a visit to see what they can offer, but I'm keen to explore all options.

I'm also open to talk to anyone who wants to go the other way, ie from black to chrome and would be open to a wheel swap with me

Thanks, Dave.

Hi Dave,

I know someone who does all the powder coating for MWS so if you are interested I can put you in touch with him and he is in Newbury so not far from you.

Ian

Dave,
I wonder if powder coating sticks well to chrome. Are you sure they are chrome & not stainless?

Excellent Ian, please can you DM me the details.

I'm loving the Morgan community already

I don't know what car you have or if you use tubeless tyres. If tubeless there is a mastic sealing layer inside the wheel rim. That will need to come off & be replaced. Tubless tyres don't like tubes as the tubes chaff on the inside of the tyre and the rims are I believe different.

The issues I don't like with coated/painted wires is twofold.

First is that balance weights damage the surface.

Second is that the centrelock nut grabs on the coating, making it a lot harder to remove the nut.

And black wires never look clean, except on day 1.

OTOH, black wires are easy to touch up, look fine from 10 feet even if dirty, and I think they make a Morgan (especially one painted a darker colour) look great. I've had my tubeless set since 2013 when they replaced a set of tubed silver-painted wires and wouldn't dream of changing to anything else. I know shiny wheels are popular but they are a bit bling for my taste.

That's the great thing about Morgans. They form a blank canvas for one's own preferences, and there are as many intepretations of what makes the perfect car as there are owners, it's all good!

I have had black painted wheels a number of years, and they always look great, very easily cleaned. For me stainless or chrome do not match the period style of the Morgan and appear to be completely out of character. I paint my wheel weights black.

Ditto I paint them black.

Hi Dave, Over the years I have had many Morgan parts powder coated black including a pair of wire wheels on an M3W by GKL on an estate near Snetterton. Can thoroughly recommend them for both quality and price. They use an adjacent company to do all the prep blasting work for them and do actually specialise in wheel painting. First work performed six years ago and still looks as new.