Hi all. 10x4.5 reverse offset steel rims. Are these difficult to come across? I need new tyres soon and wouldn’t mind updating to a slightly wider rim, whilst still looking original without flares or anything. Currently it’s all original (’69 Mini 1100), with 10x3.5’s and flat drums. I’d like to keep the flat drums, so I’d only have to bolt the original wheels back on to return the car to original spec. Are these ‘reverse offset’ wheels what I should be looking for? And would they cause additional wear to wheel bearings etc, with extra external offset? Cheers.

Just found this pic on google. Is the sort of thing I'm looking at..

If you want 4.5" wheels that have not been cut & welded in the past, consider Cooper S reverse offset wheels LP918.
These were made by Dunlop (as were the std S wheels) but to suit standard Mini flat drums.
They then stick out the same distance as the LP883 wheels on a stock S, so are just legal in most states (not SA) without flares.

[edit] The LP918s also look nice and are legal on a Mk2S with flares..

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

If you can find a full set of original 10X4.5 reverse offset and you use them with with no flares and drums they stick out ( from memory ) about a 1/2 inch

really if you want to go to a 10X4.5 then consider these from MiniSport

http://www.minisport.com/mini-spare-par ... A1286.html

.

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I ran flat drums (not spacer drums) reverse offset 4.5" rims and 145 Michelins with no flares on a Deluxe in my youth. They just fitted under the guards, but fitting a set of 165 tyres would've added 10mm or so to the width automatically.

Who cares if they stick out a little anyway? No copper going to defect a classic Mini unless you are driving it like a complete tool.

Cheers,

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Brett Nicholson
Greendale (near Ballan) VIC.
1971 Morris Mini Moke
1966 Austin Mini
1965 Morris Mini Traveller
1973 LR Series 3 88
2007 LR Freelander 2

I had reverse rims and rear spacered drums on my old MKII 850 (no flares). IMHO it's the best look for a standard car.

Actually, I've got a pic comparing it somewhere.....please hold caller.....

Standard MKI versus reverse on the MKII.

Nice. Thanks for the photo smac, looks good!
Happy to run 145's to keep them under the guards as you suggested bnicho. Not too keen to test out your theory if I can avoid it
Are the LP918 Cooper S reverse offset wheels hard to find these days?

I think because these are not gen-u-wine Cooper S fitted wheels there are more about and their prices are usually not as silly either.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Thanks drmini I'll keep an eye out.

I disagree with that, there are a lot more LP883 ('correct' S) wheels about than LP918's. I have a set of 918's, and tracking them down wasn't easy. I have a heap of 883's, which were easy to find compared to the 918s...

Maybe back in the day there were a lot, but not now.

I have a set of reverse steelies, but dunno whether they're banded or just turned around, they still have tyres on them and I haven't had the tape measure out