I can remember reading somewhere about early mini wheels breaking on the race track and BMC (or someone else) releasing stronger wheels for them which were stamped with something . I saw the below photo's in bmacpiper's thread on his cooper s spare wheeel and was wondering if anyone knows the full story on the stronger wheels and if either of them are the ones . I'm not interested in the wheels by the way , just want to get the info right as to what was stamped on them .

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Early 850 rims in 1959-61 had thin centres, only 1.6 or 2.0mm from memory.
I was in a car that had em, and we ripped the wheel nuts clean out of the LF one at night. Scary.....

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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.

Early rims also were rivited together. Later stronger wheels where welded. You still see early wheels now and then, i have a set for my 61 850.

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Wasn't there a change (away from the thin ones the doc mentioned)during the rivetted ones though which were stamped differently ???

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I remember reading about this too, but don't remember the details. They used to check the wheels (early uk 850s in racing) and not let them on the track unless they were stamped.

It's in one of my books at home, shall have to check!!

Cheers
Matt

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68 Deluxe.... it's shiny..... I like shiny!!

I have 1 of the original rivited center rims on my 60 car. From what Trevor Ripley[59 hertiage] told me the rivited rim the center was further in the rim.ie from center to rim edge is app. 1 1/4".

When they started welding them they used the same center in the same position. They then moved it out to app. 3/4" from the rim edge to help reducing the stress on the center. This also exposed more of the scalloped section of the center to help drum cooling.

He also told me that there was a thickness change to the center in England about early to mid 61 as the welded centers still cracked but at least the rivits did not shear off. The nuts just pulled thru like Doc's experience.

The other rims on my car are the thinner center welded type and are as strong as a wet tissue.

Another story that Trevor told me was the early welded type rear arms in the 59-60 cars. Evidently the outer bush end would crack around the weld. also some of the blokes welding them use to drop a nut or a bolt inside the arm before the two halves were welded, a very annoying rattle in the back end. When they went to cast ones in feb/march 61 that solved the problems

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My very 1st 850 had those welded trailing arms. The trumpets were steel/welded up as well. I still have the trumpets but the trailing arms are long gone.

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Have a Nice Day.
If already having a nice day please disregard.

When they went from thin to thicker wheel centres, they were still rivetted for a couple of years.
My 62 850 had rivetted thick centres.

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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.

My 61 850 delux (UK) had rivited rims, From what i have read, the first ST part for the mini was a welded rim, with the MG octagan stamped on it. I think i read that in a clive trickey book...will look.

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as far as i can gather they were stamped M G R A C



i think

It's interesting that the first wheel photographed has 888 with a Dunlop logo - I haven't seen a wheel with that number before. I knew Dunlop made the Cooper S wheels which were stamped LP883 for the 4.5 inch version, and other LP numbers for the reverse rim and other widths (I have some of the numbers somewhere in my files).

So did Dunlop manufacture all steel Mini wheels? Does anyone have a complete list of numbers and wheels?

In Australia back in the 60s, ROH made the outer rims for the 3.5Bx10 Mini wheels.
I know this because I used to buy them in for widening Mini wheels (for Parramatta Speed Shop).
I suspect they made the centres too.

Cooper S 4.5Jx10 wheels were all imported. No 4.5Jx10 outer rim was available made here, so I used to widen them by using a split 3.50Bx10 rim, and spinning the well down 3mm to fit the split S wheel. Bugger to do...
Then they were stick welded together.

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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.