hmmm interesting

i have a set of 5" on the mini S from factory as an optional extra. They are stepped drums.

the van i just bought has them on standard drums, so im going to have to check if they are the same rim now. I didnt pay close enough attention to see whether they were the same or different.

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Aussie Leyland, Aussie Factory, Aussie Mini S.

The wheel on the Left in your picture (our left looking at it) is the factory fitted wheel which was on the Mini SS and the 998 LS

The wheel on the Right is the more common wheel made by ROH which was availably for many years as an aftermarket wheel.
It was never fitted to any mini from the factory although it may have been a dealer option.
Dave

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<EDIT> Pic of the SS, with the factory fitted wheels



<End Edit>

Don't like to argue with you GT but those wheels on your SS are not the factory wheels.
They factory wheels have been changed at some stage and replaced with those.

Dave

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Hi GT

any chance you could post a pic where we could see the wheels

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1964 998cc Cooper
1971 Mini K x 2
1972 Clubman GT

Hi guys,

No I have no desire to argue with anyone.

The SS



While we have only had this one for about 3 years now, the previous owner did buy it new. They did not change the wheels these are what it came with from the factory. In any event, why would they change 5" wheels for 5" wheels? I also remember when these where released and these are the wheels that where on them at the Motor Show. Also look in watto's magazine

http://miniexperience.com.au/back-issue ... ni-ss.html


This was my 2nd GT, purchased from the original owner




This is my brothers GT, also purchase in 1976 from the original owner




I have somewhere a pic taken in 1972 of a car carrier leaving Zetland with a load of Minis, 2 of which were GTs and one fitted with these wheels. I'll post it when I can find it.

I will also ask that you refer back to my earlier post with the page from the LS Suppliment, it does state that the wheels are 4.5"' width. I have not owned an LS but have one of the 4.5" wheels kicking about somewhere, that my brother did remove from a wrecked LS back in 1977.

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Which is the standard offset for Roundie with 10" wheels ? ( my heads spins with all the numbers - a picture says a thousand words)

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

Assuming you don't want flares on your Mini:
The one on the right suits standard drums and Cooper 7" discs.
The one on the left suits stepped drums and Cooper S / Clubman GT 7.5" discs.

The difference in offset between these two wheels is 0.75" or 19mm.

The set on the right are often used with stepped drums or 7.5" discs, which fit fine so long as you use flares. You also get a big scrub radius and heavier steering, but some people enjoy that.

In isolation, it wouldn't be a surprise if the supplement has a printing error where it says 4.5" alloy wheels, but this possibility can be easily dismissed when you or anyone else measures a standard 998 LS wheel.

I really appreciate your help in clarifying all this, and hope that you won't take the suggestion of a misprint personally.

If anyone can help, I'd also like to know why the 998 LS got stepped front drums and a new type of alloy wheel.

Is there any chance that Leyland might have made a late decision not to fit Clubman GT discs to the 998 LS, after having ordered the wheels?

Or like the 'S' badge story, did they just have an abundance of stepped drums in stock?

It's great that they did, because it helps people putting disc brakes on old Minis, but I doubt that was the motivation.

No offence taken (on the possibility of a misprint - wouldn't be the first), however the wheel that my brother took from the (998) LS while similar in external apperance to that of yours is only 4.5"......

By the time of the (998) LS which was 77, Cooper S Discs (7.5") were not fitted to any cars here or in the UK. These ceased in August 74 and the bigger 8.4" Brakes took over. At that time too, it appears it was cheaper (I cannot see how) for Leyland to fit Drum Brakes, so the lesser models not requiring the Power of the Discs continued with Drums (which is interesting as the original 1973 model Moke Californian still had drums - lesser model?).

Also at the time of the (998) LS they were already building the Mini S, which had 4.5" Rims (dimensionally same as Cooper S), flares and stepped drums. They were also using the same drums on ALL mokes by that that time.

The change in rim styles from the SS (5.0") to the LS (4.5") may appear an odd curiousity, however (from what I found) the (998) LS Rim is dimesionally the same as Cooper S, Clubman GT and Mini S. I would hazzard a guess that the factory deemed these rims to be the 'wisest' wide rims that they should fit. Remember too that the SS while having these rims was only a short run, it was fitted with drums up front and ball race type wheel bearings. They did also say that the (998) LS had NO mechanical up-grades (the wheels were a dress item to them).

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to fit the rim on the left to cooper "S" discs, you will need to machine (grind) some metal from the upper of each caliper (next to the bleed nipple (MMmm nipples )

sorry, just had to mention that as these rims were never originally meant for 7.5" disc brakes

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No offence intended here but--> anyone writing a book about minis 30 years ago may not have experienced such worn or stuffed-with components as we are finding these days.

You should put your heart & soul into everything you do.

oh & dealer options were not limited to just std issue "factory" rims,,, the dealers could fit what-ever the customer wanted ,,, to make the sale of course

same went with all sorts of other parts such as sunroofs,,, stereos,,, steering wheels, etc etc etc,,, a good deal of local & overseas parts were known to be fitted to cars (from new),,, just to make the sale

what came from "the Factory" may not be exactly what left "the Dealer"

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No offence intended here but--> anyone writing a book about minis 30 years ago may not have experienced such worn or stuffed-with components as we are finding these days.

You should put your heart & soul into everything you do.

Having post what I have ^ (including my reasons for thinking what I have), I would like to say that I do like to keep an open mind about these things. Graeme H, it would seem that you are certain that the 5.0" wheels in the left of your pic were fitted to the (998) LS. Can I ask (and I'm not being rude or funny here) why you think / know that?

As you have asked, does anyone here have an (998) LS with a tyre placard they could post up? (I checked the 1275 LS only lists 12" wheels but curiously in 4.5 and 5.0").

And Matt, yes, you are right, what ever it took to make the sale

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Serves me right for putting the word 'simple' in the title of the thread!

So does ANYONE else make a 46-47mm positive offset 10x5? Just out of curiosity, really!

Seems there'd be a huge market for one.

What wheels do these look like?
look how far inside the guards they are
Dave

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