Griffith 200 alloy wheel conversion

[TRtrax]

Anyone have any tips for converting from wire wheels to alloys for the Griffith 200 & other early TVR's?

[Dollyman1850]

Remove the splined hub adaptors and just bolt on std wheels??

N.

[Andrew Gray]

Or fit a period knock on wheel such as Mini lite etc to keep a period look.
You don't say why you want to do so is the car a road track or race car
Andrew

[tomtrout]

Although you can just remove the hub adapters it is recommended to fit longer wheel studs for ally wheels. Not sure about the early griff/grantura but replacing rear studs on the Vixen is a bit of a phaff because they are screwed and peened over rather than simply pulled through with gripping splines on the studs. Might not be the case for early cars but worth checking before taking a big hammer to them.

[Grantura2a]

The Griff studs are Screw in, and peened over. They are also way too short for use with most alloy wheels. I removed stock studs and installed longer press in studs.

Mike T

[Dollyman1850]

I believe that std screw in wheel studs are also a tad too short for splined adaptors, so hence to first remove and see if you can just bolt on the std wheel.
If they are too short then its a case of re-drilling for a splined 7/16 or better a ford metric stud if you are going to the bother of a conversion.

N.

[tomtrout]

Dollyman1850 said:

I believe that std screw in wheel studs are also a tad too short for splined adaptors, so hence to first remove and see if you can just bolt on the std wheel.
If they are too short then its a case of re-drilling for a splined 7/16 or better a ford metric stud if you are going to the bother of a conversion.

N.

Correct, which is why Grantura2a correctly suggested longer press-in studs. Popping a couple of little blobs of weld on the back of the new studs is also worth doing to stop them spinning before they get pulled in tight when doing up the wheel nuts.

[Andrew Gray]

IMOP I still would try and find alternative wheels that are not Bolt on and save the next custodian the bother of having to convert back to knock on wheels at a later date
Car looks great as it is though

Andrew

[TRtrax]

Thanks folks! Sounds like it's pretty well standard procedure, similar to many other British Cars. I'll try to post some pics when all is done.

[GTRene]

would be nice

[Sonus]

I used spacers with studs in them bolted to the hub with the existing short studs and nuts. That way I can go back to wires and the choice of bolt on rims are larger as you would need a very small offset to fit a bolt on rim to the existing hub.

[Slow M]

Andrew Gray said:

IMOP I still would try and find alternative wheels that are not Bolt on and save the next custodian the bother of having to convert back to knock on wheels at a later date
Car looks great as it is though

Andrew

I think there are a couple of considerations. The principal one should be to ask what the intention is, behind the desired change. If there is going to be more strain on the rear stub axles, I would go to bolt-on wheels, as I remember reading about these breaking, on wire wheel Griffiths or Grantura racers.

Also, even though the Minilites became available the same year as the Griff 200, they were originally only manufactured in 10", and not available as spline drive conversions until much later (late 80s?). So, not really period correct. Still, Borrani, Rudge, Dunlop, and others made gorgeous spline drive wheels, in period, and Halibrand made beautiful pin-drive units.

Best regards,
Bernard.

[Andrew Gray]

Slow M said:

Andrew Gray said:

IMOP I still would try and find alternative wheels that are not Bolt on and save the next custodian the bother of having to convert back to knock on wheels at a later date
Car looks great as it is though

Andrew

I think there are a couple of considerations. The principal one should be to ask what the intention is, behind the desired change. If there is going to be more strain on the rear stub axles, I would go to bolt-on wheels, as I remember reading about these breaking, on wire wheel Griffiths or Grantura racers.

Also, even though the Minilites became available the same year as the Griff 200, they were originally only manufactured in 10", and not available as spline drive conversions until much later (late 80s?). So, not really period correct. Still, Borrani, Rudge, Dunlop, and others made gorgeous spline drive wheels, in period, and Halibrand made beautiful pin-drive units.

Best regards,
Bernard.

Some pictures of yours Bernard would be nice I believe you found some nice ones
A

[TRtrax]

Slow M said:

Also, even though the Minilites became available the same year as the Griff 200, they were originally only manufactured in 10", and not available as spline drive conversions until much later (late 80s?). So, not really period correct. Still, Borrani, Rudge, Dunlop, and others made gorgeous spline drive wheels, in period, and Halibrand made beautiful pin-drive units.

Best regards,
Bernard.

Going with period correct 15x6 alloy GC360 Silverstone II with optional spinner, a reproduction of the original ARE silverstone:

[Slow M]

TRtrax said:

Going with period correct 15x6 alloy GC360 Silverstone II with optional spinner, a reproduction of the original ARE silverstone:

Beauties!

Best regards,
Bernard.

[Slow M]

Andrew Gray said:

Slow M said:

Andrew Gray said:

IMOP I still would try and find alternative wheels that are not Bolt on and save the next custodian the bother of having to convert back to knock on wheels at a later date
Car looks great as it is though

Andrew

I think there are a couple of considerations. The principal one should be to ask what the intention is, behind the desired change. If there is going to be more strain on the rear stub axles, I would go to bolt-on wheels, as I remember reading about these breaking, on wire wheel Griffiths or Grantura racers.

Also, even though the Minilites became available the same year as the Griff 200, they were originally only manufactured in 10", and not available as spline drive conversions until much later (late 80s?). So, not really period correct. Still, Borrani, Rudge, Dunlop, and others made gorgeous spline drive wheels, in period, and Halibrand made beautiful pin-drive units.

Best regards,
Bernard.

Some pictures of yours Bernard would be nice I believe you found some nice ones
A

Andrew,

Those were the ones I found in my head. I'll leave it to others, who are interested, to spend their Sunday looking at wheel porn.

Best regards,
Bernard.