Strange steel wheels

[puff4]

A photo was posted on FB showing a type of steel wheel I’ve not seen on an Alpine before, and I’m wondering if it’s just my lack of visual experience or it truly is odd. The slots on the red car’s wheels are much thinner - slits rather then slots, really - and yet the hubcap bumps are there and the domed hub appearance looks correct. Have a look at these photos and see what you think... are they original? ... or did they maybe come from some other Rootes variant?

The wheels and car in question:





Here are the sort of wheels I’m used to seeing on later Alpines (admittedly, the earliest Alpines had round-ish holes in lieu of slots):

 

[beamdream]

Well I'm thinking the red car wheels are fairly typical for S5, could be wrong.

I believe there were different wheels after S1, S2/3/4 not sure.

My S1 wheels and caps as shown, the centre badges not original.

 

[puff4]

Yes, as noted the early cars wheels had round-ish holes and somewhere along the line -perhaps S2? - they changed to slotted wheels. My own SV has wheels like the blue car above. I’ve never actually seen wheels like those on the red car.

 

[Gordon Holsinger]

Could the strange wheels be after market? Original wheels were 4.5 wide x 13

 

[Barry]

Could the strange wheels be after market? Original wheels were 4.5 wide x 13

Only S-V's had 4.5" wide factory steel wheels. The factory steel wheels on S-I through S-IV were 4.0" wide.

 

[RootesRooter]

Only S-V's had 4.5" wide factory steel wheels. The factory steel wheels on S-I through S-IV were 4.0" wide.

Are you sure you're not thinking of 4.0" wire wheels? Tiger vs Alpine steel wheels are usually only identifiable by the raised 'doughnut' vs a small lip around the stud holes.

 

[Barry]

Are you sure you're not thinking of 4.0" wire wheels? Tiger vs Alpine steel wheels are usually only identifiable by the raised 'doughnut' vs a small lip around the stud holes.

I am not thinking about wire wheels nor am I talking about Tiger vs. Alpine steel wheels.

Again, only S-V Alpines had 4.5" wide factory steel wheels. The factory steel wheels on S-I through S-IV Alpines were 4.0" wide.

Check WSM-124, General Data, top of page 24.

 

[puff4]

I don't think we can really determine the width of these wheels in question. That's not really my question ... I'm more wondering about the slots.

 

[husky drvr]

I am not thinking about wire wheels nor am I talking about Tiger vs. Alpine steel wheels.

Again, only S-V Alpines had 4.5" wide factory steel wheels. The factory steel wheels on S-I through S-IV Alpines were 4.0" wide.

Check WSM-124, General Data, top of page 24.

Barry,

From the parts manual, I think the change to 4.5 inch wheels occurred during series II production (<B9107290/B9107291>). There are no new road wheel part numbers after the change during series II production. Also in WSM 124 under the general specs for the Rapier wheels, the Rapier IV is listed as a change from 15 inch wheels to 13 x 4.5 inch wheels. Rapier IV production began in 1963.

 

[65sunbeam]

They don't look like any Sunbeam wheels I have ever seen-if made of alloy and wider slots I would call them Halibrand kidney bean wheels but they are not.

 

[Barry]

Barry,

From the parts manual, I think the change to 4.5 inch wheels occurred during series II production (<B9107290/B9107291>). There are no new road wheel part numbers after the change during series II production. Also in WSM 124 under the general specs for the Rapier wheels, the Rapier IV is listed as a change from 15 inch wheels to 13 x 4.5 inch wheels. Rapier IV production began in 1963.

View attachment 22141

 

[todd reid]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sunbeam-Al...13-Inch-Early-Style-Sandblasted-/254509311945

The plot thickens!

 

[alpine_64]

Are you sure you're not thinking of 4.0" wire wheels? Tiger vs Alpine steel wheels are usually only identifiable by the raised 'doughnut' vs a small lip around the stud holes.

Actually tigers introduced the strengthened rib residing near the stud.. But by 66 think they became the stock wheel on alpine, minx etc.

 

[ALC 68A]

I know the owner of this car - it's a UK Series IV automatic and he sometimes comes to our local meetings in it. He bought it and had it restored, but is not too bothered about the detailed accuracy. When he got it, the long slot wheels were already on the car but had Rapier/Alpine GT fastback full wheel covers over them. I think the wheels may also be from the fastback model, as although most of the pictures on-line show the cars with the wheel covers in place or on alloys, I did find one picture with bare wheels and the slots look very similar. If not from a fastback Sunbeam, the wheels could be from some European small Ford, as they have the same bolt spacing, although I don't recognise them if so. I did sell him a spare set of Alpine hubcaps and S3/IV trim rings, but he didn't think it was necessary to change the wheels as well.

Steve

 

[puff4]

Ah... yes, that’s quite possibly the answer, Steve. Thanks for that! It was really puzzling me.