Hi Guys,
I have 4 new Knock-off wire wheels and 4 tires arriving on separate trucks.
Who knows an experienced mounter/balancer with the correct equipment in the So. California/Orange Country area?
Thanks,
BrianM
1964, S1 3.8 FHC
I used Discount Tires. You just need to make sure someone there knows wires. When I had mine done, the store manager was the one who did them, and he knew the correct way. Good luck
I live in the OC, specifically Fullerton, CA and just had my S1 rims and tires installed. Most, if not all, of the usual tire stores will not mount and balance wire rims. It requires special equipment and knowledge. The companies I know of and trust are British European Auto in San Pedro (who repaired my car), Lucas Classic Tires in Long Beach (from whom I bought my Pirelli Cinturato CN36 tires) and Nate Jones Cowboy Tires in Signal Hill (who balance by tires). Nateās will balance them on the car - smooth as silk, but $$. If you find anyone else in the OC, let us know. James
You might call Grand Prix Performance in Costa Mesa. They have been around quite a while, I imagine they either can do it or know who can. They easily handled my Mark V saloon with steel wheels and tubes recently when other places refused the business.
Iām just wondering what special knowledge is required to mount a tire on a wire wheel. Maybe if itās tubed it might present a bit of a problem to some guys but any competent tire fitter ought to be able to manage that.
Balancing might depend on the make. I know Daytons are made with specially machined concentric conical surface so they will mount properly on the cones of a balance machine.
Morning Clive,
I agree, but the problem appears to me to be ignorance/impatience rather than the need for special knowledge ( I guess ignorance is lack of special knowledge;-) . They will put them on the mounting/dismounting machine and the next thing you know is that you have bent spokes.
Balancing them raises another set of problems as they donāt have or realize they need the proper cones. YMMV
Cheers,
Lynn
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Most shops Iāve seen these days have the tire machines that grip the edges of the rim.
I had mine installed at Stokes Tire in Santa Monica.
Also dependent on them having the right mounting cones/spacers. The last time mine were mounted by Discount they didnāt have them, so I ended up having to go with balance beads. So far they seem to be working well though.
Called them. They guy actually sounded insulted when I asked if he could mount wire spoked knock off wheels. āOf Courseā When I double checked they had cones for balancing.
They are actually open on Saturday. Iāll let you know
BrianM
Not to scare you, but I got the same response from an old school, Mom&Pop tire shop that turned out to be totally clueless with my old Dunlop wires. Their hubs are not machined like modern wires, and therefore require āspecialā cones to handle them.
Yes, but Grand Prix Performance typically have an E-type in the customer waiting room.
I have brand new MWS wheels, I hope they see these all the time.
Good to know, that being said I have been installing and balancing my own tires just so I know who to blame if they get screwed up 
The problem is that itās getting harder and harder to do.
Cheers,
LLynn
Me too ā so I got a 4ā length of iron pipe (1Ā¼" ID) to slip over the end of the mounting āspoonā as that is the step that seems to require the most strength. When I get to where and extra 4ā isnāt enough then Iāll quit.
Itās getting harder for me too these days but Iād still do it myself for anything 70 series or more.
I donāt have a machine, just a beadbreaker a pair of Dunlop tire levers. Fitting tires to chrome plated wheels, I find easier than painted steel or aluminum because the rubber slides on the rim much better and youād have to be really clumsy to do any damageā¦
If the tire is reluctant to seal and take air after Iāve bounced it a few times on the garage floor, Iād just use a ratchet strap wrapped around the outside but thatās often unnecessary.
Takes about 5-10 minutes per wheel. Less time than driving to the tire place. 
BTW, those internal grippers on commercial machines put nasty marks on the inside of the rim.
I agree in part. Damage was done to the inside of a wheel on my Corvette Grand Sport, but ONLY because the tire guy didnāt know how to properly use the machine. The tire shop replaced the wheel with a new one, and someone else mounted the tire onto the new wheel. No damage was done.
A machine is only as good as its operator.
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I think youāve hit the nail on the head Carlo.
Cheers,
LLynn
Went to Grand Prix Performance on Saturday. Knew I was in the right place when I saw the S3, E-Type in the showroom. $60 to mount and balance my 4 tires. Did it in 30 min while I waited.
Free popcorn, no complaints.
BrianM
'64, S1, 3.8, FHC
Well done. If I had someone who could do it right for 15 bucks a corner I would happily give up doing my own.
As it is - it takes me considerably more than 30 minutes and I have to make my own popcorn.
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