They are, it’s because of the double step outside the spokes that makes them look so good. I remember them on my Jag as a kid thinking they looked awesome!
That’s a centerlaced wheel.
The sticker on the ‘curly’ hub looks like the MWS logo, I think.
Is there an advantage to a centerlaced wheel? Strength? Rigidity?
I’ll put out an answer with the hopes of being corrected, as I’m not certain. There are two factors: where, generally, the spokes are located, and how wide a footprint they make on the rim.
Center is better because the weight of the car is above the plane of the spokes. When new car designs incorporated more (negative) offset, spokes moved outboard. This was to accommodate brakes, etc built into the space inside the wheel. This was weaker; Jaguar XJ6, for example, were not equipped with factory wires, and aftermarket ones (e.g. Dayton) had extremely heavy construction that made the wheels much heavier than steel or alloy disks. When FWD cars came out, the offset required pretty much eliminated wires.
The width of the spoke footprint is how far radially the spokes are laced. The wider the stronger, because triangulation creates rigidity. Three rows (triple lacing) can allow the widest footprint and most rigid configuration with respect to lateral stability. [The vertical stiffness depends on the lacing–how many “crosses” they make and other details, not so much the number of rows.]
So both factors contribute. The wheel shown in Ed’s post is triple laced, but the rows are pretty close together; it has moderate negative offset–not laced dead center. IMHO.
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Primarily the offset they provide, and the great aesthetics.
They are theoretically “weaker” than bead-laced, or triple-laced (Aka Competition laced) wheels, but It’s worth noting that a vast majority of early Cobras came on center laced wire wheels, and early GT40’s even raced on them.
I certainly can’t pick apart that explanation, Bob!
Bob, from what I have read, I agree. Jaguar picked the lacing they did for very good strength. From what I have also read, center lace are/were largely popular because they are easier to clean and because some like the appearance. But they are not as strong, and apparently can flex more. And, as you stated, triple are strongest.
As to how strong is needed, well…
Tom
The comp wheels called today are still in use for alot of the track events…Its just a different look.
On a standard wheel in turn REAL hard you can feel the flex…
GTJOEY1314
I drove my center-laced rims, up many a steep mountain pass, and on the track, a few times: never did a spoke come loose or break, and I do not think, on a car as compliant as an street E, one can “feel the wheels flex.”
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Wigs, You had a trick set up, I talking 205’s on 5 inch wheels and road course slaloms, youll feel it.
Its too much pressure on the center hub, in that situation. Yoyr tweety was dialed in like my green 70.
Back then I was running pirelli 4000’s on 6 inch offsets…
Those are tank tires today.
gtjoey1314
Joey, once again… I had no “trick set up.”
By and large, the chassis on that car had about 200,000 miles on it, and I ran 205 AVS Yokohama’s on it, on 6" Dayton center-laced rims (which prior in the thread were asserted to be “weaker”). The Yokos were plenty sticky and trust me, I know how to put a car through a turn hard. You can’t feel the wheels flex. If you do, something is seriously wrong with your wheels.
If you have properly tightened and trued 5-inch rims, I very seriously doubt you can feel them flex. That’s a very high-level ability to accomplish.
Yeah but what rims were you running not 5;s
Eric, whos A/C kit and brackets did you use?
Rock Browning’s “Retro Air” kit. A few years ago he sold out to Classic Auto Air here in the DFW area. The AC components are decent quality…blows nice and cold. Fan is very loud at highest setting. I disliked the fake chrome bling on the evaporator vents and asked for one without. I modified all of evaporator and condensor mounting bracketry…a lot. By the way, the compressor/alternator mount differently on the 4.2 engine. I was not impressed with all the backside of the belt idlers in conjunction with a V-belt…not good practice. If you worked the mounting arrangement into your serpentine system, it would be a thing of beauty…
You’d need a very good radiator, powerful fans a catch tank, and powerful alternator. Mine has never overheated, but it’s close on a 95* day. My engine tends to load up the forward carb when super hot, so I use the choke lever to bump up the idle when hot. I plan to fabricate something for the air filter snorkels to get a clean shot of cool air from the right side fresh air intake. This will be an issue regard less of who manufactures an AC kit. If you have specific questions, I’m happy to assist I have quite a few photos of the installation…
3.8 pully setup
4.2 pully arrangement (they might have changed this)
post deleted…
Great looking vintage racer in England, with painted competition-laced wires on the rear, and some serious rubber tucked up under what appears to be standard sheet metal.
I believe this is the way Jaguar recommended the wheels be used…Competition laced on the rear, and standard lacing on the front.
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Looks to me like the rear wings have been modified. Would need a rear view to be sure but those bulges look larger than standard.
