[ROVERNET - UK] Wheels

[Vern Klukas]

OK, now we're getting into it.

I have a TC brochure, using much of the same photography, quotes and 
text as the brochure on the Hemmings site but with these exceptions:

The feature car is April yellow, and of course does not have the 
paint patches under the badges.

The Magnum 500 wheel photo is identified as a "Magtype road wheel" 
and the text specification states that "Ro-style" drawn steel with 
chrome plated spoke sections and rim are optional, unlike the 
Hemmings brochure, which mentions both the Magnum and the Magstar by 
name.

The fact that an April yellow car is featured strongly suggests that 
my brochure is later than the Hemmings brochure, as the initial TCs 
imported were all white with the blue sail panels and the patches. I 
suspect the Hemmings brochure is a 1966 piece, and mine dates from 
1967. In mine, they are no longer identifying the Magnums, and are 
hinting that they will be Rostyles, though the photography is still 
clearly of Magnum wheels.

Rostyles were available in the US (more properly North American, as 
essentially only one equipment spec was ever sent across, Canada 
getting the same car as was available in the US), if only because if 
they were all Magnum wheels we would never hear the end of the big 
stud/little stud thread on this forum. Plus I have seen many Rostyles 
and only a handful of Magnums over the years.

So, here's my spin:

1965, Rover is preparing to introduce the TC (which was initially an 
export only model) in North America and felt they needed to offer a 
styled wheel. For whatever reason, Rostyles could not be fitted, so 
Rover sourced wheels from the US. Perhaps volumes were not large 
enough to warrant getting the Magnum wheels in the standard 5x5, 
7/16" stud version, or they knew that Rostyles would be available 
soon. In truth, modifying the hubs would require less tooling changes 
than getting a bespoke wheel of a standing design, which is what they 
did to fit the Magnums.

At the same time, they also sourced the Magstar. Perhaps they felt 
that the all steel construction of the Magnum needed to be 
supplemented with an alloy wheel for the purists.

Cars delivered in 1966 and some of 1967 had either Magnum wheels and 
special hubs or Magstars or steel wheels, both on the std hub.

In 1967 (Rutiger, help us out here, when does the B suffix TC 
production begin?) the front hubs were modified to accept Rostyles, 
which then replaced the Magnum wheels. The Magstars continued to be 
offered.

By 1968, Magstars were also discontinued and the choices were either 
steel wheels or Roystyles, both on the same hub.

So: SC cars suffix D or less and all Dunlop braked cars. Steel wheels only.

TC cars suffix A (also dunlop braked) , Steel wheels or Magnum 500 or Magstars

TC cars suffix B on, SC suffix E on and all automatics, Steel wheels 
or Rostyles or (until sometime in 1967) Magstars

All cars after 1968: Steel wheels or Rostyles

Yours
Vern

>http://clubs.hemmings.com/clubsites/rovercar/nadatc/nada.htm
>
>If you go to the above address, we have a brochure from the NADA TC 
>which was the first TC offered in the USA. I believe this was from 
>1967. It shows two optional wheels: the Magstar and the Magnum 500. 
>So, at this point in time, Rover specifically identified the wheels 
>as Magnum 500 wheels, not Rostyle. I don't think Rostyle wheels were 
>ever available on a Rover in the USA. They were available on MG's 
>and others. So, for the TC, there were the standard steel wheels 
>with wheel covers and two optional wheels. The Magstars are rare, 
>but they do turn up. There was a car for sale at a towing company in 
>CA a few months ago that had Magstars. Just to add some confusion, I 
>have been told that the NADA TC wheels and the Federal 3500S Magnum 
>wheels are not interchangeable. I am guessing that the hubs were the 
>same but that the V8 wheels were wider and possibly offset 
>differently.  The V8 cars also had larger brakes.  I know you can't 
>put the V8 wheels on the 4-cyl cars because the V8 cars had lower 
>arms shaped to accomodate the wheels while the 4-cyl cars have the 
>original design.
>
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-- 
Vern Klukas                             I'm a little . . .
Inkspot Type & Design
vern at inkspotco.com