A Tale of Four Wheels

Starting off with initial assessment. A car has four wheels, five if you count the spare. We rolled the car off the delivery trailer and was able to use the brakes to ease it down the ramp. The car was pushed to it's temporary home and the parking brake put on. The brakes felt fine to my untrained foot and the parking brake definitely held the car firmly in place.

The PO (Previous or Prior Owner) in this case at least twice removed, was supposed to have re-built the brake system. To what extent will need further investigation. But from first indications, the car has a functional brake system with no obvious leaks, and the master cylinder looks to be holding up.

Where the rubber meets the road!

Driver Side Rear-
From the little research I've done, I believe this to be a age appropriate rim, and probably the original color of the rims as from the factory. It is in decent condition, though like all the rims missing the hubcaps. One lug-nut is missing, though I found a replacement in the boot (trunk) and the grease cap is missing.

Why they made all the wheels creamy white I have no real clue other than possibly adding a white-wall look with the chrome hubcaps in place.


Driver Side Front -
This looks to have been cleaned and re-painted a red color (master of the obvious). Very nice condition. The red doesn't match the red of the car and would look kinda odd with a hub-cap on. I am speculating that a PO tested this color and was unsatisfied.

All lug-nuts present and accounted for as well as the grease cap.

Passenger Side Front-
Painted black and not in very clean condition.

EKK! Missing stud and lug nut, grease cap in pretty bad shape. When I give this a lift, I need to examine all the studs for damage and replace this one. I've replaced studs on cars before and it's pretty trivial but once may ask why it is missing. I have another replacement lug from the boot, but that leaves the spare without a nut to hold it in place.

Overspray! This red matches the red on the paintjob. I need to look at the code date on the tired to try and date the PO restoration and paintjob age.

Passenger Side Rear-
Again black, I will likely refinish all the rims in either original white, or black. This leads me to believe that the first restoration of this car saw the rims painted black, and the original white was a spare tire. The red was eather from a donar car or a test to see what it would look like, performed after the restoration. I'd love to see examples of both with the hub cap in place.

All Nuts accounted for but again missing the grease cap.




Spare Tire -
Now missing the nut to hold it firmly in the boot, it appears to be in pretty good shape, though it is a different rim. From my research, it is from a later spitfire(71-80), likely a 1500 as they are more common. Also, from my research all the lug nuts appear to be from a later model car (71-80). I have what appears to be the original jack and tool to turn it. It's pretty rough and I will attempt to clean it up for use. The screw is in really good shape and is well greased, and does turn. Missing is "wheel nut wrench" though that can be ordered, or simply use an appropriate lug wrench.