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If they turn out to be like many of MWS copies, try fitting or removing tyres! Last time I used their wheels, my local tyre dealer, attempting to repair a puncture, broke his tyre fitting machine, damaged the rim (not his fault) & having finally got the tyre back on, the bead wires were broken. I now use genuine Mambas & can fit & remove tyres myself, without anything more specialised than a pair of tyre levers.

This happened when a batch of the 6x10 MWS ('Minilite' style only I think) rims had the tyre fitting recess/well cast in the middle of the rim instead of offset to one side, making it almost impossible to fit the tyres without damage........they have supposedly since fixed the problem but there are no doubt faulty wheels still out there on the secondhand market..... although at least the fault is easy to spot if no tyres are fitted.

Already posted some of these on my 'Introductions' thread, but here is the '60 Austin Seven I have been working on, complete with an original but refurbished set of 6x10 JAP's. Not so sure about the spinners shown earlier personally, but we have actually turned up our own flush-fitting centre caps and had some repro JAP centre stickers made using a pair of original JAP ones i managed to get hold of as a template. Not fitted them yet though.

It's a shame they weren't in their original chromate gold or dark grey oxide finish they originally came in.

They also look narrower than 6's compared to my old ones....I'll try and dig out some pics.

They also offered a 'de luxe' finish as an optional extra back in the day, which was gloss black with a diamond-machined detailing to the top faces and rim.

This set does not seem to have as deep a dish as the others i have seen (which is why i jumped at them), but they are definitely 6 inches. I have a 7.5inch and 8inch set (both 13inch diameter) for my Sunbeam Stiletto which are a completely different style. These ones look a little bit more like Dunlop D1's and do not have the ring of webbing in the centre like the ones shown at the start of this thread.

Well, they kind of do(see below).


Would be very interested to see your old pictures 'In the shed'. Thanks

I'm away from my home computer atm. I'll see if I can dig some out.

My first set were undated, had 12 ribs on the rear of the wheel. (you'll know them if you have them) and had J.A.P. in the ovals twice. They were chromate gold underneath and the ally was very dark mag.

The second set had a plain back (like the 5" wheels) and had J.A.P. in one oval and MAGNA in the other, one wheel (out of the 5) had 1967 in it.

They did 12 spoke ones (like you probably have) which google will reveal. I think these were in 4.5 to 5.5. The 8 spokes were from 5" to 6.5"

I loved them, but when I fitted S brakes....they looked bloody ridiculous.

I was lucky enough to find a set of 7 of these in one go, so i had the pick of them to make the set of 4 to go on to the car, plus a spare. Two are still sat in my dad's garage.

All have one oval with JAP in it, then in the other ovals four are dated 1968, two 1967 and one just MAGNA.

I have seen the plain 12 spoke ones, but mine are the 8 spoke variety which i much prefer. I keep saying 'mine' but actually the car is going to be a surprise wedding present for my wife-to-be next month so i guess they aren't mine at all! I will measure them again to double check they aren't 5.5inch and revert. (This could explain why they just about fit under the arches! Perhaps i measured from outer rim to outer rim... )

They also did another style, which kind of also had 12 spokes but they are offset into groups of 3. I will attach a photo of my 13inch set (3 x 7.5 and 2 x 8inch) which illustrates this. None of mine have ribs on the back, not even the 8 inch ones.

I will also add a pic of the pair of centre caps i found scouring ebay a while ago... not seen any more of these yet but am still hunting!

dinglem wrote:Already posted some of these on my 'Introductions' thread, but here is the '60 Austin Seven I have been working on, complete with an original but refurbished set of 6x10 JAP's. Not so sure about the spinners shown earlier personally, but we have actually turned up our own flush-fitting centre caps and had some repro JAP centre stickers made using a pair of original JAP ones i managed to get hold of as a template. Not fitted them yet though.

That's a bony looking car! Well done! The wheels look great aswell. I can't figure Out how they dont stick further out on your car if they are 6 inch!? Im presuming there is no rubbing? They look to have a prety big dish! Id have said they were 5 inch from how far they protrude out..

I've had a few sets of jap wheels in fact I still have a set of 13 by 7(ish).. There are three different designs to my knowledge though! One looks very similar to the other and one is noticeably different..

Thanks. I am really pleased with how it has turned out (hope she is too!)

The three styles should be covered above; 8 spoke, 12 spoke and then the 'alternatively spaced' 12 spoke ones like my 13inch set pictured above.

I have just spoken to my father and asked him to measure the spare rims that are sat in his garage. The car and the wheels have been hidden there for the past month since i collected it following paint... I have only driven those few miles in it (about 20 altogether) since the resto so haven't really checked for any rubbing. It might on full lock; all my Imps rub.

Just re-read the sales patter from the eBay auction from when i bought my Mini JAP's and it says:-

'They are all offset and measure 6 inches between the outside rims'.

I guess if that is from the very outsides then the width between the outer beading could be 5 1/2 inch perhaps? I was very unsure about fitting them as i was desperately hoping they wouldn't require arches to be fitted to the car; thankfully they have just the right dish for the look i was after without sticking out too far.

dinglem wrote:Thanks. I am really pleased with how it has turned out (hope she is too!)

The three styles should be covered above; 8 spoke, 12 spoke and then the 'alternatively spaced' 12 spoke ones like my 13inch set pictured above.

I have just spoken to my father and asked him to measure the spare rims that are sat in his garage. The car and the wheels have been hidden there for the past month since i collected it following paint... I have only driven those few miles in it (about 20 altogether) since the resto so haven't really checked for any rubbing. It might on full lock; all my Imps rub.

Just re-read the sales patter from the eBay auction from when i bought my Mini JAP's and it says:-

'They are all offset and measure 6 inches between the outside rims'.

I guess if that is from the very outsides then the width between the outer beading could be 5 1/2 inch perhaps? I was very unsure about fitting them as i was desperately hoping they wouldn't require arches to be fitted to the car; thankfully they have just the right dish for the look i was after without sticking out too far.

Yeh, you measure the width from the inside of the rim and not the outer! Either way they look great.. I noticed your stiletto is it? In the background.. Very smart! I saw a very similar one at a show in southport once? Are you a fellow lancastrian? so are you rims on your mini brand newies or refurbished ones? I think I've missed that somewhere!?

I've re read it now and answered my own question! So who re-cut the outer rim? Or have you just polished them?

999 ORX wrote:I noticed your stiletto is it? In the background.. Very smart! I saw a very similar one at a show in southport once? Are you a fellow lancastrian? so are you rims on your mini brand newies or refurbished ones? I think I've missed that somewhere!?

Yeah that is my Stiletto. Again there are plenty of photo's of that in my Introduction thread on here, but i will add another one here seeing as you asked! I have an Imp van too; rare these days. The Mini should compliment them well i hope

I'm based in Lichfield, Staffs. I had both sets of JAP's refurbished by a company called 'spit and polish' whom i saw advertised in Retrocars magazine. Top job, and a very swift turn-around too.

Ooof I like an imp and a stiletto even more so! Those two are both great examples, you have a nice collection there!

Chris

mab01uk wrote:Love the 6x10 JA Pearce Magna wheels with Spinners on this Mini at Beaulieu.


(Photo: UWD 672G)

Can anyone tell me what arches these are? and any tips for fitting securing the chrome arch trim (flat or deluxe?) over arches. Back in the 1970's mine was always falling off!

These look similar from JA Pearce website:



http://japearceengineering.com/products/magna-wheels/

..when all said and done I think BYN looks the dogs !!!!..but I to cant believe the prices for JA Pearce or colloquially known as Jap Magna,s ....spinners or no spinners.. mind blowing !!!!.. good thread this one I read with interest.... ill stick to my orig D1,s.. Cosmics of the late 60,s come close .. foxy52

foxy52 wrote:..when all said and done I think BYN looks the dogs !!!!..but I to cant believe the prices for JA Pearce or colloquially known as Jap Magna,s ....spinners or no spinners.. mind blowing !!!!.. good thread this one I read with interest.... ill stick to my orig D1,s.. Cosmics of the late 60,s come close .. foxy52

Yeah, I like the way BYN looks in that photo also!

I was a little shocked when i started hunting down the JAP's for our Mini; I really like the brand and the fact that they aren't seen all that often and basically went looking for a set because i already had the 13inch set for my Imp and wanted to carry that pattern on. I picked up the Imp set for a snip off eBay - in fact I sold the tyres on that they came with for more than i paid for the wheels and tyres combined, so a real bargain!!

When the Mini set came up there were a lot of bidders, lots of questions about them posted to the seller and basically a lot of interest and demand. I suppose there is a much larger market for Mini items, especially rarer period parts. I am finding out very quickly that prices can get a little crazy for the simplest of things. I've already cleared a space in the garage for the Mini once it arrives at ours as there's no way it is ever getting left outside overnight!!!

I would imagine that the types of owners who are specifically looking for something like a set of JAP's will want original items rather than the repop versions, particularly when a good set of originals are about half of the price of a reproduction set. I guess it is just a case of patiently hunting down the right wheels with the correct pattern and offset for your taste.

dinglem wrote:

foxy52 wrote:..when all said and done I think BYN looks the dogs !!!!..but I to cant believe the prices for JA Pearce or colloquially known as Jap Magna,s ....spinners or no spinners.. mind blowing !!!!.. good thread this one I read with interest.... ill stick to my orig D1,s.. Cosmics of the late 60,s come close .. foxy52

Yeah, I like the way BYN looks in that photo also!

I was a little shocked when i started hunting down the JAP's for our Mini; I really like the brand and the fact that they aren't seen all that often and basically went looking for a set because i already had the 13inch set for my Imp and wanted to carry that pattern on. I picked up the Imp set for a snip off eBay - in fact I sold the tyres on that they came with for more than i paid for the wheels and tyres combined, so a real bargain!!

When the Mini set came up there were a lot of bidders, lots of questions about them posted to the seller and basically a lot of interest and demand. I suppose there is a much larger market for Mini items, especially rarer period parts. I am finding out very quickly that prices can get a little crazy for the simplest of things. I've already cleared a space in the garage for the Mini once it arrives at ours as there's no way it is ever getting left outside overnight!!!

I would imagine that the types of owners who are specifically looking for something like a set of JAP's will want original items rather than the repop versions, particularly when a good set of originals are about half of the price of a reproduction set. I guess it is just a case of patiently hunting down the right wheels with the correct pattern and offset for your taste.

I'd agree - I think it's worth having the patience to hunt down a decent matching set and getting them refurbished, even if you have to buy two sets to get one decent one it's cheaper than buying them new. I'm beginning to wish I hadn't taken that shot of 'BYN..' though, I keep looking at it and thinking I'd like to get another late 60s / early 70s Mini and do something similar! Not only that but I've been looking at photos of Gordon Keeble GTs with various styles of JAPs on and it's got me wondering if they'd fit my Rover P5B...

I met and old guy who used to race Mini all over southern Africa in the late 60's / 70's and 80s.

And he has 2 of these in his garage, 7 x 12 and also 2 7x12 Mag Mini lites, and i can't persuade him to let them go.

Love JAP wheels... I particularly like it when they are the original gold colour... Mmmm! Would love a set on my mini, or my A 35 even!!

That black mk3 looks amazing! Jealous!


Ed.

Sean, I could take a couple more 7x12 Minilite mags

These are the centre caps we have made, as i mentioned earlier on in the thread. First one in, 4 more to go....