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Where 4.5 wheels on a MK III s a factory option ?

No. they were standard.

No they were not 3.5" standard wheels 4.5" were optional

i thought 4.5 where always optional

The 4.5" wheels were originally an option, but the std spec changed around 66/67 for competition homologation reasons. Thus 4.5" wheels, twin tanks and iirc the 510 cam became std. This explains the shortage of original 3.5" wheels.

According to a little bit of factory info I have, both sizes were fitted on the line to the MKIII, neither was an option

However, I'll look a bit further in to this, as it doesn't sit right, I tend to think it would have had 4.5" wheels as standard.

October 1970 price list would suggest that 4.5" rims were an option

ivor badger 2 wrote:The 4.5" wheels were originally an option, but the std spec changed around 66/67 for competition homologation reasons. Thus 4.5" wheels, twin tanks and iirc the 510 cam became std. This explains the shortage of original 3.5" wheels.

Nope I'm with Ronnie , 3.5" rims were definately standard kit right throughout 'S' production, even cop cars had 'em. They're only rare now cos most people lobbed 'em away when a multitude of alloys became available, nobody wanted skinny wheels and tyres in the 70s and 80s and 3.5 S rims were worth nowt!

Don't know why the 4.5" are shown as option as spec was changed for iirc the Bathurst 6 hours or similar race in Australia, where only cars in showroom condition could be entered. thus the 4.5s, the twin tanks, the 510, probably the laminated screen and possibly the hardy spicer drive shafts.

ivor badger 2 wrote:Don't know why the 4.5" are shown as option

Cos they were on all UK S's.

ivor badger 2 wrote:Don't know why the 4.5" are shown as option as spec was changed for iirc the Bathurst 6 hours or similar race in Australia, where only cars in showroom condition could be entered. thus the 4.5s, the twin tanks, the 510, probably the laminated screen and possibly the hardy spicer drive shafts.

All our S' here in Aust were on 4.5" wheels and twin tanks from start to finish of production, mainly because of Bathurst.

Pete wrote:

ivor badger 2 wrote:Don't know why the 4.5" are shown as option

Cos they were on all UK S's.

So you'll remember them all being delivered then.

We had two Mk3 Cooper S's from nearly new. They both came with 3.5 rims from new as standard and I still have photos somewhere. I doubt these were ordered against the 4.5's so presume they were both fitted still in 71 with 4.5's still the option?