Wheels within wheels

Thanks to Colin "I can spot a bargain at 200 miles" Wake I followed up a lead on a set of KN Gemini alloy wheels yesterday and secured 4 good uns and one mullered (kerbed) one from a TR5 owner. He was suspicious of some apparent cracking on the reverse of the spokes of the wheels and had decided to get some new rims. I on the other hand am not so careful so I decided to take a risk and bought them for a £20 over scrap value gamble. I have a metallurgist friend who's seen them and says they don't look like stress crack but the only real way to tell is to cut them up. I could get them tested but the cost is an unknown as yet, I'm waiting to see if it's worth while. The mullered one could get sacrificed but the inference is that even at mates rates the testing could cost more than a new set! The one that got kerbed didn't break but bent so I am inclined to think they are OK. I have one more opinion to solicit and then I think I'll make a decision to use them or scrap them. They are in really nice condition with centre caps and even came with nuts - thanks Jerry (the previous owner). Jerry's got a nice TR5, nice because he's had it for 25 years and drives it every week, it's a car that's enjoyed on the road not just in the garage and looks nicely used - so few TR5s get a spanking these days it was good to see one that works for it's fuel.
If these Geminis are OK I'll pass on the TR6 rims to Alex, if he wants them. If he doesn't then I'll whack 'em on eBay and see if I can make a quid or two.
Right, better get going now, up to Liverpool for the rest of the week and no, I'm not going to the bloody horse races! I couldn't find a hotel in the city centre and have ended up in some flea pit in Speke!

Comments

Anonymous said…
Not much of a metallurist if cutting was the only option!!

What happened to:
dye denetrant
Ultrasonics
Radiography
Flash Thermography

Shall I go on?
Wednesday, April 02, 2008 9:57:00 pm
Jason said…
Yes please do go on but give me your name, don't be shy :-)
It wasn't much of a consultation and I'm not much of a metallurgist but then it didn't cost me a penny. To be fair he said the only way I could test them was to cut them up - he could test them for a fee. I wouldn't be paying him to cut them up!
Friday, April 04, 2008 11:53:00 am
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