Minilite question

[landmizzle]

Hi all,

When I purchased my first 240Z (may she rest in piece....) she came with a set of Minilite wheels. I still have these wheels and plan on putting them on the '72 240Z I recently purchased.

Unfortunately, one of the wheels is "out of round" with a very slight flat spot. I've talked to several places that claim they can repair aluminum wheels. My question is whether the wheels I have are Aluminum or Magnesium. I ask this because many of the places that repair aluminum wheels won't/can't repair magnesium wheels.

I can't tell by looking at them if they are aluminum or magnesium. I took them to a local tire shop today and they couldn't tell me either.

I'm almost certain these wheels are genuine Minilites. The only markings on the wheel I can find are stamps on the exterior side with the following; 6-77 SM 14x6 1/2x 13 1/2

I believe the 6-77 SM is a date stamp (don't know what the SM is for) and obviously the next sequence of digits is the wheel size.

Are there any Minilite experts out there that can tell me what I have?

Best Regards,

Landmizzle '71 and '72 240Z

[Bambikiller240]

Can't help you much, but a Magnesium Wheel should be a lot lighter (weight) than an Aluminium wheel.

You might be able to find out how to determine what you have by contacting Minilite Wheels and asking them. Just a thought.

[lordbiotree]

They are magnesium-alloy. They used Magnesium wells in the olds days cuz they are light and strong but THEY ARE VERY FLAMMABLE.

[Bambikiller240]

Originally posted by lordbiotree

They are magnesium-alloy. They used Magnesium wells in the olds days cuz they are light and strong but THEY ARE VERY FLAMMABLE.

Minilite did make some of their wheels in Aluminium for road car applications.

BTW, the Magnesium wheels are also brittle, and can be porous as well. Where an aluminium wheel may bend, a "Mag" wheel can CRACK or SHATTER.

[landmizzle]

Hi all,

Based on Bambikiller's advice I called Minilite and spoke with them.

The 6-77 stamp is indeed the date stamp for the wheels; in this case, Jun 1977. The "SM" stamp represents the "Sport Mini" model of wheels which are made of aluminum.

Thanks for the replies folks. I've updated this thread just incase someone else in the future has a similar question.

Best Regards,

Landmizzle '71 and '72 240Z

Originally posted by BambiKiller240

Can't help you much, but a Magnesium Wheel should be a lot lighter (weight) than an Aluminium wheel.

You might be able to find out how to determine what you have by contacting Minilite Wheels and asking them. Just a thought.

[Carl Beck]

If it's 14x6 Minilite made of aluminum - it will weigh about 17 lbs.

If it's a 14x6 Minilite made of magnesium - it will weigh about 12 lbs.

If it's a real "MINILITE" - it will have "MINILITE ENGLAND" cast into it - on the outside of the wheel. If your's say "SM" - - - I'd guess it's a Minilite look-alike made by "Shelby Manufacturing". Weigh it and as I recall - it should weigh closer to 18 or 19 lbs.

Minilite has been out of business for many many years - so no hope of contacting them.

I do have a brand new set of Minilite Aluminum 14 x6's (never mounted). I also have a set of American Racing "Le Mans" (Magnesium wheels) they weigh 12 lbs. each.

Any good wheel shop should be able to true up the wheel if it's slightly out of round and aluminum.

FWIW,

Carl B.

Carl Beck

Clearwater,FL USA

IZCC #260

http://ZHome.com

[HS30-H]

Originally posted by Carl Beck

Minilite has been out of business for many many years - so no hope of contacting them.

FWIW,

Carl B.

Carl Beck

Clearwater,FL USA

IZCC #260

http://ZHome.com

The original MINILITE wheel was made by a company called "TECH-DEL LTD." just down the road from me here in west London.

They still exist, but they have moved further west to Taunton in the county of Somerset.

Minilite UK website

Alan T.

[Carl Beck]

Alan Wrote:

A> The original MINILITE wheel was made by a

A> company called "TECH-DEL LTD." just down the

A> road from me here in west London.

Hi Alan:

Point of clarification

My understanding was that "Tech-Del Ltd." produced licensed copies of the

"original" - or that they had purchased the brand name from the original owners.

As they say on their web site - the original Minilites were Mag.'s produced in the

60's and 70's.

I think Tech-Del Ltd. are producing aluminum copies of the original design.

About six or eight years ago - a group purchase order was filled by them

for 14x6 aluminum wheels with the bolt pattern and offset for the 240-Z's.

Like I said - Minilite went out of business years ago.

FWIW,

Carl B.

[Bambikiller240]

Originally posted by Carl Beck

If it's a real "MINILITE" - it will have "MINILITE ENGLAND" cast into it - on the outside of the wheel. If your's say "SM" - - - I'd guess it's a Minilite look-alike made by "Shelby Manufacturing".

Originally posted by landmizzle

........................I called Minilite and spoke with them. The 6-77 stamp is indeed the date stamp for the wheels; in this case, Jun 1977. The "SM" stamp represents the "Sport Mini" model of wheels which are made of aluminum.

Thanks for the replies folks. I've updated this thread just incase someone else in the future has a similar question.

There is no doubt that the "original" Minilites were Magnesium, but even in the 70's Minilite (which ever iteration of the brand that existed) was making and selling both Aluminium and Magnesium versions of the classic designed wheels. There were also many companies that made their own copies of the design.

[landmizzle]

Hi all,

Just to and more confusion......

When I bought my first 240Z back in '89 that had the wheels in question, I remember coming across a brochure for the wheels with the included paperwork. Two lines of wheels were listed; Mini-lite and Maxi-lite. If I recall correctly (and I'm probably not....) the Mini-lite wheels were made of Aluminum and the Maxi-lite wheels were Magnesium. The brochure appeared factory and had the Mini-lite logo imprinted on it in various places. I even had several Mini-lite center-cap stickers.

It was based on the brochure, stampings, and now my recent phone call to Mini-lite that I assumed I had "REAL" Mini-lite wheels. So now, based on these facts and the replies posted here, I'm positively, 100%, absolutely, convinced, that I have no clue as to what I really have.......

Anyway, the wheels do not have any "Made in England" markings on them. They do have some more very fine stampings on the interior that I overlooked, but, they vary from wheel to wheel.

Additionally, I weighed the wheels and they come out to be 14 lbs. each.

Best Regards,

Landmizzle '71 and '72 240Z

[landmizzle]

Hi all,

I went out into the garage and took a closer look at the wheels. Couldn't see anything new to add to the debate. So, I took some carb. cleaner and thoroughly cleaned the interior side of the wheels. Off, came about 25 years of grease, road kill, and asbestos dust.

Gleaming on the center section, directly behind the lug nut holes....."Made in England". So maybe I have orginal "Minilite" wheels after all!

Best Regards,

Landmizzle '71 and '72 240Z

[HS30-H]

Originally posted by Carl Beck

Hi Alan:

Point of clarification

My understanding was that "Tech-Del Ltd." produced licensed copies of the

"original" - or that they had purchased the brand name from the original owners.

As they say on their web site - the original Minilites were Mag.'s produced in the

60's and 70's.

I think Tech-Del Ltd. are producing aluminum copies of the original design.

About six or eight years ago - a group purchase order was filled by them

for 14x6 aluminum wheels with the bolt pattern and offset for the 240-Z's.

Like I said - Minilite went out of business years ago.

FWIW,

Carl B.

Carl,

If you want to argue it through to the enth degree, then you have to decide just where "Minilite" went out of business the FIRST time......

Like many British companies involved in the motorsports world in the 1960's and 1970's, they suffered from can't pay and won't pay clients - which sometimes led to the company needing to re-register or restructure in order to protect themselves. Some of these clients disappeared and some of them did quite well for themselves in the end ( take for example Mr Frank Williams - a well-known wheeler-dealer in the 1960's and 1970's - who just had a couple of cars with his name on them finish in first and second places in the French Formula 1 GP ).

The "original" Minilite wheels ( 'Minilite' is a registered trademark ) were, as I said, manufactured by a company called "Tech Del. Ltd". The owner of this company - which was for many years based in Acton, west London - was Mr Derek Woodton, who was quite a well-known face in the UK motorsport world.

Mr Woodton's company was restructured and re-formed more than once in the Sixties - let alone in the Seventies - so if you want to talk about the 'original' company you are really only referring to a paper identity registered with Companies House here in the UK.

As I said before, the manufacturer of the original Minilite wheel was Tech Del. Ltd. - and that is the name of the company that still makes them. They have all the original drawings, blueprints, rights and history of the Minilite range of wheels, and they have the blessing of Mr Derek Woodton. They have a direct descendancy from the 'original' company ( regardless of how many times that company have had to restructure or re-register ) and therefore they are the closest thing possible to being the manufacturers of the original Minilite wheel.

It seems silly to argue the toss as to whether this is the 'original' company or not. This is not a situation where a new company has sprung up to make use of a dormant brand name or revive a long-dead design. This company is part of the Minilite family tree.

Alan T.