Favourite and least favourite Ford wheels or hubcaps through the decades.

[greengartside]

Because I'm a little biased - the Mk5 Fiesta Zetec-S Phase 1 alloy..

 

[derskine]

 

These were pretty cool for standard wheels.

 

 

These however, are horrific.

[MarvinsMom]

i cannot believe that we've not had the RS 4-spoke wheels yet.

 

at one point it seemed that all escorts, fiesta's or capris all were riding on these.

 

and i really like the revised, smiley fiesta version 20 odd years later.

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

I have always liked the style of  the hubcaps used on the Mk1 Granada Ghias and the alloy wheels used on the MK2 Granada Ghias. Both superb.

[fordperv]

i do like rs 4 spoke wheels, i was going to put up the 7.5 j 4 spokes as fitted to the x pack capri, they are another favourite of mine

[brownnova]

Gotta admit, I've always been rather partial to these Escroat alloys!!

[NorfolkNWeigh]

I've just realised I prefer steels on most old Fords.

These were standard on Mk1 Mexicos and I haven't seen one on them for years, but they are my favourite Escort rims of EVAH! When I had Escorts I had a set of Lotus type 5 1/2j s that I swapped from car to car, eventually I left them on a 3.0 GXL Capri that they didn't suit.

Talking of Capris, I hate these early RS 4 spokes,they look so weedy. I don't know if they're the same as on the Supersport, which they suit . The 5 1/2 and 7" versions are among my faves though.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Granadas, I could fill this forum with Granada wheel related shite, I'll try to restrain myself.

Mk1 sports wheel- ok. I. This case a late GL with chrome embellisher.

 

In a genius move Ford used the same wheel on the Mk2, but,with a shaped plastic centre cap- perfect. Although I do get angry seeing the wrong centres on Mk 1 or 2s.

 

Edited to add- look at these muthaflipperz !!! Banded Granny steels, I've got the horn for these- big time.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Just realised the Mk1 pic I put up has an L or S plastic centre but with a GL trim ring, sorry!

Here's one with proper ( if German) chrome centres

[Christine]

Like these

 

[stuboy]

allways like these rims, easy to clean too

[Alusilber]

What about the classic 1970s styled steelie as usually found on GL models?

 

[Vince70]

For me it's got to be a set of sporting hubcaps as found on the XR2/3s back in the day..

 

I don't mind the odd 4 spoke, pepper pot or cloverleaf but having them back then meant your car ended up with an early demise on bricks if you was lucky or burnt out on some field somewhere or it ended up being stripped out on some traveller site.

[Shep Shepherd]

Favourite alloy wheel: Mark 2 Granada TRX. Least favourite alloy wheel: Fiesta RS Turbo.

 

Favourite wheel trim: Mark 1 Orion GL. Least favourite trim: Mark 3 Fiesta 'Mistral' special edition.

 

Favourite steel wheel: Mark 3 Escort Base/L. Least favourite steel wheel: Any 'space-saver' spare on later models.

[FakeConcern]

Telephone dial

My least and most favourite at different times

 

 

 

[the judge]

Favourite alloy wheel: Mark 2 Granada TRX. Least favourite alloy wheel: Fiesta RS Turbo.

 

Favourite wheel trim: Mark 1 Orion GL. Least favourite trim: Mark 3 Fiesta 'Mistral' special edition.

 

Favourite steel wheel: Mark 3 Escort Base/L. Least favourite steel wheel: Any 'space-saver' spare on later models.

Fiesta turbo wheels looked good,but why did they cheapen them with fake "discs"?

[fordperv]

To keep the brake dust off the wheels maybe?? I didn't think they looked like fake discs because the parts were black

[danthecapriman]

Hard for me to choose a favourite. Most of Fords wheels look great.

 

My Granada Ghia.

Always liked these alloys.

 

And my Transit.

I love these, old steels with a proper hub cap, and a shiny trim ring.

I'm actually missing one of the trim rings for this so if anyone has one...

[danthecapriman]

And here's the 4 spoke Laser alloys on my Capri. Next best thing to the proper RS 4 spoke.

 

This should have the standard spec steels with black painted bits around the holes like those posted above. But they were rusty and beaten to hell so I stuck these Laser mk3 wheels on instead since I like them so much!

Most of these seem to have just a bare black plastic centre cap, but mine have silver with Ford badges on them. Don't know why there's a difference? Early/late production maybe?

[NorfolkNWeigh]

With so much interchangeability from 105e to mk2 Mondeo and mk1 Focus there's been plenty of opportunities for people to get it wrong and right .

 

Good

Good

 

Bad

Bad

 

Ugly

[Skizzer]

Cortina 80 Ghia alloys or GL steels with chrome rings all the way for me:

 

 

Also early Ghia spec Mk3 Escort steels:

1982 FORD ESCORT MK3 1597cc GHIA SPY510X by JOHN, on Flickr

 

And XR2 pepperpots:

C970 AYY by Kevin Miller, on Flickr

 

 

But I'm also with Vulg on the Orion moons, and various people on the Granada steels, and I like the early Sierra flat trims.  

 

Ford really did know how to make wheels look good - at least they did until about 1985.

[willswitchengage]

 

These were funky!

[r.welfare]

An early Sierra looks good on dartboards.

[mercrocker]

Good thread!    My favourite has already been taken (the Corsair 2000E/Taunus/Zodiac Mk 4) although in fact there were, if I recall, colour variations on these.   Funnily enough I have just been poking around the junk shops in Brighton and nearly bought a Thunderbird turbine wheel trim just to hang on the wall.

 

 

  Anyhoo....I always loved the wheels on these as a kid because you could always tell what the home-built specials and trailers were made out of.......

 

 

[andrew e]

I like the ones you saw on Coleman Milne limousines - were they a continental fitment to Grandas?

 

 

http://www.classicpartsshack.co.uk/granada-mk2.html

 

I like these too (but not the domed LWB version):

 

[r.welfare]

I think those Granada wheels were optional on the Mk2 at the very start. The estate in The Sweeney 2 film has them.

[purplebargeken]

Ah, Mk2 Fiesta pepperpots, sigh. How I lusted after a set for my then new Mk2 Fiesta Pop Plus. I fitted the XR2 spotlights and the rear spoiler from the Mk1. It did look good. I also fitted a proper Ford centre console as mine didn't have one from new

[dangerousdave]

my favourite has already been mentioned the ford sports steel as fitted to higher spec mk3/4 and 5,s I also like the chrome hubcaps and discovered they make a good frying pan

[andrew e]

Been trying to catch this for AGES. So here you are.

 

[egg]

What about the classic 1970s styled steelie as usually found on GL models?

 

 

That, to me, is wheel perfection. Love em!