Rostyle wheel
Encyclopedia
Rostyle wheels are a notable design of wheels for cars made by the British firm of Rubery Owen
, a diversified industrial company which made many car parts. The wheels had an unusual pressed steel
form to imitate the few ribs of mag wheels at the time, but were painted black (or perhaps body color) and aluminium
. They were designed to do without hubcap
s or wheel covers, and were especially popular during the 1960s and 70s.
The firms MG
and Rover
, amongst other British
sporty cars in the 1960s often specified these wheels as original equipment instead of ones made of light alloy
(aluminium or magnesium
) or wire wheels. Rostyle also made chromium plated wheels for Jensen
, Rover
and, famously, the Ford Cortina
1600E, originally designed for Ford Chairman Len Crossland's wife. Painted Rostyle wheels were also the only wheel option on the Range Rover
for many years following its introduction. These 16-inch Rostyles where used on the Range Rover until 1986 when they were replaced by alloy wheels. The Rostyles then became optional fitment to the short wheelbase Land Rover (the wheels were not strong enough for use on the long wheelbase models). The Land Rover maintained its optional Rostyle wheels until 1995, becoming the last vehicle to offer them from new.
They were made in Britain, as well as under license in Germany and Argentina. The Rostyle wheels had a metal label in the center with the emblem of the car company on it. Today, special masks must be made to paint the wheels of restored cars to resemble the original.
Max Sinclair, the sales manager for Rubery Owen in the 1960 to 1980 period has stated that "We changed the face of motoring, and Mag wheels followed us as their reliability improved."
Rubery Owen
Rubery Owen is a British engineering company which was founded in 1884 in Darlaston, West Midlands.-History:In 1884 the company was started by John Tunner Rubery and his two brothers , as an ironworks manufacturing gates and fences...
, a diversified industrial company which made many car parts. The wheels had an unusual pressed steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
form to imitate the few ribs of mag wheels at the time, but were painted black (or perhaps body color) and aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
. They were designed to do without hubcap
Hubcap
A hubcap, wheel cover or wheel trim is a decorative disk on an automobile wheel that covers at least a central portion of the wheel. Cars with stamped steel wheels often use a full wheel cover that conceals the entire wheel. Cars with alloy wheels or styled steel wheels generally use smaller...
s or wheel covers, and were especially popular during the 1960s and 70s.
MG (car)
The MG Car Company is a former British sports car manufacturer founded in the 1920s by Cecil Kimber. Best known for its two-seat open sports cars, MG also produced saloons and coupés....
and Rover
Rover
-Leyland companies:* Rover Company , a British motorcycle and car manufacturing company, absorbed into Leyland Motor Corporation in 1967* Austin Rover Group , a mass-market car manufacturing subsidiary of Leyland...
, amongst other British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
sporty cars in the 1960s often specified these wheels as original equipment instead of ones made of light alloy
Alloy
An alloy is a mixture or metallic solid solution composed of two or more elements. Complete solid solution alloys give single solid phase microstructure, while partial solutions give two or more phases that may or may not be homogeneous in distribution, depending on thermal history...
(aluminium or magnesium
Magnesium
Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg, atomic number 12, and common oxidation number +2. It is an alkaline earth metal and the eighth most abundant element in the Earth's crust and ninth in the known universe as a whole...
) or wire wheels. Rostyle also made chromium plated wheels for Jensen
Jensen Motors
Jensen Motors Ltd was a British manufacturer of sports cars and commercial vehicles, based in the Lyng – West Bromwich...
, Rover
Rover
-Leyland companies:* Rover Company , a British motorcycle and car manufacturing company, absorbed into Leyland Motor Corporation in 1967* Austin Rover Group , a mass-market car manufacturing subsidiary of Leyland...
and, famously, the Ford Cortina
Ford Cortina
As the 1960s dawned, BMC were revelling in the success of their new Mini – the first successful true minicar to be built in Britain in the postwar era...
1600E, originally designed for Ford Chairman Len Crossland's wife. Painted Rostyle wheels were also the only wheel option on the Range Rover
Range Rover
The Range Rover is a large luxury four-wheel drive sport utility vehicle produced by British car maker Land Rover. The model, launched in 1970, is now in its third generation...
for many years following its introduction. These 16-inch Rostyles where used on the Range Rover until 1986 when they were replaced by alloy wheels. The Rostyles then became optional fitment to the short wheelbase Land Rover (the wheels were not strong enough for use on the long wheelbase models). The Land Rover maintained its optional Rostyle wheels until 1995, becoming the last vehicle to offer them from new.
They were made in Britain, as well as under license in Germany and Argentina. The Rostyle wheels had a metal label in the center with the emblem of the car company on it. Today, special masks must be made to paint the wheels of restored cars to resemble the original.
Max Sinclair, the sales manager for Rubery Owen in the 1960 to 1980 period has stated that "We changed the face of motoring, and Mag wheels followed us as their reliability improved."