Gold wire spoke wheels paired with a whitewall tire are one of the most recognisable combinations in custom car building – and also one of the easiest to get wrong. Short answer: the wheel itself is only half of the decision. Before you order, confirm four things: spoke count and plating quality, tire section width against your fenders, whitewall width, and the boring but critical numbers – PCD, center bore, offset and brake clearance. Get those right and the set will look as good in person as it does in the video below.
We shot both clips in our own warehouse so you can see the actual finish and build quality up close, not a render.
What you are looking at
Both clips are unedited one-take shots. The first shows a 100-spoke wheel in a bright gold finish with a whitewall tire mounted; the second shows the tires before mounting, each with a white sidewall band and a fine gold pinstripe running around it.
Why spoke count and plating matter more than the photo suggests
- Spoke count changes the whole character of the wheel. Common ranges run from around 72 spokes up to 150 or more on show-style builds. More spokes means a finer, denser look – and more time in assembly and truing.
- Every spoke is a tensioned component, not decoration. A properly built wire wheel is laced and trued by hand so that spoke tension is even around the wheel. That is what keeps the wheel quiet and true at highway speed.
- Plating quality decides how it ages. A bright gold finish over a well-prepared base resists dulling far better than a quick flash plate. Ask how many layers are applied and whether the spokes and the shell are finished separately – on a good wheel they usually are.
- The hub and the lock ring are structural. On this style the spokes clamp into the shell with a lock ring, so the condition and torque of that ring matters as much as the pretty parts.
When you compare suppliers, ask for a close-up video like ours of the actual wheel you would receive – the difference between an average and a good wire wheel is very hard to see in a studio photo, and impossible to judge from a catalog drawing. Our spoke wheel range covers the popular sizes from 13 to 26 inches.
Pairing the wheel with a whitewall tire
The second video shows why the tire is a design decision, not an afterthought:
- Whitewall width sets the era and the attitude. A narrow band reads subtle and period-correct; a wide band plus a gold pinstripe reads show-car. Decide this before you buy tires, because widths are not interchangeable once mounted.
- Match section width to the wheel and the fender. A tall, wide tire on a 15-inch wire wheel looks right on a full-size classic, but the same tire can rub on a lighter body. Check the fender lip clearance at full lock and at compression before you commit.
- Confirm tube type. Many wire wheel and whitewall combinations in classic sizes run tubes. Mixing a tube-type tire with a tubeless rim (or the reverse) is one of the most common ordering mistakes we see.
- The pinstripe is paint, not moulded rubber. The fine gold line is applied over the whitewall, so it needs gentler cleaning than the black sidewall – more on that below.
If you are building a complete set, our tire section lists the whitewall options we stock alongside the wheels, so the pairing is done once instead of pieced together.
The fitment checks that actually stop problems
Looks sell the wheel; these numbers decide whether it fits:
- PCD and bolt count – measure across the stud pattern, do not guess from the model year.
- Center bore – wire wheels usually run a specific bore; plan for rings if it differs from the hub.
- Offset and backspacing – the outer edge position matters more on this style than on a modern alloy, because the tire sidewall sits close to the fender lip.
- Brake clearance – drum and early disc setups usually clear easily, but confirm the caliper depth if the car has been upgraded.
- Lug hardware – the seat type and thread pitch must match the wheel, and torque to the wheel maker’s specification, not a generic value.
Send us the make, year and current tire size of the car and we will confirm the combination in writing before anything ships. If you are also considering forged wheels for a second set, the same measurements apply – see our forged wheel range for comparison.
Everyday care for gold spokes and whitewalls
- Clean spokes with a soft brush and mild soap, working around the wheel rather than across it. High-pressure jets straight into the hub can drive water past the seals.
- Dry the spokes, don’t just rinse. Water left between fine spokes dulls plating fastest.
- Skip abrasive chrome polishes on the gold finish – use a plating-safe product, sparingly.
- Whitewalls: clean little and often. Letting brake dust and tar bake in is what turns them yellow. Use a whitewall-specific cleaner, and keep it away from the gold pinstripe.
- Store mounted sets out of direct sun, ideally in covers, and take the car for a run occasionally – flat spots form fastest on cars that never move.
How to get an accurate quotation in one message
Send us these five items and you will get a firm answer instead of a round of follow-up questions:
- Vehicle make, model and year (or the measured PCD, bore and offset)
- Wheel diameter and width you want
- Spoke count and finish preference (bright gold, other plating)
- Whitewall width and whether you want the gold pinstripe
- Your country and port, for shipping cost
FAQ
Are 100-spoke wheels heavier than regular alloy wheels? Usually yes – wire wheels carry more steel in the spokes and shell. That is the trade-off for the look; many owners keep wire wheels for show and a second alloy or forged set for daily driving.
Can I run them tubeless? Only if the tire and rim combination is designed for it. Many classic-size combinations require tubes; we confirm this per set before shipping.
How long does a set take to build? Wire wheels are laced and trued by hand, so lead time depends on spoke count and finish. Tell us your deadline and we will confirm feasibility honestly rather than over-promising.
Do you ship worldwide? Yes – we export wheel and tire sets to more than 30 markets, with export documentation included.
Talk to us about a set
Tell us the car and the look you want, and we will confirm sizes, finish and lead time in one reply. WhatsApp +852 55709471, email info@tuhaoauto.com, or send the details through our contact page – you can also browse the full spoke wheel range first.
