wheel spacers - ok to use?

[jjb-gt]

My 71 GT had original wire wheels with the narrower axle. Previous owner installed hubs with some Western alloy wheels. I wish to install the old disc steel wheels with hubcaps, but they set in too far relative to fenders, looks odd. ....Is there some reason NOT to use spacer/adaptors to bring wheels outward by an inch or so? I have never used them and it seems like a far too simple solution. Any suggestions. Thanks.

[Art]

No real problem using spacers on the rear.  Your spacers should be about 3/4" thick, the wire wheel axle being 1 1/2" narrower than the disc wheel axle. 

Just make sure the studs are long enough to secure the wheel properly with the spacers installed.  You may find you have to replace them with longer ones. 

Also, most disc and alloy wheels seat to the center hub of the axle, which better supports them.  This is more critical with soft aluminum or alloy wheels, but stock MGB and Midget Rostyle wheels do not and I've worked with various wheel adaptations on other cars that could not seat to the hub, so I do not see this to be as crutial, but if in fabricating your spacers this could be accomplished, it might be something to consider. 

Hope that helps you.  Good luck.

Art

[jjb-gt]

Follow up: I found a pair of adapters, 1 1/4" thick x 4 x 4 1/2", aluminum with studs and lugnuts. I torqued them onto the rear hubs evenly, 70 ft-lbs and then the steel wheels. They actually fit the car well but 3/4" to 1", as suggested,thick would prabably have been better. The are holding well with my regular driving. Cost was only $69.95 for the pair, plus shipping. It took about 15 min. to install. It seems much better than changing the rear end. And it allows returning to the wire wheel setup some day if preferred. Anyway, thanks again for the advice.