Vintage wire wheels required the use of tire inner tubes (although some modern replacement wire wheels may be sealed to run tubeless). Many (if not most) steel disc wheels would also use inner tubes, back in the day, as tubeless tires did not become common until the 1960's. Tube puncture repair in a pro shop (or home garage) would commonly be done using a vulcanizing hot patch. For a roadside repair it was more common to use a cold patch, being a small swatch of rubber to be sealed in place with rubber cement.

The John Bull Repair Outfit was a common period patch kit, as it was supplied by the same company that made rubber stretch clips used to secure control cables and wiring harness under dash and in the engine bay.


Pretty much any tire manufacturer would also have a tire repair kit with their name on it, with Dunlop likely being the most popular for the MGA (as most of the original tires were Dunlop tires). These may have been free with a new set of tires, as it would be good advertising to have that in the customer's traveling tool kit. Regalia enthusiasts might accrue a large collection of different brand name tire repair kits.


On5/23/2026, Mick Bath in the UK wrote:
"Thought you might like to see the type of Dunlop tyre repair kit many MG drivers carried back in the day. It contains canvas, rubber patching , wire brush, scissors and dusting chalk. Missing from this kit is the rubber adhesive that used to go hard if not used. It was usual to add the spare Schrader valves and caps plus a tyre pressure gauge". -- Regards , Mick Bath