wheel dilema.

[rustingdeathtrap]

Does anyone on here know what the biggest wheel/tyre combo will fit on a standard (but very low) moggy minor.
What I fancy doing is fitting 6x15 solid steels with baby moon hubcaps and 195/50 tyres.
Will they fit and what would i find them on?

[hairnet]

seen 17's on a minor in a mag

[rustingdeathtrap]

hairnet600 said:

seen 17's on a minor in a mag

Me too, but I think it had a full chassis built. Theres not much room under there with standard suspension.

[rmad]

There's a Minor van in the classifieds of RC and CC this month running 17s and running a Minor chassis. I think it should be easily capable of taking 15s....the 'plus one' theory should work at the very least. Low profile tyres should avoid tyre fouling problems, just watch the offsets don't put them too far in.

[rustingdeathtrap]

This is the one I was thinking of.
img.photobucket.com/albums/v614/dickdeluxe/slm3.jpg
[/img]

Probably the only time i've seen a car looking good on those kind of rims.

[moggyman]

Your size choice should fit OK, but you're gonna struggle to find 15" solid steels with a Minor 4" PCD.
Hillman Minxes from 1956-63 have solid steels in a 4.5X15 size, but they are Ford (4.25") PCD. OK you could use adaptors, but that still leaves the problem of width. Does anyone here know of anyone who can fit new rims to existing centres?

[Benmarina16v]

The easiest and safest way would be to convert the front hubs so that you can have a ford pcd using a JLH kit, although then you would need a ford escort rear axle... so maybe not.

The minor PCD is the same as some Vauxhalls isn't it?

[moggyman]

The Minor PCD is the same as the Vauxhall Viva, and the Victor up to FD (coke bottle). Other 4-stud Vauxhalls use a 100mm PCD. Although I've never heard of any problems with using these, the PCD's not quite the same, so I'd be reluctant to fit them.
15" wheels in a 100mm PCD are quite easy to come by,but finding solid steelies may be a bit of a challenge.
As for the older Vauxhall wheels, they'e all 13".
14" steelies might be easier to get, if you can find someone to fit new rims to the Minor centres.
Weller used to do it, but I don't know if they're still around

[rmad]

Minor pcd is 4", which is near enough to 100mm in most cases for it not to matter.
Here's my Viva rolling on BMW steels just to prove a point!:

...and here's my Minor proving that it didn't need fancy wheels to be cool!:
pages.zoom.co.uk/rmad/images/mog2.jpg

[rustingdeathtrap]

I had considered using vauxhall wheels, theres only 1.6 mm difference in the stud patterns. I've just got a bee in my bonnet about using big steelies with rubber band tyres, I guess I'll be putting my hand in my pocket by the looks of it though.
Oh well, time to think up a plan B.

[moggyman]

I seem to remember that Minor for sale in Custom car many years ago, except it was brown then. Or is it just mistaken identity on my part? Has it got (or did it have) Riley front drums on it when you got it?
As for the 100mm PCD wheels, my mate had a set of Manta ATS 5-Spokes on his Minor (years ago), and they didn't cause any problems, maybe I'm being over cautious, I just don't want anyone having any problems following any advice I might give them! Maybe because the Minor's studs are thinner, it may give you a bit of leeway.
Having said all that, on a lowered Minor,stock wheels, can look cooler than an ice cube in shades. Give them a lick of paint and away to go!
I think you can get Baby-Moons that will firt the stock wheels (you need 9" diameter caps), Try some of the Hotrod specialists like Saturn Industries.
Not only that, but you can get Firestone for the stock wheels (145X14) from Bull Motif Spares for about £20 apiece. Try that on any modern car!

[rmad]

moggyman said:

I seem to remember that Minor for sale in Custom car many years ago, except it was brown then. Or is it just mistaken identity on my part? Has it got (or did it have) Riley front drums on it when you got it?

I did sell the car via CC, it did have Riley drums, but it wasn't brown...although the rear wings were hand painted and did look a bit brown in certain light conditions.

[moggyman]

I actually contemplated buying the car, but couldn't convince my wife due to my daughter being very young at the time and we needed the space to carry a pushchair and all the other stuff you need to carry when you've got a toddler.
As they say it's a small world, but I wouldn't want to paint it (or rub it down).