Morris Minor
Best Tyres for a Morris Minor
- The Original tyre for a Morris Minor 1000 or Traveller was 5.20-14 Dunlop D75 which is no longer manufactured. There isn’t another crossply tyre that we would recommend.
- The radial alternative to 520-14 is 145R14. Our recommendation for a Morris 1000 is 145 R 14 PIRELLI CINTURATO ™ CA67.
- A larger & taller radial for a Morris Traveller or Minor is 155SR14 Michelin X.
- We recommend 145R14 Pirelli Cinturato, because it is better suited to a Morris Minor. There is no need to overload the car with oversized tyres.
- We also supply a special offer Morris Minor Wheels and tyres set.
- Our Morris Minor wheels and tyres come fitted and balanced by Longstone Classic Tyres.
- Recommended tyre pressure for a Morris Minor 1000, 24psi front and rear.
- Recommended tyre pressure for a Morris Minor Traveller, 24psi front, 26psi rear (+4psi when fully loaded)
Morris Minor Tyres
For some time now there hasn’t been a perfect tyre for the lovely Morris Minor. We are now fortunate enough to have two excellent options, Pirelli’s 145 R 14 CINTURATO ™ CA67 which is light and nimble for the Moggy Minor owner who wants to keep his car handling like it would have done in the period and the 155 TR 14 Michelin X for the owner that wants slightly longer legs. Both are period tyres from two of the world’s best tyre manufacturers.
Morris Minor Recommended Tyres
Other Options for Morris Minor
Moggy Minor Tyres
The Moggy Minor 1000 and Traveller came fitted with crossply tyres 520X14 Dunlop D75 which sadly is no longer currently being produced and there is no alternative period tyre, though there are some budget tyres available in this size. The advantage of the Dunlop over budget crossply tyres is that it would give better directional stability. Even the best quality crossply tyres tend to wander compared to the radial tyres. Modern travel these days involves maintaining higher cruising speeds due to the dual carriageways and motorways we find ourselves on. As a result in the majority of cases, classic cars such as the Moggy Minor, people choose to fit a radial tyre to make their cars more suited to the environment they are driving in today. Of course the Moggy 1000 is such a usable car, they do put some miles in; so the extra longevity offered by a radial tyre is also appreciated.
When choosing a tyre for a Minor or a Traveller at last having something such as the 145 R 14 PIRELLI CINTURATO ™ CA67 is really good news because, at last, there is a tyre that looks right. What could be better looking on these practical little cars than a PIRELLI CINTURATO ™ however it isn’t all about the look. We can, in this circumstance have something that looks right on a Moggy minor while being the right size, shape & have a carcass that is suited to the thin rims of a Morris Minor 1000 or Traveller. These cars did originally have relatively thin rims which this 145 R 14 PIRELLI CINTURATO ™ CA67 is suited (of course these tyres will also work perfectly on the wide Morris Minor van wheels as well).
Check out this handwritten review. You don't get many letters through the letter box these days.
Morris Minor Wheels and Tyres
We are offering a special off on sets of original Morris Minor wheels with the Pirelli Cinturato CA67 genuine period 145HR14. They come fitted to the wheel with a Michelin inner tube, and the wheels and tyres have been fitted and balanced at Longstone tyres where we fit classic tyres to classic car wheels every day. We offer:
- 1 Original Morris Minor Wheel with Pirelli 145HR14 Cinturato tyres.
- A set of 4 original Morris Minor wheels and tyres (again Pirelli)
- Set of 5 original Morris Minor wheels and tyres from Pirelli.
Morris Minor Wheels
The standard wheels fitted to the Morris Minor cars were a 3.0D-14” wheel (often described as a 3jX14” wheel) this is what was originally fitted to the car. This 3D rim section is fine for fitting the original 5.20-14 crossply tyre, or the 145HR14 Pirelli Cinturato. There is also the option to fit the wider Morris Van wheels. These slightly wider reproduction wheels offer the option of fitting the tyres tubeless. Worth noting that hough these wider wheels do give the option to fit a 155R14 tyre, all models; Morris 1000, Morris Traveller, Van and Pick up will drive nicer fitted with a proper period 145R14 tyres.
History of the Morris Minor
Debuted at the Earls Court Motor Show, London, on 20 September 1948. Designed under the leadership of Alec Issigonis, more than 1.3 million were manufactured between 1948 and 1972 in three series: the MM (1948 to 1953), the Series II (1952 to 1956) and finally the 1000 series (1956 to 1971).
Initially available as a two-door saloon and tourer (convertible), the range was expanded to include a four-door saloon in 1950, a wood-framed estate (the Traveller) from October 1953 and panel van and pick-up truck variants from May 1953. It was the first British car to sell over one million units and is considered a classic example of automotive design, as well as typifying "Englishness".
Morris Minor Classic Car Tyres
5.20-14 Dunlop D75. However there is not a crossply that we would happily recommend today. The 145R14 Pirelli Cinturato as the only correct period tyre. 155R14 tyres are oversized.
The 145R14 Pirelli Cinturato is the best tyre for a Morris Minor Traveller as it is the correct radial equivalent to a 5.20-14 crossply. The 145R14 Pirelli Cinturato is a tall tyre in the section 145 and is also suited to fit a thin rim.
Pirelli make the 145HR14 Cinturato which is the best tyre for any Mogey Minor, including the 1000, because they are tall and thin, keep the handling the way it should be without loading up the steering.
The Pirelli 145HR14 is the best tyre for a Morris Minor Van, because it is the right size. Some people like to use van wheels so they can fit a 155R14 because it is a cheap tyre. However that is the wrong size the 145 is more correct, and will handle and suit all models of Morris Minor including the van better.
145R14 and 155R14 Morris Minor Tyres
Many people fit a 155R14 Nankang because it is cheapest. however it is a wrong size budget tyre. Many people fit the wider wheel rims so they can fit a 155R14 tyre because they are cheap. However it is misguided, and will not handle as well as a 145R14, of which the Pirelli is a genuine period tyre and taller than other 145R14 tyres.
145R14 Morris Minor Tyres
A 155R14 is too wide for Morris Minor wheels. If you fit Mogey Minor Van wheels they are wider, and can take a 155R14 tyre. We would only consider the Michelin 155R14 X. However the rest of the car is designed to fit a skinny 5.20-14 crossply. So the better tyre would be a 145R14 Pirelli regardless of what wheels you have. It suits the car better. It is tall and thin and developed to be suited to thin rims.
155 R 14 Nankang Tyres
5.20-14 Dunlop D75. However there is not a crossply tyrey we would happily recommend today, and suggest fitting the 145R14 Pirelli Cinturato as the only correct period tyre.