Morris Minor Owners Club

This is wierd (well for my ageing brain it's really wierd)

I've been rebuilding the Traveller Suspension using Poly Bushes, and noticed a crisper feel to the cars handling. Then after many moons of deliberation, I decided to go for the Minotor Alloys, and found a special offer where they came supplied with 185/60 R14 tyres. Now I didn't intend going bigger than 165 tyres, and when the wheels arrived today, I was stunned at the size of these 185 low profile beasts.

Anyway, I fitted the new wheels, and really expected the steering to be extremely heavy at low speeds. Not so! In fact the handling is drop dead gorgeous, the steering is actually lighter! Anyone know what the heck is going on here I am using the recommended tyre pressure of 28 to 30 PSI Another side effect, is the typical understeer has gone if you go into a bend just a tad too fast, the old girl now tucks into the corner like she was on rails!

Don't get me wrong I am very happy, and despite running a slightly tuned 1098, the Moggy now looks as though there might be something a lot bigger under the bonnet.

Well done - these pressures may be a bit high for a light car like the Traveller - so you may find the centre of the tyre wearing faster than the edges. But there is no doubt the old skinny tyres are a major limitation on Minor handling - and braking!!
Any pictures of the wheels and/or the car ?

The wheels hadn't arrived yet in above image, but I just used Photoshop to see what they would look like. They are from a well known Minor Specialist and are superb quality.

The deal is 4x Alloys with 185/60 R14 tyres, chromed wheel nuts plus four security wheel nuts, tyres fitted and balanced, and chrome valves! with chrome dust caps. £375+VAT Inc Shipping.

The test drive was amazing, really feels like a road hugging beasty

Looking good!

I can certainly vouch for using the poly bushes! From the point of handling and they also seem to last a lot better than the rubber ones.
Have fun on new wheels! Looks gooooood!

bmcecosse wrote:Looking good!

Aye she's a good old girl most of the time. Bought from ESM five years ago (was restored by John Merrit of Mid Sussex Minors in 1997).

Condition was fair to good when I got her, just needed paint cut back/polished and woodwork stripped and re-treated.

2005 was the year she decided to throw several curve balls at me.
After winning best in class at Ingilston, diff started to howl on the way home, so recon diff.

Selkirk 2005 Champion of Champions, and the next day the laygear shed four teeth off second gear, so recon gearbox, and did a new clutch at the same time. Recon gearbox was pants, so had to do the entire job again a month later, when ESM said they would change the box under warranty.

Bought a new VW Polo Sport in 2005 and warned the Moggy "One more wobbly my girl and the Polo gets the garage" Well that seemed to do the trick, with only a starter motor bendix failure this year.

Car renamed from 'Snoopy' to 'Christine' as per the Haunted Steven King Novel car

Nearly sold her last year when two frozen shoulders set me back a bit, but just couldn't hit the send button on e-Bay. Once I got back into the position of being able to wield a big hammer, I discovered just how much fun this car gives me.

Toying with the idea of a Ford Type 9 5 speed box conversion, and that will definatetly get done if the standard 1098 box gives me any more problems. (Seems to be a weak area IMO). Mind you I am nursing the current gearbox, as it seems to be a good unit. DDC from 3rd to 2nd, and gears to go, brakes to slow the golden rule.

biker_bits wrote:I can certainly vouch for using the poly bushes! From the point of handling and they also seem to last a lot better than the rubber ones.
Have fun on new wheels! Looks gooooood!

I used to think the Poly bushes might be a bit too hard if fitted to the upper Trunnion, so at first I just fitted them to the eyebolt. Well I was very very wrong. The 'new' rubber bushes we get are pants, they lasted 18 months so I went Poly on everything (front and rear) except for the front tie bar rod bushes which seem to last for ages even using rubber.

If I had to put numbers on the handling improvement, I'd say from 0 to 10 Poly bushes are about a 12 and the alloys with the wide tyres a 14.

Now where's that Fiat twin cam I used to have lying around

I was almost shocked at the difference poly's made to the old 948! Different car!

Now where's that Fiat twin cam I used to have lying around

Now! That's talking dirty!

biker_bits wrote:I was almost shocked at the difference poly's made to the old 948! Different car!

Now where's that Fiat twin cam I used to have lying around

Now! That's talking dirty!

It sure is. Side effect of watching too much Chop Cut Rebuild, American Hotrod and Wrecks To Riches. Now if I could find a really really really big shoehorn, a Hemi 8.6 Litre V8 would be Uber Cool. I can tell you, when Barry White crammed that beast of an engine into a 67 Plymouth Cuda, I went into Hommer Simpson drool mode for ages

Oh well, back down to Earth and into true Scotsman mode. Think of the Insurance. "Is the car modified in any way"..." Er just a bit"

But these are only safety-related imrovements...honest....

Large tyres give you better grip for improved braking and cornering, more engine power make it easier to keep up with the modern traffic speeds and to get out of 'iffy' sutuations.
Tried telling my bike and car insurers that - for some reason they did not quite see it that way. Don't know why!

I went from 145 to 165 on the Midget, and found the steering got quite well balanced rather than sloppy and heavy as it was. I suspect simply having fresh healthy rubber makes a lot of difference, and of course a stiffer sidewall will mean steering energy is going to the tread/ tarmac, rather than some being lost deforming the carcass.

All hypothetical of course, so far as I'm concerned if it feels and goes better I'm not going to worry too much about why!