Morris Minor Owners Club

time for new tyres for primrose to match her soon to be restored rims, but ever tyre website i go on keeps asking for Aspect ratio.
what is it?

the current marking on the tyres are 145s r14v 76s, but the aspect ratio which should be straight after the 145 bit is noted for its absence.

Hi,

Normally it's "80" - so 145/80 ; 14 inch.

Good luck! - the most likely places are Bull Motif & ESM (on-line) alternatively you can find 155/80's (Toyo are good) in some suppliers.

You can still (IIRC) get hold of cross-plies 0 ir you can afford them!

Colin

Aspect ratio is the ratio between the width of the tire and the height. 145 or 155 or whatever is the width in mms of the tire. An aspect ratio of 75 would give a height of one section of the tire of 75% of the width.
Read all about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tire_code

and if they do not quote the aspect ratio it is the default and that is 80 ( for some reason )

80 is not quoted as that is the "standard" from years gone by. All radials were originally "80" so there was no need. It was only after new fangled tech came in that there was a choice and so they started quoting different ratio's. Incidently, if fitting 155 tyres I would go for 70% rather than 80% as this will maintain the same rollind rad as a 145 80.

Are there any 155 x 70 X 14 tyres ????????

Well I never!! But look at the price.......... The normal 155 x 80 x 14 tyres are very very nearly the same diameter as the 145s - slightly bigger - so that must be a good thing surely! And the price is very much more attractive

just out of sheer curiosity, what where the original size of tyres when the cars where brand new?

5.20 X 14

and i presume that these are no longer produced

Ghastly old crossply tyres - there may be a very expensive source - but not worth even looking!
When the fashion was changing to radial ply tyres - it was a very expensive business for the tyre makers with much new equipment required. I was in the tyre making industry (UniRoyal) at the time ! And so AVON produced a range of low profile crossply tyres - the Avon Wide Safety. These were GREAT tyres - low and wide as the name suggests and on my Mini at the time - were pretty much like the racing tyres of the day. Certainly with an almost bald set inflated to ~ 50 psi - my Mini beat some of the 'real' 'Racing' 1000cc Minis in a Sprint event at Ingliston - much to their disgust. Sadly - these tyres are no longer produced - but the car was very controllable on them - nice firm side walls, not wallowing about as the car does on radials!