Morris Minor Owners Club

Hello all,

I've been surfing the boards for some time now and think this is a great source for all moggie fans. Some really inspiring work and dedication to the cause of keeping these classics alive.

I have a 1954 Split which I have owned for the best part of 22 years. I carried out a very light restoration when I first had it (not a great resto I should add) and since then she has seen intermittent use (including some terrible abuse at University) but mainly the inside of my garage. However, I have decided not to let her rust away (couldn't sell her) and plan a comprehensive restoration over the next 6-12 months. More posts will no doubt follow. At the moment, I am just trying to get an idea of things that need doing and I want to get her back to good original (but functional condition). She runs on a 1098 engine with 4:22 diff and an 803 gearbox with 1098 gearing inside (long stick).

She was registered in Oct 54 and cheesegrater front. Currently Yukon Grey but going to go back to Clarendon.

My question seems quite trivial, but I have always had two types of wheels on the car. Some have three nipples that the hub cap presses onto with a small opening for adjusting the brakes and the others are the more standard type with the moulded fixings.

What would my car have originally had - wheels with nipples or without!

the second issue, is that if I upgrade the front brake to 9" drums, will these fit inside standard rims?

for 1954 the early wheels with the hole for the brake adjuster and the 3 pins for the hubcap should be right.

9 inch drums will fit (loads of info on here about wolseley/Riley front brake upgrades), are the both sets of wheels 14 inch?

Very early minor wheels were 4.5 inch PCD. Not the later 4. Not sure it applies to Series II's though.

If yours are 4.5 inch PCD they won't fit on 9 inch wolseley drums/hubs. You'd have to fit later wheels.

Thanks for the replies. If I can i'd prefer to stick with the stud wheels (not that I've seen any come up for sale) and work around it with the brakes.

cheers all.

welshrat - yes all rims are 14"

You could just add the 'studs' to later wheels - with the hub cap on, no-one would know!

chrisryder wrote:Very early minor wheels were 4.5 inch PCD. Not the later 4. Not sure it applies to Series II's though.

If yours are 4.5 inch PCD they won't fit on 9 inch wolseley drums/hubs. You'd have to fit later wheels.

Agree that wolseley hubs would not fit 4 1/2 " PCD wheels but could you just use exiting hubs and wheels and just change backplate/drums and brakes?

welshrat wrote:

chrisryder wrote:Very early minor wheels were 4.5 inch PCD. Not the later 4. Not sure it applies to Series II's though.

If yours are 4.5 inch PCD they won't fit on 9 inch wolseley drums/hubs. You'd have to fit later wheels.

Agree that wolseley hubs would not fit 4 1/2 " PCD wheels but could you just use exiting hubs and wheels and just change backplate/drums and brakes?

You'd need to drill fresh holes in the drums, and ensure that the drums are spaced the right distance away from the backplate.

It won't have the very early 4.5" Series MM wheels, they lasted till the middle of 1953, but I would expect it to have the older Series 2 type wheels withthe three raised pegs for the hubcap, a sort of cross shape pressing around the stud holes. They do look different tot he later wheels as the dome of the middle part is much more rounded than the later ones. You have the know to know (if that makes sense) but once you do the difference is quite obvious.
I've got these wheels on my June 53 convertible. It wouldhave been on MM runnign gear and 4.5" wheels with bolts, but a prev owner converted it to the later type axle. I got a set of Series 2 wheels for it just so it looks more 'right' and yes you can fit bigegr brakes in those wheels - mines on Riley 1.5 drums!

chrisryder wrote:

welshrat wrote:

chrisryder wrote:Very early minor wheels were 4.5 inch PCD. Not the later 4. Not sure it applies to Series II's though.

If yours are 4.5 inch PCD they won't fit on 9 inch wolseley drums/hubs. You'd have to fit later wheels.

Agree that wolseley hubs would not fit 4 1/2 " PCD wheels but could you just use exiting hubs and wheels and just change backplate/drums and brakes?

You'd need to drill fresh holes in the drums, and ensure that the drums are spaced the right distance away from the backplate.

Got it now, sorry Chris, You are quite right, must be an age thing, more and more difficult to think 'outside the box' nothing to do with recent Bank holiday and drinking too much larger!!

If you have the cheesegrater grill and small inst panel then you may have the front wheels with 4.5 in PCD, wheel bolts and integral bearings in the drums. The rear wheels will be the M1000 type with 4 in PCD to fit the 1098 axle.
If you want to change the front brakes and wheels from the early type then you will need to fit M1000 swivel pins.