Wheels and Tires

[mrstinson]

What wheels and tire sizes can be run on the Midget?

Has anyone put larger wheels on and used "low profile" tires?

I know I am going to need wheels and tires and just want to know my options.

 

[sparkydave]

I've got the stock Rostyles on mine, and since the original tire size is a little hard to find I settled on 155-80R13 since those were readily available and close enough to the right diameter. I've come across a few other Midget owners who run these too, and these will work with the Minilite wheels that Moss sells. I've heard of folks running 165-75R13s too, and these supposedly clear the fenders, although they are getting a little wide for the stock rims. Good luck finding a shop to balance the Rostyles though, I had to look around a bit to find a shop that had a balancer with a small enough spindle.
-Dave

 

[SilentUnicorn]

155/80 front, 175/70 on the rear 75 body(square arch)lowered front springs, two extra leafs per side in the rear.

mark

 

[spritenut]

195/60s on my Bugeye with alumin 5.5" wide rims.

 

[mrstinson]

It sound like you guys are using the original sized wheels, I am going to look at the possibility of larger and will post after I find out any answers.

Thanks everone.

 

[spridgetpwr84]

I used a 13x5 inch minilite replica from mini mnia with a lowered car back when my car had the rear square fenders. It worked fine.

 

[aeronca65t]

[ QUOTE ]
It sound like you guys are using the original sized wheels, I am going to look at the possibility of larger and will post after I find out any answers.

Thanks everone.

[/ QUOTE ]

When you say "larger", do you mean larger diameter ?
I'm not sure I've seen 14" (or bigger) wheels on Spridgets (other than brutally modified ones). Hmmm?...I wonder if that would look so good?
The Minilite or Panasport 13" dia. by 5" wide (or 5.5" wide) look great. You can also get 13" dia by 6" wide from Diamond Wheels with a 4" bolt circle (or the similar Chevy Vega wheels) but you'll need to get bigger wheels studs (a difficult proposition on the rear in a Spridget).

 

[mrstinson]

[ QUOTE ]

When you say "larger", do you mean larger diameter ?
I'm not sure I've seen 14" (or bigger) wheels on Spridgets (other than brutally modified ones). Hmmm?...I wonder if that would look so good?
The Minilite or Panasport 13" dia. by 5" wide (or 5.5" wide) look great. You can also get 13" dia by 6" wide from Diamond Wheels with a 4" bolt circle (or the similar Chevy Vega wheels) but you'll need to get bigger wheels studs (a difficult proposition on the rear in a Spridget).

[/ QUOTE ]

I am talking about a larger diameter, maybe a 14 or 15 with the low profile tires. The sport tires that are about a 3rd smaller wall size. This should keep the overall wheel size as the 13 in wheels and original tires.

Not really sure if that would look good or not. I remember reading a post that was talking about larger wire wheels look really nice on other MGs (I don't remember the model).

I'm also not sure if today's 13in tires are actually good tires. I was reading a restoration article that suggested looking at a low profile tire because today's 13in tires are made for economy cars. These tires may not be fitting for your newly restored sports car.

 

[rulle7]

Mind you, current economy cars are surely 'better' sports cars than our old dears ever will be. If the 13" tires are good enough for 'economy class handling' why would they not be enough for your M.G.?

 

[aeronca65t]

...I remember reading a post that was talking about larger wire wheels look really nice on other MGs (I don't remember the model)...

You may be thinking of a previous comment that I made about the tall (19" diameter), skinny wire wheels that are on an MG-TC. They really compliment the classic styling of the TC. I think they would look terrible on a Spridget.

I race in a class that requires DOT (street-legal) tires. There are plenty of high performance 13" street tires available.

MG-TC

 

[cruzzer]

hi there im new here ---an just wanted say hi ---love british cars an own a few myself ----cruzzer

 

[JohnnyB1275]

Mmmmm.....Vega Gt wheels wrapped in yokohama A032R's /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif soon to go on

These look pretty good to, what I have on the car now.

In the grassroots motorsports 2005, the thunder midget used some larger wheels. I don't know if they changed the hubs though. Does anyone have any more details on the car?

 

[aeronca65t]

Thunder Midget used a different rear (I think from a rwd Toyota). If they had tried to beef up a Spridget rear to take 300 HP, they would have used their entire $2005 budget just for that!

Thunder Midget pics:
https://evilallianceracing.com/ipw-web/gallery/album32?page=1

 

[bugimike]

Pretty wild ride! My first bug eye, back in 1965, was painted about the same(a very similar corvette blue with the wide,white stripe, which on mine flared out around the grill) the body-work on this one looks a little shoddy behind the seats there, but with the performance it must provide who cares? Right! I always wanted to do something like that. I wanted to build a turbo Fidget (Turbo, twin-cam Fiat 124 engine, Weber carburetted,cross-flow head & the Fiat 5 speed - a Swiss watch of a tranny!) based on a bug-eye! Might still do it one day!