Since this tire question often comes up from time to time, I started to write
my own treatise on the subject last year - only to have Kelvin Dodd beat me
to the punch by writing his own articles on the subject in the Summer 2004 and
Winter 2005 issues of British Motoring.
Basically, you can fit the following:
MGB w/wire wheels - 165/80 or 175/70 (4.5" wide rim)
MGB w/Rostyle wheels - 175/70 or 185/70 (5" wide rim)
MGB w/"Minilite" style alloys - 185/70 or 195/80 (5.5" wide rim)
You should be able to use any more affordable 165/80 or 175/70 tires on your
wires. I currently have 185/70R14 Avid T4 radials mounted on Minilite replica
rims (about $50 from www.discounttiredirect.com). These drive well, but I
have nothing to compare them to, only the dry-rotted Pirelli P3's that came on
my car mounted on the original Rostyle rims.
If you prefer to be more "period correct", the Michelin XAS is available in a
165HR14 from Coker (www.coker.com) for $149.00. My uncle runs 165SR14
Vredestein Sprint blackwalls on his MGB which are amiable for a more reasonable
$80.00 a piece from Universal Tire (www.universaltire.com).
Whatever you decide, best of luck and...
Happy New Year!
donny v
1978 MGB
In a message dated 12/31/2004 1:42:51 PM Eastern Standard Time,
sumton@sbcglobal.net writes:
i just had a bit of a shock! i need new tires for my 73 cbb, with
"original" painted wires (added by the dealer). i was told by discount
tire, who had to go through coker, that the 14" radial tires are $185 each.
anyone have a better source?
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