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Advice needed on new tyres (tires) for 1953 Flat rad Plus 4

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Re: Advice needed on new tyres (tires) for 1953 Flat rad Plus 4
#16
bolmog Colin Bray
Scarborough, ON, Canada   CAN
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Yes, they won't fit. The flat rad plus 4 is very different from any of the other Plus 4 models. The two rear slots are larger on the 54 Plus 4s onwards. As I've said before, what is really needed is an owner to visit Longstone and see what will fit and then let me know!

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Re: Advice needed on new tyres (tires) for 1953 Flat rad Plus 4
#17
redmorganplus4 Avatar
redmorganplus4 Silver Member Arthur Beatty
Uxbridge, ON, Canada   CAN
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1957 Morgan Plus 4 (+4)
Colin. Melvyn Rutter should be able to help you if anyone can. MR@melvyn-rutter.net Or mogparts@melvyn-rutter.net

Also, Morgan Motors of New England. morganspares@taconic.net. (518) 329-3877

They were both a lot,of help after the tree incident!
Arthur

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Re: Advice needed on new tyres (tires) for 1953 Flat rad Plus 4
#18
bolmog Colin Bray
Scarborough, ON, Canada   CAN
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Hi Arthur, afraid Melvyn and Morgan Spares have no magic answer. I have stated what is available but just needs a Plus 4 flat rad owner in the UK to visit Longstone and see if those Pirelli's will fit the front most rear slot.

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Re: Advice needed on new tyres (tires) for 1953 Flat rad Plus 4
#19
tjw Platinum Member tim w
NorCal, USA   USA
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1953 Morgan Plus 4 (+4) "Flatrad"
1961 Morgan Plus 4 (+4) "Zippy"
1966 Morgan Plus 4 (+4) "Spot"
1967 Morgan Plus 4 (+4) "Green"
Greetings..I measured the Dunlop Gold Seal tires in my recently acquired 53 FlatRad and theyare 5 1/2 inches wide. They are also more tha 25 years old. Don't think I'll go driving on them.

Tim

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about 1 week and 1 day later...
Re: Advice needed on new tyres (tires) for 1953 Flat rad Plus 4
#20
trempmar Markus Tremp
Ettenhausen, TG, Switzerland   CHE
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I just fitted a Pirelli Stella Bianca 500/525x16, they have the same overall width like the Firestone Deluxe Champion, however if the fit the spare wheel slot I don't know as my 55 DHC has an other spare wheel arrangement.

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Re: Advice needed on new tyres (tires) for 1953 Flat rad Plus 4
#21
bolmog Colin Bray
Scarborough, ON, Canada   CAN
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Thanks Markus. Yes, the problem is the tyre fitting into the frontmost of the two rear spare slots. That slot on the Flat rad is narrower than on the twin spare cowled cars from 1954 onwards. I have old Firestone Champions on my 53 Flat rad, so could you measure the Pirelli tyre width at its widest point. It may well be that these Pirelli's will fit in the slots. The Firestone Champions do.

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Re: Advice needed on new tyres (tires) for 1953 Flat rad Plus 4
#22
trempmar Markus Tremp
Ettenhausen, TG, Switzerland   CHE
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Hi Colin
My measurements are:
- Firestone Deluxe Champion 157mm
- Pirelli Stella Bianca 156mm
Both with 22 PSI

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Re: Advice needed on new tyres (tires) for 1953 Flat rad Plus 4
#23
bolmog Colin Bray
Scarborough, ON, Canada   CAN
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Many thanks Markus. This is interesting because my Firestone Champions are 143 mm at the widest point. Maximum width of tyre that will fit in that slot is 146 mm. Not sure what is going on! I wonder if the rim is wider on the post 1954 Plus 4s? I assume your car does have 16 inch wheels?

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Re: Advice needed on new tyres (tires) for 1953 Flat rad Plus 4
#24
trempmar Markus Tremp
Ettenhausen, TG, Switzerland   CHE
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Hi Colin
Yes, the original 16 inch steel wheels 3.5 " wide, but there is maybe a difference between the champion and the deluxe champion.
Additionally the deluxe champion have on both flanks a rubber extension and if they are cut off that saves 6 to 8 mm in total.
However seems the Pirelli won't fit.

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Re: Advice needed on new tyres (tires) for 1953 Flat rad Plus 4
#25
bolmog Colin Bray
Scarborough, ON, Canada   CAN
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Hi Markus, Coker Tire in the US just list a Firestone Tire and no mention of the 'Champion' designation. The section width is given as 5.26 inches which is only 137 mm. And this on a 3.00 - 3.25 wide rim. So, in short, I have no idea what is going on. This is why real data from owners is so important. At present the only tyres of premium quality that will fit are the Avon Tourist and the expensive Excelsior Stahl Sport radials (look like bias).

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Re: Advice needed on new tyres (tires) for 1953 Flat rad Plus 4
#26
trempmar Markus Tremp
Ettenhausen, TG, Switzerland   CHE
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Hi Colin
That's really interesting. I checked at Longstone, they state a section width of 157 mm for the Pirelli, +/- same as my measurement, so I assume I did not measured the Firestone totally wrong (one of the Firestone I still have on my spare wheel).
What about buying 4 new tires and using 2 of the old tires as spare wheels to drive a couple of miles to the garage in case something happens?
I usually have a spare tube with me so a normal workshop can easily fix a flat tire.

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Re: Advice needed on new tyres (tires) for 1953 Flat rad Plus 4
#27
bolmog Colin Bray
Scarborough, ON, Canada   CAN
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Markus, there may also be another issue. The wings aren't on the car at present and I noticed the tyre is only about 7-8 mm from the coil spring. I have always assumed the suspension set up is the same on the flat rad as the curved cowl cars, surely it is the same? So, a wider section tyre may cause a problem. Yes, I could keep two of the old tyres in the rear slots although they are white walls, which I am not keen on. The real difficulty is finding other Flat rad Plus 4s for me to look at. They are rare cars in this part of the world.

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Re: Advice needed on new tyres (tires) for 1953 Flat rad Plus 4
#28
EVR2 Edmond Russ
Lake Forest, IL, USA   USA
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Coincidentally there are four Flatrads you could go see if you ever go near 60045.

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Re: Advice needed on new tyres (tires) for 1953 Flat rad Plus 4
#29
bolmog Colin Bray
Scarborough, ON, Canada   CAN
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Edmond, Lucky man. There are five I know of in Ontario, one being out of commission for decades. It would be interesting to know what tires the owners are using and their opinions.

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Re: Advice needed on new tyres (tires) for 1953 Flat rad Plus 4
#30
EVR2 Edmond Russ
Lake Forest, IL, USA   USA
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At least 3 of the 4 flatbreads here in town use 165 HR 16 Avon TurboSteel radials. We just vintage raced our cars at Blackhawk Raceway this past weekend and they performed well.

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