> I'm in dire need of tires for my newly acquired '74 B.
Others on the MG list have heard me squawk on this subject before.
You're not going to find a local dealer who has 165SR14 in stock. Period.
Michelin's XZX line was superceded by another (MXV?), and the 165SR14 wasn't
carried over (at least not in the US, maybe it was in other countries).
IMHO, Michelins aren't worth the money anyway; they stink on wet pavement.
You can go with a 175/70-R14. The stiffer sidewalls will grip the road
better, but your steering effort and fuel mileage will suffer a bit. My key
gripe with this swap is that the rolling diameter of the 175/70-R14 is 5.4%
less than the 165SR14, meaning your engine will be even busier than before
to maintain the same speed. A speedo reading of 70 mph translates into an
actual speed of 66 mph.
You can go with 185/70-R14 if you're using ROStyle wheels or 5- or 5.5-inch
wide wire wheels. 185's should NOT be mounted on stock 4.5-inch wide wire
wheels. Same plusses and minuses as the 175's, 3% reduction in rolling
diameter. Unless your rear suspension is tight, the rear tires may scuff
slightly on the fender lip during enthusiastic driving.
For these reasons, I prefer to stick with the size specified for the car.
British Wire Wheel (408-479-4495) sells the Avon Turbosteel in a 165SR14 for
$60 each. I've got these on my car, and I like them very much.
<Squawk squawk!>
--
Jay Tilton / jtilton@vt.edu (vt = Virginia Tech vt <> Vermont)
Home page: http://fbox.vt.edu:10021/J/jtilton/index.html
MGB page: http://fbox.vt.edu:10021/J/jtilton/mg/jaysmg.html
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