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MG MGA - Where to find 155 x 15 wide whitewall radials

Hey all,

Looking for nice wide whitewalls for the coupe. I can find 165 x 15 but I'm affraid they won't snug under the tire bracket in the boot? The 155s that came with the car barely "fit" as is. Anyone know where I can find a nice wide whitwall radial tire in 155 x 15 size? Thanks!
Robert Maupin

Robert,

There aren't many sources for 155R15 whitewalls. I'll give you a link below for one; I guarantee you won't like the price. I wish someone sold whitewalls for our cars at a reasonable price....Dennis

http://www.widewhitewalltires.com/tires.html
Dennis Suski

Thanks Dennis,

I knew about this source already and while the price is pretty high, I'd pay it if the whitewall was wide enough. Two inches? Wish it were more like 2 1/4 or 2 3/8ths. I'll keep looking. I may just be struck with the 165s. Cheers!
Robert Maupin

I guess you guys have heard of this;

http://www.cokertire.com/

Not sure if they are any good but they advertise everywhere.

G Ramos

Hey,

Coker it's said is a decent tire but once again, they don't supply a wide whitewall in a 155 x 15. Nice 165s though. VW tires are 145 x 15 but the whitewall is only 1.5 inches. Not much "wider" than a normal whitewall. Oh well!
Robert Maupin

Put the 165-15 on the car and use a smaller spare if needed
HCR Rathvon

A friend in our local car club already suggested that and it sounds like to easiest way to go. I suppose it's better than running a "doughnut spare"?
Robert Maupin

I agree with HCR, you could use a whitewall trim on the spare too.
Neil McGurk

the 165R15 fits into the spare slot in the firewall no problem, and the clamp also fits.

I keep a a small groundsheet and a few other bits between the wheel and the trunk floor to make the best use of the space, and things like wheel brace and medical kit on top under the spare wheel cover so that they don't rattle around.
dominic clancy

As mine is a 1600 coupe, so there is no opening through the boot. There is however, a bracket welded there and that's what I have difficulty getting a wider tire to fit under. Cheers!
Robert Maupin

Robert, are you talking about the forward tire brace on the bulkhead of the 1600 coupe? If I remember it correctly, that bracket is bolted on and there is some adjustment available in the slotted holes. If you don't get enough adjustment range, it should be fairly easy to fabricate a new bracket that would fit the 165 tires. Certainly easier than finding a new set of 155 tires.

If you are brave, or maybe adventurous, look on youtube for the home made WIDE whitewall tires. Evidently, you can widen an existing whitewall tire by grinding the surface overmolded black rubber away, exposing more of the embedded white rubber beneath.

Over 40 years ago, I was told that all tires made were whitewalls. It was just an added step in the manufacturing process to grind away the black rubber down to the white layer below. Probably not how tires are manufactured today of course. Back then, the majority of tires were whitewalls. Only the police and the frugal had blackwall tires.
Chuck Schaefer

Gees Chuck! You're correct. Amazing. As long as I've been working on this car I never noticed that the bracket had sloted adjustments! Everything painted body color and under the rear shelf as it is, I simply didn't see the adjustment. Unfortunately, having just checked, the bracket is in the highest position obtainable. But, thanks for the observation. Cheers!
Robert Maupin

This thread was discussed between 06/03/2010 and 09/03/2010

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