Customs Morris Minor wheels: help me decide

Here's a sketch of my thinking around the Morris Minor:

No chop, front wheels moved forwards 5", sitting low, with Alvis TA/TC-inspired rear skirts. It'll be black, with a light grey grille, red coachline, and red interior piped in cream. The trafficator blanking plate on the B-pillar will be picked out in chrome.

Now, I'd like to run modern high-performance radials, but I don't want a tuner look. The rims are likely to be 16", and the tyre aspect ratio 45 or 50. I've thought of a few options for wheels, hence the poll.

The other thing is, rake or no rake? I've always thought a rake looks odd with rear skirts, but I'm wondering if the Alvis-inspired skirts might show enough of the rear wheel to be an exception. If there is a rake it'll nevertheless be very subtle. What do you think?

 

Stretching the car or just the wheelbase? I´m having a little trouble picturing what you mean. Have any sketches or photoshoppery?

 

As for wheels, I would think of something like a black smooth steel wheel with original Morris hubcabs. Seem to remember seeing one with Chevy Rallye wheels and Morris caps.

 

Just the wheelbase. The sketch above already shows that change. The Minor's front overhang looks odd the minute one begins to alter the stance of the car. It took me a while to put my finger on it. It's fine on the low-light original; Sid Goble's restyle seemed to shift the focal point of the wing teardrops forwards, resulting in the front wheels looking like they're too far back. Shifting the wheels and openings forwards 5" in the panel and shortening the bumper ends etc. corrects that.

 

I can´t see any sketch. Not showing up.

 

I've changed the source. Can you see it now?

 

didnt show for me earlier either, but I can see it now.

 

Yes thats it. Even a 16" wheel looks huge on there!
So you´re just pushing the front of the front arches forwards, baiscally?

Looks good. The skirts take away from any possible "tuner" vibe.
The only reason that I´d stay away from perforated steelies is that they look too modern and FWD. Solids don´t IMHO.

 

Just a question,but why have you chosen a morrie to play with?I was led to believe you guys had a lot of early american iron there.Not knocking what you are doing,just a question.

 

Dawie, I dig the black wire/Chrome wing nut.
However I think a brushed moon disc in the sombrero ilk tapering into a chrome or stainless wing nut will look perfect. No whitewall, of course.

Whole project is bad***, BTW.

 

What I'd really like is those perforated Alfa Romeo alloy rims. They're available as repro but they're 15". Mind you, 15" might do the job.

It's the thickness you read around the flared perforations that does it. This is the TZ type:


There's also a GTA type but I'm not sure if that isn't only in 14".

I've got 15" Renault Megane Scenic steelies on my DD Mk1 Golf, and those have quite a Gordini feel despite non-flared perforations:

I've since lowered the Golf about 2". It looks a lot more Gordini/Zagato-ish now.

In any event I'll have the centres knocked out of any FWD steelies and have them rewelded deeper into the rim, for more RWD-correct offset and looks.

But that's if I go for the steelies ...

 

The Morrie was my DD for a while, about ten years ago. I got the Mk1 Golf when I moved to Cape Town, because my transport needs were suddenly a lot more intense, and the Morrie went into storage. I've just got it out again, sitting in the garage at the house I'm letting out, with binding brakes.

I've been collecting parts for a '31 A project, too. Though about 87% of the early American iron floating around here seems to be '34 Chevy four-doors! '42-'48 Chevies are also big here: my dad has always wanted to build a yellow Fleetline on Torq-Thrusts.

All this is long-term. The Morrie's got priority over the A, but both will have to wait for getting my practice established, getting married in July, etc. etc.

 

Thanks, Spoggie.

That's something to think about. What about a black-painted moon disc? Too Rolls-Roycey?

 

Well the beetle discussion was just locked. so scene as this isnt american either, this should be locked too.

 

The problem with the Beetle threads is that they invariably disintegrate into rants and mods that are completely off-topic, (like dune buggies) and posts from guys (I won't say Noobs) that haven't quite comprehended what the H.A.M.B. is all about. It's just proved easier to not discuss Beetles. It doesn't (IMHO) have anything to do with "isn't American". People post threads about vintage European race cars all the time, and there has been a Vauxhall or Holden or two over the years as well. For that matter, one of the mods has a great interest in European metal, and of course Nads' Capri has been posted as well....and then Ryan himself has, shall we say, a history involving them.

So far as the Morris, I'm leaning towards the wheels pictured in post #11, the Alfa rims. Not sure about wires...have to see them on the car. Might be perfect and might be ghetto.

 

Another thing, I suppose, is that there already is a large, established VW community. I know of two websites devoted to modified Minors, and neither is particularly active.

 

You always come up with the most interesting projects Dawie, even if some seem to think they are a little OT.

 

The wife was given a 56 I think split window as a first car then progressed to her first buy,a 56 Chev when she was 18.Still drives it today.
In New Zealand there were heaps of hopped up morries getting around in the 70s and 80s,always been popular there.

 

how about some flippers & whites?
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Bolt pattern might be a challenge - the Alfa TZ wheels from Compomotive look really good and might be my choice - or a set of Jag D type lookalikes with the spinners repros are available from www,spiltrims.com but 5 bolt pattern. I think that Alfa Borrani steelies from the mid to late 1950s were 15 x 5 with a 4 on 112mm bolt pattern - bottom pic shows the Lancia repro from www.borrani.co.uk at around $1500 per wheel. The 1970s Alfetta Type 116 had a 4 on 98 mm bolt pattern - just a hair off the 4 on 4" of the Morrie/Spridget bolt pattern, but only 14" wheels. P.S. I could be wrong!

Of course if it were mine I would be running a complete Type 105 Alfa DOHC engine/trans/rear end or evem the Typee 116 rear mounted transaxle, but then Hemi32 here on the HAMB and I both have a lifelong 'p***ione per Alfa'....

Jag D Type wheel:



Borrani Bimetal wheel for Lancia

 

I like the idea of knock-offs, but I think they need to be painted the same light gray as the grill.

 

Can't help wondering why you are doing a four door when Morris also make a two-door, these cars are never expensive anywhere. Old British cars are so small to start with, the proportions are critical. The best mild custom Morris's built over here looked best with small diameter Moon discs.

L.P.

 

Main reason is, I've got the four-door. And generally there are more four-doors than any other body style of anything here! I remember looking at one two-door and about seven four-doors when I was looking for a Minor; I bought the best of the latter. Everywhere else the majority of Minors are two-doors.

I like the traditional custom look, when done with restraint (which is, alas, often not the case with small cars) but it doesn't really suit my driving style. At best I'd go through cross-plies at an alarming rate, more likely wings and doors ...

 

Would you believe my thinking around a flat-four Minor started with a 1490cc Alfasud engine? My Alfisto cousin suggested I use an Alfetta transaxle with it.

 

Here's a Moggy Minor I built for my brother , rockin' some vintage aluminum slots . I had it really raked-down in the front for a while - it looked really *****in' , but made it a bit tough to drive it daily , so I raised it up a bit (still lower than stock) . I should drop it back down , since it's not seeing as much use anymore ...



While I like the look of Minilite wheels , they really don't fit the style of car I see in your sketches . I can see something simple , with some type of 'cap on it .

 

Certainly a level stance with the skirts. Neat trick would be reversing the rear door hinges

 

I would run a 15" with a Olds cap.

 

Is it all stock other than the wheels?

 

Not really "hot rod" material , but not stock ...
It was originally a single carb 1098 car - now it's a 1275 engine w/dual carbs , "ribcase" sprite 4-speed 'box , 3.9 ratio rear-end , lowered , front disc brakes , poly bushings all over the suspension ... that kinda stuff . It's a fun little ****** !

 

I always like the look of the Morris Minor !
Why 16" wheels ??? They will look funny on such a tiny car . Why not 14" or maybe 15" ? Will fit fine and there is still allot out here that will look good for a wheel with a hub cap . There is still good mags made and a lot of good used ones too .
just my opinion .

Retro Jim