Squire's voitures

[SiC]

Of course like everything in life there is a line. On the above its clear that everyone has a different place for that line and none of us will ever agree to have that line lie on the same place.

[mercrocker]

No, it goes back to being what is comfortable for each person's perception. No rights or wrongs.

[AMCrebel]

I never realised this would be so contentious.

I am buggered then - I have fitted alloy wheels and radial tyres to my AMC - and it's got LED replacement light sources in the rear lights.

I really do think those bobbin regulators are a load of bobbins though - always have. Some things were shit at the time and my memory of those is that. Apart from anything else they never seem particularly well made - it's not as if Lucas had a peerless reputation for quality and reliability after all.

On the other hand it's a source of regret to me that there are almost no minis left with hydrolastic suspension - but I don't want a mini so it's not really any of my business I guess.

[mercrocker]

It shouldn't be contentious! One man's meat, etc. I have radials on both my old cars for reasons already given and I have LED rear "bulbs" in them as well. There's a very good reason for those on a Morris - the much reduced current is a lot kinder on the tinny shitty modern in-line brake light switches and helps them last a lot longer. You don't want to be changing them for fun.....

One of them has an alternator and disc brakes the other is on dynamo and drums - I wouldn't bother making those changes myself but somebody already did them on the Minor.

Oh, and the Minor has headlamp peaks too. I put them on because I liked them on my Uncle's car decades ago. I don't spec my cars to please other people....

[AMCrebel]

Didn't later Minors have alternator and discs anyway?

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Single circuit brakes were deemed dangerous decades ago. When a wheel cylinder decides to fail, you have no brakes, absolutely fuck all. If, as has been suggested you replace bits now and then that's okay(ish) but given the dismal quality of replacement parts for British chod.....no thanks.

Dual circuit brakes, alternator, electronic ignition, ABS, radials etc make a car about 100 times safer and don't detract from its character one jot. In my driving lifetime - 35 years - the number of cars on UK roads has doubled, meaning twice as many fucking idiots. A 1990's BMW is as old as I am prepared to go on UK roads now as a daily.

[mercrocker]

Didn't later Minors have alternator and discs anyway?

Not discs but some had alternators for certain markets/requirements but generally not standard UK cars.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Dynamos were/are shit. First job on a Mini was a Lucas alternator and negative earth. My old man did this to his 1970 1275GT in 1972 followed by Halogen headlights and reflective number plates.

[Eddie Honda]

Hence "most Cross-ply". The selection of new cross-ply around is far more minimal than radials. It does seem the Yank stuff has a lot more choice but certainly most common classic British and European car tyre sizes have by far the most choice as a Radial. Certainly any premium brand I'd consider using only offer as Radial too.

Your cross-ply v radial argument about market offering and old rotting tyres is bollocks really.

Think of tyres that fit (as fitted or optionally offered by the manufacturer on the supplied rims) and tyres that don't fit. It all boils down to cheap(skates).

Example A: Reliant Regal - only ever rolled out the factory with 5.20 x 13 cross-plies. Now I've bought Dunlop C41 (in 1992) and Heidenau (2007) in that size. Why? Because they fit. The nearest radial size for rolling radius is too wide for the rear wheel arch clearance. The nearest radial for width screws up the gearing. Tripods are better on cross-plies anyway. The reason people put radials on is nothing other being cheapskates.

Example B: DAF 66 - fitted with 135/80-14 radials. Not available for years until Vredestein made some on request, subject to min order quantity of 1000. Nearest size is 145/80-14, works well enough given it was that or nothing at one point and even in that size there was a very limited choice of either a Camac, Firestone or Bridgestone and even then those 3 weren't always available at the same time. I've seen 165/70-14 on a 4" wide rim and it doesn't look pretty. So change rims? Good luck finding cheap 3 x 125 PCD wheels.

Example C: Reliant Rebel - 5.50 x 12 cross plies. More commonly found on 155/80-12 radials. Why - because cheap. Why not? Because a 6% drop in gearing is that very last thing you need in those cars. Now that 155/80-12 isn't a common size anymore, there's a shift to stick on 13 inch rims to take cheap 13 inch rubber. That's cheapskates again.

Not so much an issue with Imps on a similar tyre size, but they have the slight advantage of starting from a 4.5" wide rim.

Example D: Let's not go there - Michelin TRX/TDX

Price and availablity drives tyre choice. (Too many cheapskates makes it harder for those wanting the correct ones, to the point of unavailability and the cheapskates have won.)

[SiC]

No, it goes back to being what is comfortable for each person's perception. No rights or wrongs.

This is what I said, just worded and phrased differently?