I am constantly preaching that one of the
most important choices of a Morgan owner is finding the right tyres. I
cannot think of any other car outside professional racing where tyre selection
has more of an effect upon the character, comfort and performance of the
car. Traditional Morgans (which the company
now calls the "Classics") are deliciously simple cars. Vintage mechanics
is the foundation of their charm.
Despite an ancient suspension system in
front and cart springs at the rear, they can all provide a sensuous experience
on the road, as their flexing frames are an integral part of the suspension.
Each Morgan is best off with its suspension tuned individually and well
maintained. Though there are only a few components, they must be in perfect
working condition to function at their optimum to produce a legendary Morgan
ride. Sadly, I rarely find this to be the case, either in the field or
straight from the Factory. The Factory works to a less-than-perfect template,
and owners allow their suspension to deterioriate from that point. :( Ofthen,
their suspension is never properly addressed until they succumb to some
fad which requires them to rebuild and re-tune the front in the installation
process.
Of all things, tyres are the most important
factor to Morgan handling and comfort. Too often they too are sadly neglected
and/or chosen, right from the Factory . As well, technology has replaced
knowledge and skill in the tyre industry, as it has in so many others.
Morgan owners cannot, like other car owners, drive up to a tyre dealer,
enter their marque name, model and year and have the tyre dealer computer
spit out a buffet of tyre choices.
This problem for us is further compounded by the fact that wheels have changed in the last two decades. Wheel/tyre combined diameters have remained constant but rubber and air (the tire) have been replaced by (rim) metal (an aesthetic that defies the most basic common sense). The choice of tyres for Morgan rims become fewer every year. One of the most frequent Morgan questions I receive is "what tires do you recommend".
STEP ONE
Here are two links and a system I use that will help you.
First, open up two browser windows. https://www.wheel-size.com will bring you to a page that matches, not only cars to tires, but tyres to cars! Put in your tire size or a close compatible match, and it will display which cars used the same tyres during what period. Choose some popular recent cars from that list.
STEP TWO
Open the second link, http://tirereviewsandmore.com/best-tires-by-vehicle/ in the second window and choose one of the Morgan matching cars from the first list. It will then supply you with current "best choices" in tyreware for your Morgan.