5 replies to this topic

[MiniKing]

Hello All...I have finally become the owner of a mini! I have numerous cars and motorcycles and had hoped for years to cross paths with a mini and that dream has come true. I have a MK3 1979 Austin Mini 1000. Many questions, but hoping to get one out of the way quickly...can I run any size tire up to 13" without clearance issues? It came with 10" and have seen alot of guys with 12s and 13s. Thanks.

[89mini-boy]

Hello All...I have finally become the owner of a mini! I have numerous cars and motorcycles and had hoped for years to cross paths with a mini and that dream has come true. I have a MK3 1979 Austin Mini 1000. Many questions, but hoping to get one out of the way quickly...can I run any size tire up to 13" without clearance issues? It came with 10" and have seen alot of guys with 12s and 13s. Thanks.

Hi and welcome to the site, yourll get some great info and ideas from this site and im also a newbie but going by what i think.....no from 10-12" conversion you have to buy bigger brakes etc, but im not sure if theres a change from 12-13" but this is what i think so wait for someone who is definate!!
but hope your happy with your mini do you have a picture??

[Swainy]

Hello and Welcome

Do you have any pictures of your mini?

[Miniquick]

Welcome. Where in Canada are you ?

[conrod]

I have done a few upgrades in rim sizes since my first mini in 1974 and the offset from the center of the rim to the inside edge of your tyre wall is critical. More so at the rear wheels to clear the shocks. If you convert to S drums on the rear with the built in spacer and longer wheel studs you have more room to play with. Don't be too worried about going from 10" to 13" as the final diameter is not too much of a difference. Just the profile of the tyre will be less as a term of percentage. On my 2000 Cooper Sport Classic the 13 inch tyres are wide and need a small mod to the front wheel arch of earlier cars. Even from new the 2000 model had to go back to Rover to mod the wheel arch to clear properly. An interesting set of measurements I have taken along the way is as follows. The early Minis had radial 145SR10 tyres and their circumference is 1520mm. I just went and measured it. The standard 12" wheel has a Pirelli 145/70/SR12 tyre with a circumference of 1580mm. The Revolution Wheel with 165/60/R12 has a circumference of 1550mm and an offset of 95mm to the inside of the tyre wall. The 165/70/10 yokohamas on a Minilight wheel have a circumference of 1540mm. OK now.....our 13" Syme tyres 175/50/R13 on the Rover Cooper Sport rims have a circumference of...................1550mm. Not much difference between the lot of them. So decide how stiff you want your ride to be i.e. the percentage profile of the tyre.........50 is stiff and 70 is normal road use. My thirty six years of experience with Minis tells me that I would rather have softer tyre compounds (like the yokohamas) to give me phenominal braking performance to avoid accidents than take a cheaper tyre and go skidding into an expensive accident. Believe me I can speak from experience. Spend a little bit more up front and save yourself thousands later. I wish you all the best from a Mini enthusiast that has owned them in Africa(Rhodesia) and England and now Australia. Go well my friend!!

[jakenglish]

welcome to the fourm