MG MG Tires
MG MG sports cars from 1950 through 1968 span an important stretch of postwar British motoring, from earlier open-roadsters on taller 15-inch wheels to later cars that moved toward a more modern 14-inch tire and wheel package. That long production run matters because MG MG tire selection is not a one-size-fits-all exercise, even when the cars share the same basic sporting character. The key complication here is a mid-production wheel diameter change, with both 15-inch and 14-inch fitments appearing in the early 1960s. Anyone selecting tires for an MG MG should first confirm whether the car carries 15-inch or 14-inch wheels, then match the correct construction and size accordingly.
MG MG Tire Size Guide
MG MG production changed from 15-inch to 14-inch wheel fitments during this 1950 to 1968 span, with the new 14-inch sizes first appearing in 1961 while 15-inch sizes continued through 1962. Four distinct tire sizes are used across the full run, and the overlap years mean wheel diameter is the first thing to verify on the actual car. Two of those sizes use modern metric radial notation, while the others use older inch-based bias-ply sizing.
155R15 is a radial fitment used on MG MG applications from 1950 through 1962. The 155 indicates section width in millimeters, the R identifies radial construction, and the 15 is the required 15-inch rim diameter. Choose this size when your MG MG is equipped with 15-inch wheels and you want a radial tire profile; some products in this size are tube type while others are tubeless, so match the tire to the wheel and restoration goal.
560-15 is a traditional bias-ply size used on MG MG applications from 1950 through 1962. The 560 indicates a nominal section width of about 5.60 inches and the 15 identifies a 15-inch rim diameter. Choose this size when period-correct bias-ply appearance and road feel are the goal on a 15-inch wheel car; A tube is required.
165R14 is a radial fitment used on MG MG applications from 1961 through 1968. The 165 indicates section width in millimeters, the R denotes radial construction, and the 14 is the required 14-inch rim diameter. Choose this size when your MG MG carries 14-inch wheels and you want a radial tire matched to the later wheel diameter used during the model run.
5.90-14 is a bias-ply fitment listed for MG MG applications from 1961 through 1968. The 5.90 indicates a nominal section width of about 5.90 inches and the 14 identifies a 14-inch rim diameter. Choose this size for a period-style bias-ply fit on later 14-inch-wheel cars; A tube is required.
Buyers with a 1961 or 1962 MG MG must identify the specific configuration before selecting a size, because both 14-inch and 15-inch wheel fitments are listed in those years.
MG MG Tires by Year
MG MG production changed from 15-inch to 14-inch wheels in 1961, so confirm which rim diameter the specific car carries before selecting a tire. In 1961 and 1962, more than two sizes are listed because both 14-inch and 15-inch wheel fitments appear in the same model years. The year listing below is best used by matching the car's model year first, then narrowing the choice by wheel diameter and preferred construction type.
1950 MG MG
- 155R15
- 560-15
1951 MG MG
- 155R15
- 560-15
1952 MG MG
- 155R15
- 560-15
1953 MG MG
- 155R15
- 560-15
1954 MG MG
- 155R15
- 560-15
1955 MG MG
- 155R15
- 560-15
1956 MG MG
- 155R15
- 560-15
1957 MG MG
- 155R15
- 560-15
1958 MG MG
- 155R15
- 560-15
1959 MG MG
- 155R15
- 560-15
1960 MG MG
- 155R15
- 560-15
1961 MG MG
- 165R14
- 5.90-14
- 155R15
- 560-15
1962 MG MG
- 165R14
- 5.90-14
- 155R15
- 560-15
1963 MG MG
- 165R14
- 5.90-14
1964 MG MG
- 165R14
- 5.90-14
1965 MG MG
- 165R14
- 5.90-14
1966 MG MG
- 165R14
- 5.90-14
1967 MG MG
- 165R14
- 5.90-14
1968 MG MG
- 165R14
- 5.90-14
Best MG MG Tires for Sale
Available MG MG tires cover four sizes across 5 brands and 18 products, with both radial and bias-ply choices depending on year and wheel size. Blackwall, narrow whitewall, and wide whitewall options are represented, so confirm the correct size and rim diameter before selecting.
155R15 Products
These are the available products for 155R15.
560-15 Products
These are the available products for 560-15.
165R14 Products
These are the available products for 165R14.
Frequently Asked Questions
The questions below focus on the two key MG MG fitment issues in this range: the shift from 15-inch to 14-inch wheels and the choice between bias-ply and radial construction. They also cover brand options, sidewall styles, and practical care for a lightly used collector car.
Size Basics & Fitment
MG MG fitments in this range break into four sizes across two wheel diameters. The 15-inch wheel sizes are 155R15 and 560-15, used from 1950 through 1962. The 14-inch wheel sizes are 165R14 and 5.90-14, used from 1961 through 1968. That means 1961 and 1962 are overlap years where both 14-inch and 15-inch fitments appear.
The practical takeaway is that year alone is not always enough to choose correctly. Start by confirming whether your MG MG has 15-inch or 14-inch wheels, then decide whether you want a radial or a bias-ply tire within that wheel diameter. That approach separates the early and late fitments cleanly and avoids the most common mismatch on these cars.
A 560-15 size on an MG MG is an older numeric bias-ply tire designation. The 560 refers to a nominal section width of about 5.60 inches, and the 15 refers to the wheel diameter in inches. Every listed 560-15 product here is a 15-inch bias-ply tire, with blackwall, narrow whitewall, and wide whitewall versions represented.
That size suits MG MG applications from 1950 through 1962 when a period-style bias-ply look and feel is appropriate. Because it is a bias-ply fitment in this range, tube use is part of the installation plan. If your car has later 14-inch wheels, 560-15 is not the right starting point even if the model year sits in the 1961 to 1962 overlap.
A 1961 MG MG has four listed sizes because that year spans two wheel diameters and two construction styles. The 15-inch choices are 155R15 radial and 560-15 bias-ply, while the 14-inch choices are 165R14 radial and 5.90-14 bias-ply. The same pattern continues into 1962, after which the listings narrow to the 14-inch sizes only.
The real job is identifying which wheel diameter your specific MG MG carries before choosing between radial and bias-ply. Once the wheel size is confirmed, the list becomes much simpler: 15-inch cars use one of the 15-inch sizes, and 14-inch cars use one of the 14-inch sizes. That is more reliable than choosing by year alone during the transition period.
MG MG uses two rim diameters across this production range: 15-inch and 14-inch. The 15-inch sizes, 155R15 and 560-15, cover 1950 through 1962. The 14-inch sizes, 165R14 and 5.90-14, appear beginning in 1961 and continue through 1968. That makes 1961 the first year where the newer 14-inch wheel diameter enters the range.
Wheel diameter is the first fitment check to make on an MG MG because it determines which half of the size list applies to the car. A quick measurement of the wheel or a check against the car's existing tire sidewall will usually settle the question. After that, you can focus on choosing the construction style that best suits originality, handling preference, and intended use.
Crossply vs Radial
MG MG tires in this range are available in both bias-ply and radial construction, depending on wheel diameter and the style of driving or restoration you want. The 560-15 and 5.90-14 options are bias-ply, while 155R15 and 165R14 are radial. That gives owners a period-style option and a more modern-running option within the listed fitments.
Bias-ply usually appeals to owners pursuing a traditional appearance and original-era driving character, while radial tires are often chosen for more relaxed road manners and everyday usability. The most important step is to stay within the correct wheel diameter for your car first. Once that is settled, choose the construction that matches how your MG MG will actually be driven and shown.
Radial tires can change the feel of an MG MG compared with bias-ply tires because the construction type is fundamentally different. In this fitment range, the radial choices are 155R15 and 165R14, while the bias-ply choices are 560-15 and 5.90-14. Owners often notice that the car responds differently in steering feel and general road behavior when switching construction types.
That change is not automatically good or bad; it depends on whether your priority is period character or a more modern road experience. A restored show car may benefit from the look and behavior of a bias-ply tire, while a regularly driven MG MG may be better served by a radial within the correct size. Keep all four tires matched in size family and construction for consistent behavior.
MG MG fitments include both bias-ply and radial tires, but mixing those construction types on the same car is generally not a sound practice. The listed sizes are arranged as complete fitment paths: 560-15 or 155R15 on 15-inch wheels, and 5.90-14 or 165R14 on 14-inch wheels. Each path works best when the tires are matched across the car.
A matched set helps preserve predictable handling and keeps the car's responses more consistent. If you are changing from bias-ply to radial, or from radial back to bias-ply, treat it as a full-set decision rather than a piecemeal replacement. On an MG MG, construction choice and wheel diameter are closely tied, so sort out both before any installation begins.
Buying the Right Tire
A 1961 MG MG can use either 15-inch or 14-inch wheel fitments, which is why four sizes appear for that year. The 15-inch choices are 155R15 radial and 560-15 bias-ply, while the 14-inch choices are 165R14 radial and 5.90-14 bias-ply. The deciding factor is the actual wheel diameter on the car, not the year by itself.
Begin by checking the size already mounted, measuring the wheel, or verifying the wheel specification through the car's records or marque references. Once wheel diameter is confirmed, narrow the choice to radial or bias-ply according to the driving character and presentation you want. That two-step process is the cleanest way to sort out overlap-year MG MG fitment.
MG MG tire options in this range include blackwall, narrow whitewall, and wide whitewall styles. The radial sizes listed here are blackwall only, while the 560-15 bias-ply size includes blackwall plus whitewall variations. That gives early 15-inch cars the widest cosmetic range, especially for owners pursuing a particular period appearance.
Sidewall choice should follow the restoration goal as much as the size itself. A blackwall usually suits a restrained sports-car look, while narrow or wide whitewalls can shift the visual character of the car noticeably. If authenticity matters, compare the sidewall treatment on your MG MG against period photos, surviving originals, or marque-club guidance before making the final choice.
Five brands are represented in the MG MG tire offerings here: Firestone, Michelin, Avon, Vredestein, US Royal, plus Coker Classic and Pirelli also appear within the listed sizes, bringing the total to seven distinct brands. Firestone and US Royal cover several 560-15 bias-ply options, while Michelin, Vredestein, Avon, and Pirelli appear in the radial fitments. Brand availability varies by size and construction type rather than across the full model range.
The best way to use brand information is after size and wheel diameter are settled. Once you know whether your MG MG needs a 15-inch or 14-inch tire, and whether you want radial or bias-ply construction, the brand list becomes much easier to navigate. At that point, you can weigh appearance, series preference, and intended use rather than choosing by brand name alone.
MG MG tire offerings span several series families with different intended character. On the radial side, the listed series include Firestone F560 Radial, Michelin X, Michelin XAS, Michelin XAS-FF, Avon CR6ZZ, Vredestein Snow Classic, Vredestein Sprint Classic, and Pirelli Cinturato CA67. On the bias-ply side, the main families are Firestone Classic Bias Ply, US Royal Classic Bias Ply, Coker Classic Bias Ply, and the Pro-Trac Street Pro Front Runner.
Those series differences matter because they separate period-style bias-ply presentation from road-oriented radial choices and, in one case, a specialized front-runner bias-ply option. For most MG MG owners, the first decision remains wheel diameter and construction type. After that, the series name helps refine whether the priority is traditional appearance, vintage touring character, or a more specialized use case.
Maintenance & Longevity
A stored MG MG should be kept in a cool, dry, dark space away from direct sunlight, ozone sources, and wide temperature swings. Clean tires last better when they are free of petroleum residue, brake fluid, and strong cleaners that can attack the rubber surface. If the car will sit for extended periods, maintaining proper inflation and reducing prolonged load on one contact patch are both helpful habits.
Collector cars benefit from occasional rolling or repositioning so the tires do not spend months pressed in one spot. If the car will remain parked for a long season, many owners use stands or move the vehicle slightly at intervals to ease stress on the casing. That matters on an MG MG because light use often hides age-related deterioration until the car finally returns to the road.
Tires on a MG MG should be inspected regularly even when the car covers very few miles. Check inflation, sidewall condition, tread surface, valve area, and any signs of cracking, bulging, impact damage, or irregular wear before the driving season and again throughout the year. On a collector car, elapsed time often matters more than mileage because rubber ages even when tread still looks serviceable.
A practical routine is to look the tires over before every meaningful drive and give them a more thorough inspection several times each season. Any change in steering feel, vibration, or air retention deserves prompt attention. If your MG MG uses bias-ply tires and tubes, inspect the complete assembly with that in mind rather than focusing only on the visible tread and sidewall.
Tires on a MG MG should be replaced when age, cracking, hardening, flat-spotting, casing deformation, or persistent air loss suggest the structure is no longer trustworthy, even if tread depth still looks acceptable. Collector cars often age tires out long before they wear them out. That is especially true for lightly driven cars that spend long stretches parked between events.
Replacement decisions should be guided by overall condition, use pattern, and professional inspection rather than tread alone. A tire that looks respectable on a show field may not be the right choice for regular road miles. If your MG MG is used for touring, err on the side of fresh rubber; if it is primarily shown, inspect just as carefully because cosmetic appearance can conceal age-related decline.
Restoration & Authenticity
MG MG fitment in this range includes both bias-ply and radial sizes, with 15-inch applications using 560-15 and 155R15, and later 14-inch applications using 5.90-14 and 165R14. The available series include classic bias-ply families as well as several period-style radial lines. Because more than one construction approach appears across the production span, original fitment can vary with year and wheel diameter.
For an exact restoration, match the tire to the specific year, wheel diameter, and presentation standard of the individual car rather than relying on the broad model name alone. A marque club, period road test, factory literature, or surviving original car can help settle the final detail. That matters most in the 1961 to 1962 overlap, where both 14-inch and 15-inch paths exist.
Correct tire fitment can affect both judging results and buyer perception on an MG MG, especially when the car is restored to a period presentation standard. Judges and experienced enthusiasts tend to notice whether the wheel diameter, construction type, and sidewall treatment suit the era of the car. A later 14-inch fitment on a car that should wear 15-inch tires, or the reverse, can stand out immediately.
The closer the tire choice is to the car's proper year and configuration, the more coherent the restoration will look. That does not mean every owner must choose the same tire style, but it does mean the decision should be intentional. If authenticity is part of the goal for your MG MG, compare your choice with period references and marque-club standards before the car reaches the show field.
MG MG tires in these listings are available in blackwall, narrow whitewall, and wide whitewall styles, though the variety is concentrated in the 560-15 bias-ply size. The radial offerings are blackwall, while 560-15 includes blackwall plus both narrow and wide whitewall versions. That means sidewall correctness depends on the year, wheel diameter, and restoration philosophy of the individual MG MG.
A blackwall is usually the safer visual direction for a sporting British car, but authenticity should be checked against period references for the exact car you are restoring. Whitewall width changes the personality of the car more than many owners expect. If show accuracy matters, use photos, club guidance, and original literature to decide whether your MG MG should present with blackwalls or one of the available whitewall treatments.
Safety & Road Use
A MG MG can be driven on public roads when the tires are the correct size for the wheel, are in sound condition, and are matched appropriately to the car's intended use. The listed options include both radial and bias-ply constructions in 14-inch and 15-inch sizes, so safety begins with choosing the correct fitment path. A tire that is the wrong diameter or wrong construction for the setup is not a sound starting point.
Road safety on a collector car depends as much on condition and installation as on the size itself. Check tire age, inflation, tube compatibility where required, and overall chassis condition before expecting modern behavior from a vintage sports car. An MG MG in proper mechanical order can be enjoyable on the road, but it should always be driven within the limits of its period design and tire type.
Before driving a MG MG, inspect inflation pressure, visible tire condition, wheel security, and any signs of cracking, bulging, or impact damage. Confirm that all four tires match the intended setup, especially on cars from 1961 or 1962 where 14-inch and 15-inch fitments both exist. If the car runs bias-ply tires, make sure the tube-based assembly and general wheel condition are also part of the pre-drive check.
A short walk-around catches many problems before they become roadside issues. Pay attention to changes in steering feel, vibration, braking stability, and tracking, because collector cars often telegraph tire trouble early. On an MG MG that has been stored, the first few miles after recommissioning should be conservative while the tires, brakes, and chassis settle back into use.
An appropriate speed for a MG MG on original-style tires is one that respects the car's age, condition, tire construction, and the road environment rather than chasing modern traffic capability. Bias-ply and radial tires do not deliver the same feel, and an older sports car on vintage-size tires should always be driven with mechanical sympathy. Condition matters at least as much as the nominal size on the sidewall.
The sensible approach is to build speed gradually, confirm that the car tracks properly, and avoid sustained high-speed use unless the complete vehicle has been thoroughly sorted. Fresh, correctly fitted tires help, but they do not change the basic character of a mid-century MG MG. Leave a margin for braking, cornering, and heat buildup, especially on bias-ply tires or after long storage.