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Steven Unless someone in the past has welded the plate to the frame, The 2 bolt you are talking about are attached to a plate which should be able to unbolt the 2 bolts that attach the plate to the frame. So there should be 4 bolts total to take out. Use some 3 in 1 oil or something like that to brake the seal a little. Good luck Jason 1971 MG Midget 1964 MG Midget "Jason Gross" 21108... MORE


Ginger Ouch! And yes it does sound about right, 2-300 bucks for parts sounds about right too. It's basically a front full brake rebuild for both sides, inc wheel bearings. I would question why both sides need doing - whats wrong with the other side? Could you get away with less work/parts on the other side? The labour is in dismantling both sides, rebuilding both brake calipers inc new pistons and seals (this is a specialist job, and can't be done at home, may be cheaper to just buy an already re-conditioned pair) re-fitting wheel bearings, calipers, hoses, brake... MORE


How about this, OK so it's a 1972 Stag but it's a warning to us all. Friend driving along, cloud of smoke out of rear, it stops so he continues on, then engine seems to loose power. Cause is n/s rear brake jammed on. Drum red hot, cracks in half on cooling, lead balance weights on wheel melted. On dismantling finds no rubber seals in brake cylinder, no brake fluid in this part of the system although other brakes working ( the smoke was the fluid running out on to the hot drum), return springs lost all temper. Boy... MORE


"""A vise, mounted on a sturdy bench will be like home away from home. A Workbench makes working on a removed part a LOT more pleasant. Put the bench Next to the beer 'fridge. Get a comfy stool and mount a girly calendar on The wall. :-)""" I did well for not having this most excellent advice from left to right storage, work bench, with nice roller stool, Real nice wooden storage parts box, grinder, vise, beer fridge, girly calendar, air hose reel and gauge, tool chest :) Tim Allen grunt now gotta have air tools Air tools ugh... MORE


Did you laugh in his face? 1100.00!! For that you could replace all 4 brakes complete and have money left over for shopping and dinner out.as well as some folding money for a nice accessory for your car! "stanley hill" 21054... MORE


Virginia Here in the UK rebuilt calliper units cost about the equivalent of $60 each, hoses are no more than $10. If you use the reconditioned units this is a really easy job just two bolts hold each unit on, took me about half an hour to do each side of my car. I recon a good mechanic with all the best tools and equipment should do it quicker. Unless there is a lot more work to be done that you have not mentioned you are being robbed, try another mechanic or get a Haynes manual and maybe a... MORE


Don, he's not using the calipers as the excuse. But he is saying that as long as it's torn apart may as well do this and this and this....in the long run it'll be cheaper because he's cutting me slack on some labor. It's just a shock all at once. "Virginia" 21010... MORE


He is doing some rebuilding. He's tearing the calipers down, sandblasting then rebuilding those. The hose will be new. The boots will be new. Not sure about the rotors shoes...I'm assuming those will be new as well. "Virginia" 21009... MORE


ok..just talked to him...some of this cost includes the fuel pump and towing charge. He's repacking the wheel bearings, rebuilding the calipers, replacing hoses and boots, replacing the pistons etc. About $289 in parts then labor. Take the fuel pump and towing cost out and it's around 9 something. Gawd. "Virginia" 21000... MORE


Yeah.... But maybe the more experienced guy will be the one who sends her on her way after replacing a collapsed brake line or something simple like that. Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 21022... MORE


Ok...here's what my mechanic is telling me is wrong with the front end. The left caliper isn't releasing fully which is causing the pull. He says it needs to be replaced as well as the rotors, hoses, repack wheel bearings, brake shoes, replace the pistons and says that it should be done for both sides. He's tellihng me it will run about $1100. Does this sound right? "Virginia" 20994... MORE


Good show, Ginger. For all we know it could be as simple as an old (collapsed) brake line. I'll let the "current hands on" guys handle this, knowing you are in excellent hands, so to speak! :) Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 21021... MORE


I would definitely get a second opinion. Sounds like he may be using the caliper sticking as an excuse to do what may be unnecessary additional repairs. I would be suspicious if a mechanic told me he had to do all that to cure a pulling to the left problem. Is it only when you are braking or all the time? Don "Don May" 21007... MORE


Fellow listers - I have a friend who is restoring a 1952 Austin A30, a predecessor to the A40 and therefore the Spridget. His brake master cylinder has been sleeved by the PO but now needs to be rebuilt, having set for several years. None of the usual suspects list parts for this car and the only specialist he has found will only sell a new M/C for 250 English Pounds! Does anybody on the list have a kit, know of a source for same or even a part number? It is a 7/8" bore (unlike the later cars... MORE


"Best to have a friend floor the gas pedal" when taking compression checks. Absolutely!! Is there any other way? :):) Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 20819... MORE


Jens: You have the Haynes SU book on the way.......good man!! :) It's "ok" to "go on about" something you do not undersand, Jens. I was a flight instructor for over 1500 hours and am familiar with the "learning process". :) However, I am certainly not an engineer and not familiar with mechanical pumps in an automotive sense. However, it still would not surprise me if there was a partial vacuum within the line as fuel flowed backward downward toward the pump, assuming the "bleed back" valve in the pump was defective. This is what I meant by "siphoning... MORE


Thanks again captain, i think you and Margaret most likely are correct here, i will have a look at those float levels and try to establ if there is any level change. This car of mine looks to be screwed together by only old and not refurbished parts by the previous owner, the old pump could well have a bust "anti-bleed back" valve. Thanks for the good explanation on how the carburetters work, i have read a bit about it but you certainly cleared up a few points here. In spite of your rather sharp tongue Bob you are... MORE


Me, Jens? Sharp tongue? Nah! Though like Nigel, I may have an acerbic sense of humor. :) I just believe in the experience of others in matters I know little about! Any credit for this one belongs strictly to Margaret. Nothing wrong with a Sprite with old parts 'cause you've got to start somewhere, Jens. As Margaret and others will vouch for, any knowledge comes from a lot of mistakes made along the way. You can only gain experience over time. If I were to do it all again, I'd have done a hell of a lot more reading... MORE


Jens: Yes, there is gravity influence No, the bowls should not be full However, those bowls are kept to a properly set fuel level (in the book!) by the fuel pump of course, when the engine is running, "balanced" from becoming too full by shutoff valves in the bowl covers There is a setting in the manual for the level in the bowl depending upon what type float apparatus you have. This is the correct level for all operations to maintain proper mixture calibration with respect to relative position of the jet and needle as the air valve moves... MORE


OK... You were lucky this time...just watch it 'cause there's more where that came from!!! Hey, this BE looks to be a real find, assuming the floors are good and there is no rust otherwise around. It's got a 1098 but even if it's the "cg" instead of the "cc", it's been nicely attended to in accordance with the contents of the ad. Wonder if it's got the later ribcase? Probably does considering larger clutch, etc.? Looks like a basically good, solid machine once the hydraulics, front end and driveline are checked out. Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 20586... MORE


Never one to know when to leave well enough alone,I was wondering if anyone out there ever tried to use mikuni or other motorcycle carburetors on there midget? I have been looking and it dosnt seem to hard to maybe make a intake for my 1500.Seems a pair of 36 or 38's would work nice.All they need to connect are a couple of rubber hoses.Looking for any imput Thanks "stanley hill" 20558... MORE


The pipes and hoses appear to be in fairly decent shape. I'm going to start with the filters and go from there. The question was asked, "Is there a ticking sound when I turn on the car?" Well, I've never heard the ticking sound. I DO hear that when I turn on my motorcycle which has an electric pump. I'm guessing that on a 65 Midget the pump would be mechanical. "Virginia" 20543... MORE


Ginger It could be lots of things. It could be a blockage somewhere in the pipes, it could be a fuel filter blockage or simply that the pump's not working - have you checked that fuel pump is working? If the car fires and runs with fuel in the carb's then it isnt the carbs. If the fuel pump is working, and there's fuel in the tank, then its a blockage somewhere. You need to trace back and find it. What's the condition of all the pipes and hoses? Nigel "amukdigiphoto" 20531... MORE


Because Ashley is better at publicising them than the retailers and we can bug said retailers to stock the items. I didn't know that the cooler hose bracket existed and will be investigating it now for my '63 with retro fitted cooler. Considering the volume of messages on this list, many of them completely unrelated to LBCs then I personally welcomes Ashley's very occasional posts and find them much more interesting than many of the other posts. Keep up the valuable work Ashley, how about tandem m/c pedal pivot bushes next, they've been NLA for about a decade. Jeremy... MORE


Hello Folks I just got my 1971MG Midget back from the shop. Running fine the other day. I drove it to work this morning and she was little sluggish. Like going up a hill I had to have the choke all the way out and pedal to metal just to get up a hill. The temp this morning is around 46 degrees I did have the shop lean out my carbs a bit because they were running very rich. Could this be the issue? Also would you have me richen them back up a bit till warm weather comes... MORE