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Gary, I now live in Yorkshire, so don=92t really fancy the trek down to London for a GOTF. Too much fun to be had driving round the deserted country lanes up here. Having lived in and around London for the first 14 years with my Midget, I can honestly say that the best thing to do is to take it out of the city. The tunnels can be quite fun with a single-box silencer and the roof down, but the car does not really enjoy the rest of the roads, especially the potholes. WRT the best sounds, IMHO accelerating... MORE


If you can turn it with pliers, you'll find that if you can find a piece of plastic tube with the right diameter you can shove that onto the shaft and if it's tight enough then turn the shaft with the tube. My midget's had this mod for 15 years, since I first got it and the trip didn't work. "graham2306" 8532... MORE


Hi all, The tripmeter on my speedo(midget) is working fine, but the "twiddly bit"(technical term) to zero it is missing. The shaft is there and can be turned with plyers but I need the bit you turn with your fingers. Does anyone a)know where I can buy one b)have a spare which I could buy (same question really) c)know of anything I could adapt? Thanks in advance Gary L "garyloisuk" 8529... MORE


Thank you Jeremy and Ted for your help. I'll check out the info on the "silly" fluid but whatever it says I'm still going to use it. I have heard that it tends to feel soft on the pedal, but so far I have my clutch finished [yesterday] and it works great. I would have the brakes bleed by now but I can only find one bleeder screw in the box of parts. and yes some fluid spilled on the paint but it just wiped off and no harm to the paint job that cost so much. so far... MORE


I need some advise on an electric fan installation. It is on a 1500 and there is not enough room between the rad and the water pump shaft to mount the fan as a puller so I am mounting it a pusher on the other side if the rad. Is it wise to also leave the original fan in place and have a push/pull configuration or just leave the original off. Your thoughts Doug 77 Michigan "dougple" 8460... MORE


I have a question and need your advise. I am installing an electric on my 1500 it will not fit between the rad and the water pump because of the water pump shaft. So I am installing it as a pusher in front of the rad. The question is should I leave the original fan on and have a push /pull or is that overkill. Is the original needed. Thanks Doug "dougple" 8457... MORE


Two weeks ago, someone came on this list enquiring about the cost of replacing a clutch and other items on their 1976 MG Midget. Since I own a 1976 myself and the car was located in my state, I decided to offer her $500 "sight unseen" for the car, if she wanted to sell it as is. I didn't know much about the car except that it hasn't been running for 3 years and it was parked in a garage. At 8:30pm, Thursday night, I was at her house, with a tow truck and $500... pushing a leaf and... MORE


Fellow Frogsters- Came across a restored 1958 Leaf Green Bugeye at the local Volvo dealer's "preowned" lot here in Stamford, CT. (800-281-8658, 203-978-5780 or www.stamfordvolvo.com) Car is spitting image of mine except for wire wheels but unlike mine is a "9+" on a scale of "10"! Absolutely no rust anywhere however, car is recent respray. Floors appear to be original unless somebody did an absolutely first class full floor welding job (always possible). Car is absolutely immaculate inside, outside and under bonnet, wherein all looks original. Body and engine ID plates missing. Did not get to check VIN number... MORE


Thanks RH, I made this dash by hand around 1970. It is 1/2 black walnut with the edge doubled to 1 inch thickness so I could create the same beveled profile as the original dash. The contours are identical to the original. All the gauges are coutersunk and there is a maplight and power antennae switch tucked into the recess above the ignition switch. The lighting knob is also hand made from black walnut and is identical to the original. All the switches are original except for the toggles in the console section. Notice the notched out area where... MORE


Gerard: JB Weld is probably not the best choice for repairing fuel tanks, as gasoline will eventually soften the epoxy. I'd suggest you try one of the fuel tank slushing compounds. I used Moss' stuff in my tank many years ago, and it still looks perfect. My tank did not have pinholes, but I wanted to stop the rust, and it has done an admirable job of that. It's pretty thick stuff, about like diff oil, and it dries fast, so it might well stop pinhole leaks. Bill Hirsch sells a similar product. Actually, I think Hirsch private labels... MORE


Hi and seals tehm permanently- the disadvantage is tehat the diff carrier would have to be degreased in a hot caustic tank before applying the compound. (not sure what its called, Loctite do everyhting by nimbers and I'm not good with numbers...) Yes there is a process using a loctite product that is used industrially to seal porous castings, usually alloy ones. We used a firm over at Heathrow, Metalseal, to do it. When visiting them I saw lots of carb bodies undergoing treatment. They decrease the item then put it in an autoclave (sealed tank) with the liquid... MORE


AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE WRITE-UPS AND CORRECTIVE ACTION TAKEN Never let it be said that ground crews and engineers lack a sense of humor. Here are some actual logged maintenance complaints by QUANTAS pilots and the corrective action recorded by mechanics. By the way Quantas is the only major airline that has never had an accident. (P stands for the problem the pilots entered in the log, and S stands for the corrective action taken by the mechanics. P: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement. S: Almost replaced left inside main tire. P: Test flight OK, except autoland very rough.... MORE


Ah, the subtle difference between "porous" and "rusted all to hell". I put it down to English being my second languge. (Kiwi being the first, translated thus; "Strewth mate, me axle's rusted all to hell, oil pi**ing out all over the show. Anyone got a spare one they wouldnt mind slinging my way? Cheers mate.) Anyway, arent most axle casings well protected by the external self-oiling mechanism? Apologies Margaret, I'm dont really sound that patronising in person. G (Winter....? Nope, means nothing to me...) "Grant Bowyer" 8277... MORE


John Here is what I did to my 1500. Bored it out .020. I understand that you can only go .030 on a 1500 so this would leave room for another bore later Standard pistons are dished and are 7.5 to 1, I went to flat top pistons making 9 to 1. Milled the head .080 should have gone to .100 though. I used a TSI 275-4 cam from TS imported Automotive. Of course all new rood and main bearings. Good idea to fit a new oil pump also. In addition to that installed a Weber DGV, headers and... MORE


Margaret, the only part of the rear axle which ,to my knowledge, may become porous is the cast alloy diff carrier (the alloy bit the differential is attached to) The rest of the axle is pressed steel, which cannot become porous. Leakage in the diff is usually caused by a blocked breather, overfilling with oil, or a failing gasket. Eash of these problems is inexpensive to fix and does not require removal of the axle. I'd ask your garage which part has become porous- if they say "the axle" then you're being taken for a ride. If they say... MORE


Although what may have happened (I've seen it) is that the axle casing gets so rusty that you get pinholes in the steel... G, I don't know whether you get salt spread on the roads in the winter in NZ. Caused the death of many a good Midget... James "jamesbilsland" 8276... MORE


Ah. You must have missed my lengthy diatribe about the difference between straight-cut gears for racing and the straight-cut gear found in a stock Midget 'box... Cheers! G "Grant Bowyer" 8261... MORE


Hi there, Has anyone out there in the UK got for sale a back axle for a Mk3 Midget? GAN5, 1970/71. My Ava went in to be converted to unleaded, and get a new MOT at the same time. The garage have today advised me that the metal on the back axle has become porous, and the oil is seeping out. So she is stuck there until we can get one. Any help in locating one would be much appreciated. I live in South Lincolnshire, but would travel to collect or pay for delivery. Thanks in advance. Margaret South... MORE


That's incorrect, 2nd and 3rd are helical-cut gears, not straight cut. Feel free to thrash the hell out of 2nd, 3rd, and top. Just be nice to 1st. And dont laugh about a 4.55:1 diffs- some of us have to live with those and its not pretty... ;-) G "Grant Bowyer" 8257... MORE


James- Interesting. I suspect, (as you metion) the shock loading was overcoming the gear's material strength rather than the fault being the cut of the teeth. Of course, smaller teeth would have handled the shock better. However, in theory (and in everyday road driving) most people would find that 1st wears out before it breaks. Either that or the layshaft snaps... (extremely unpleasant.) "Grant Bowyer" 8242... MORE


Graham; Depends what you mean by 'reliable'. The straight-cut 1st fitted to a Midget 'box does the job it was designed for perfectly. Its just that the cut of the teeth on 1st is not suitable for high loads at high speeds. As I understand it, the choice of teeth for a gear is influenced by a couple of factors. Large teeth are strong and can transmit high torque without breaking, but suffer from high contact pressure and the subsequent breakdown of lubrication, especially at higher speeds where they tend to fling off their oil. (So they'll wear out... MORE


While helical gears do have a side load, this can be overcome by designing the =91box to handle these loads or using a more expensive =91V =92 shape gear (look at the chevrons on the front of a Citro=EBn =96 Andr=E9 Citro=EBn patented those, I think). Together with the more expensive machining, this is why they tend to cost more. The side load and power loss are small (of the order of 1-2%), so this is not really significant except where ultimate power transmission is needed (in racing, for instance). The power loss tends to heat the gearbox oil... MORE


Graham Rather irritatingly the Jack Knight straight cut gear set does not include a 1st gear - you have to buy it seperately. Peter May Engineering supplies the correct 1st gear. The JK dog box uses a different design constant mesh 1st and comes as a built up box (obviously including 1st). James "jamesbilsland" 8247... MORE


James Does that mean that if you buy a straight cut gear set it replaces the 1st geat as well Graham "Graham Robson" 8246... MORE


Sonds like SOMEONE cant remember the '60s... Limited Slip Differential. (also known as "dont tell the wife how much it cost") "Grant Bowyer" 8219... MORE