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Hi, I'm new to this list. I recently bought a Midget restoration project. Its history is unknown but as far as I can read the car number is GAN1L5175. I has no roll-up windows, but it does have wire wheels and disk brakes on the front. At first I thought the wire wheel/disk brake combo would make it a 1963 model, but does the GAN1 code agree with that? Where can I look for more info on that number? Is there a web-site or a book with exhaustive info like this? Also, I'm looking for pictures of early Midget... MORE
I had a similar problem... not that I am that tall (only 5' 11"), but I installed a roll bar in my midget that I later found out was not "for" the midget, which hindered the seat from moving all the way back. What I did is redo the seat to give me extra inches. The back of the Midget seat has a lot of wasted space and the head rest was too large too! I removed the backing from the seat which let me move the seat back a bit... I also cut off the front 2-3" of... MORE
My Midget has non-stock wheels on it, not sure what they came off of. I had a heck of a time finding replacement lugnuts for them, until I just "happened" upon the latest VB sale catalog WS.20. On page 80, there is a set of Chrome Lug Nuts that look exactly like the ones on my car... but these are for a Triump TR6 70-76. I am not sure if my wheels came off of a Triump, but the lug nuts look as if they did. -Brett "Brett LaCroix" 7699... MORE
I have a '73 Midget, been tearing it down, hoping to paint & get it back on the road this spring. I'm not an expert by any means, just started this project last year when I bought this road worthy MG. I've only been buying parts from Long Motor (Victoria British) but there must be other mail order suppliers. Can anybody give me some web sites of suppliers to go to? At this point I'm mostly looking for trim, interior & exterior type of parts. Mechanically the car is in good running order and I'm not tearing it down... MORE
I've tried different things including seam seler in a tube (3M) and rubberized undercoating. THat's fine for floorboards, but the problem is, not all areas lend themselves to a spray coating. I like using a quick (but not too quick) drying brushable seam sealer. I use a flux brush to lap the seams. It's possible to get an authentic looking seal to original. It can be thinned too if you want a nice smooth finish in visible areas. Check your professional paint stores. They have about a dozen other choices too. Gerard "gerardchateau" 7650... MORE
Get yourself a bargain Frog for restoration, currently at only =A3670, more information at the auction page:- http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3D1697775720 All the best guys and gals, Nic. "ghost_rider_217" 7628... MORE
Non members welcome . .. . . February 2002 Sunday 17th MG show at National Agricultural Centre, Stoneleigh. 10am- 4pm. Club has stand. Note date change. Saturday 23rd Rallye Sunseeker Motor Fair - Dorset Area have been invited to have a Stand at this prestigious local event & have accepted! We will need to display 5 cars and plan to have our Gazebo in place. Pete Downton will be co-ordinating this event. March 2002 Sunday 3rd International Telford Show. Provisional club stand. Contact John Canning on 01789 764889 for details. Sunday, 3rd Dorset Area Cobweb Spin - Club run... MORE
Peter, I would use an automotive seam sealer (mastic) that you can buy over the counter from your local automotive paint trade shop. Normaly about =A33 .50 a tube. This will fill in all those unwanted gaps and keep it water tight a s well.=0D For best results, prime the the parts to be sealed.=0D =0D =0D Gary King (Newcastle UK)=0D 69 Sprite MKIV=0D =0D =0D "Gary King" 7615... MORE
I want to add a Monza Free-Flow exhaust system to my '76 Midget, but I don't like the one that is made for the Midget, since it is basically the same "rear-muffler-turned-sideways" type as the stock Midget, except with exhaust tips at both sides. I would like to buy the exhaust system for a spitfire, which branches into two separate rear mufflers with thier own tips. (See http://www.triumphspitfire.com/monza.html ). I know that I will have to modify the mounting points... anything else that may hinder the installation of this exhaust system on my Midget? Thanks, Brett "Brett LaCroix" 7642... MORE
Chris Before I broke mine it was running 135 across the board. After the rebuild it is at 155. But this is with flat top pistons and a shaved head. Doug 77 Michigan "Doug Pletcher" 7627... MORE
When first purchased my '62 948, the mechanical fuel pump was unreliable. I opened it up and found a bit of rust in the valves. Whatever seals were in there were fine, so I cleaned it, closed it up, and have put about 10,000 miles on it since. Question for the list, the mechanical pump has a part number on it AC type D A00189. Any sources for spares, possible cross reference with another mechanical pump? As a mechanical engineer, I'm partial to the mechanical pump, and I'm looking to have a spare to carry. Mike schicmg@... 7607... MORE
Tim, Two ways to go. Run a white wire from the switched side of the fuse block along your main harness to the boot and through a small grommeted hole there. you will need to cut your fuel line if it's one piece there (and it likely is). You could also use a fuel pumpp in the engine bay which would simplify the wiring and fuel line modifications. There are several fuel pumps you could use in the engine bay including an SU designed for firewall mounting in the Morris Minor. On my '72 Midget, which had an underboot... MORE
Tim, You don't need to drain the oil as it's well above the pan. Cover the hole with some duct tape or a clean rag, lest something should accidentally fall in. There are rebuild kits for the mechanical pumps but they are very expensive. I haven't had one of those apart in years, but I have a friend that has rebuilt them a couple times. You might want to consider an electrical pump instead. Gerard "gerardchateau" 7586... MORE
One more thing that is very helpful is an adjustable timing light to use when you do this or just time you motor. Mine is digital but you can get a real cheap one from HF. Mine gives RPM, dwell, and advance or retard readings and you can preset the amount of advance you want to see. I have a mark for TDC on the top of the motor where I can see it. With an adjustable light you get RPM readout and how much advance at that RPM. As an example say I want 32 deg at 4000... MORE
Has anyone on the list ever rebuilt a mechanical fuel pump. Do you have to drain the oil or fuel tank before removing it? When I use the manual primer, it seems to work well and then not at all. I'm not very familiar with it so I'm open to suggestions. Thanks, TimS '63 Sprite MkII Detroit, Mi "Summers, Tim" 7581... MORE
Depends on the size of pipe you use. On my 1380 I run the front timing chain cover breather linked to the front of the rocker cover then a larger bore (approx 3/4") pipe to the catch tank. It works on my engine - though I do keep it fresh with regular rebuilds. If the rings started to blow a bit I guess it might be marginal. Some racers seem to run breathers from every orifice which indicates to me that they should rebuild their engines more frequently... On a standard engine 1 breather should be fine. J "jamesbilsland"... MORE
I am trying to revive my H4 S.U. carbs which have been retired to a box in the garage for the past 30 years. Since the gaskets and washers have gotten rather dried up and cracked, I am hoping to do a complete rebuild but have run into a disassembly problem. The nut holding the fuel bowl came off easily but the hollow bolt that secures the fuel bowl to the body of the carb refuses to be removed. Since there is a "fiber" washer where the bolt joins the body I assume it should be able to be... MORE
I have a 1976 Midget that had a Stromberg carb in poor condition (and rebuilding it didn't help much, it was missing some parts.) Until yesturday, I was going to purchase a New Weber Downdraft conversion kit for $400 and use my stock exhaust manifold. Today, I have come across a used Weber Sidedraft Carb, w/ manifold, plus a Pacesetter performance exhaust headers. I have been told that the Carb is in good condition and I can get everything (including shipping) for $420. I am not sure if I would be better off with a new downdraft and my... MORE
An short somewhere in the electrics can cause this. A similar thing happened on my Mk1 Midget. Anytime I turned anything on, the fuel gauge moved (either up or down, depending on what mod it was in at the time!), and moved again when the item was switched off. I just zeroed the trip meter every time I filled up (I ALWAYS fill classic car tanks FULL each time, and zero the trip, then make sure I fill up again just before 200 miles. That way I never run out. This works with modern cars as well, and if... MORE
Bill, That is incorrect. The VIN/Chassis number is stamped on a plate screwed to the frame rail below the carbs. The number stamped on the shock mounting plate behind the right hand shock should match exactly. If not, somethings amiss. The number on the footwell below the bonnet hinge is a body number and has no real relation to the VIN number, though they are sometime close in series. BMIHT does not even record that number. I'm not certain what year they started it, but the right hand footwell, just in front of the crossmember, has the VIN number... MORE
Rob Sorry, I'm not sure what the performance difference will be on a straight swap. When I did this on a friends car I modified the cylinder head at the same time. It was a US spec 1500 Midget that my pal bought in Texas when he lived there for a year. For sentimental reasons he brought it back to the UK. It was totally gutless with all that emissions gear, low compression head and the bloody zenith! I skimmed about .050 off the head and ported it as well as fitting the SU's (I would have preferred HS4s... MORE
The valve seats on a standard 1275 Midget head are cast iron (i.e. they are cut directly into the head). If your head has steel seats then it has had inserts fitted at some point. Any head with inserts will be suitable for use with unleaded fuel without additive. Heads without inserts run on straight unleaded will eventually suffer valve seat recession. J "jamesbilsland" 7436... MORE
Hi Tim I also have a 66 but I have a good 30mm gap between the tail pipe and bumper (even though the tail pipe is angled upwards). I put the complete system on about a year ago, whole thing only cost about ?30 (from the B-Hive) and was easy to fit, so it's provably not worth paying to have yours modified. My advice would be to check the brackets, there should be one attached to the rear box and another one forward of the rear box near the spring hanger. If the bracket near the spring hanger is... MORE
I'm joining this one late and I've not read all the posts but.... You should be able to get the standard system to fit without rubbing. Try rotating some of the joins to make the pipe and boc alter their orientations. Fitting a sprite exhaust pipe is an art I'm still learning after 15 years of ownership. Jeremy '63 mk2 Sprite "Jeremy Cogman" 7386... MORE
Rob UK spec 1500 Midgets are fitted with twin HS4 SU carbs as standard equipment. If you can obtain that set up I can't see why you should need to cut anything as the US and UK bodyshells are identical. I once fitted twin HS2 carbs to a US 1500 (they came from a 1300 Spitfire). They fitted OK without chopping anything... James "jamesbilsland" 7343... MORE
