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Paul, The rust that you will see will only be surface rust, but depending on how long you let it stay wet and how long you leave the surface rust on will determine the depth of it. Surface rust is normally easily removed with just dry sand paper. I suggest that you get the surface rust off and get some good primer on it. For a small job you can get a pre-mixed shake can of self-etching primer at about any quality auto paint/body shop=85 but it is a little pricey compared to normal primmer paint. Regarding the tilt... MORE
David: No adjustment on anything but "toe" but camber can be changed via offset bushings or a set of camber "adjusters", etc. Fr'instance, I used a set of Nylatron offset "top" bushes purchased at Sports & Classics just up the road from me to get about 1 degree of negative camber per side on my Bugeye. These took the place of poly types which wore out within a year of installation and "squeaked" like hell once the initial dose of special grease disappeared. Everyone says don't use Nylatron on the street but I've had no problem with them since... MORE
at a guess, I'd say it was sucking air in somewhere else, too - worn butterfly spindle/bushes, or poor seal at the manifold joints? or possibly the air valve piston thingy is sticking a bit and not dropping down fully. Regards David "David Jacobs" 16216... MORE
Yes and no, Alan! Don't you love answers like that...clear as mud! Both Shorrocks and Judson are vane type blowers but, the Judson's vanes run an interference fit within the blower's bore as opposed to the Shorrocks who's vanes run just clear of the bore. While the Judson's bearings are self- contained and do not require oiling, it's vanes do considering their interference fit with the blower's bore. Thus, a "total loss" oil system is employed with it's own discrete oil supply to provide lubrication in this respect, which results in oil being ingested into the combustion process diluting... MORE
Gerard, Thanks for the information. I had no idea that it was that old. Want folks here to know that although I made fun about the plane in my post I did very much appreciate Mike taking me up in it. It was a special treat and I had a wonderful time, takes a special kind of person to fly a Air Coupe across Country as Mike has. It was the constant noise level that I found disconcerting as I have very sensitive hearing and dislike wearing ear phones of any kind. That said, the blue 62 Midget is... MORE
Hmm- The local Volvo pre-owned lot had a 1959 restored Bugeye in Leaf Green (new Black Interior) for sale here last year. Car was totally restored, new paint and rust-free. Floors and undercarriage were solid. Had a retractable antenna in the trunk and new tires, new rubber and painted wire wheels in excellent condition. The windshield was new and frame in excellent used condition as was the grille and other chrome. The top and tonneau were new along with used side curtains in excellent condition. Everything was in excellent shape. The original engine was freshly rebuilt and ran strongly.... MORE
Jon- Tach suddenly won't work (when it worked just fine before)? Sounds like a "mis-connect" or "no connect" somewhere along the circuit. Wire on the "correct" terminal of the coil? Cap'n. Bob (Ret'd) '60 Frog PilotRob@... 16116... MORE
I have a Zenith Stromberg mon my 78 Midget 1500. The engine was running a little rich, so I decided to rebuild it. Bad Idea! Nowit wont start without a screwdriver holding the plunger partially open. When it does choose to fire up it blows large quantities of black smoke and idles high. If you rev it up it doesn't idle down again. it will just keep revving up til it hits redline! (not that I have let that happen.) I have tried adjusting the needle depth, idle air adjustment screw, throttle bypass screw, and even put heavier oil... MORE
"Wider tires giving better turning and stopping" but worse handling on a Midget. You lose the feedback and controllability enjoyed by drivers of sensibly-tyred Midgets. As someone who enjoys driving my Sprite (as opposed to merely operating it) I will not recommend any tyre wider than 155. (Maybe 165 if you've got a modified 1275) "Lower profile tyres have lower sidewalls and therefore less sidewall flex which results in better handling." Usually because the rubber is the heaviest part of the wheel- less rubber = less unsprung mass, meaning the suspension can do its job better. One caveat is... MORE
Neil It seems to me IF you could find 14X6 wheels with the 4 hole 4" pattern and the proper ET that you could go to a 185/50 14 on a 6" rim. The problem is that with the additional grip Midgets often break front spindles and rear axles. So you would get increased performance at the cost of possibly breaking things. If you do go to 14s I'd love to see comparative Autocross times. I'm restricted by SCCA rules to a 13X6 wheels but If you are not restricted by racing rules you could beef up the suspension... MORE
Moss do a kit which does indeed use Mocal bits. I've had one fitted for years with no problems. IT bolts on in front of the rad. onto those two triangular platforms under the bonnet shut panel. If you fit one it's well worth fitting an oil thermostat as well because if your oil never warms up it will get dirty quickly. An oil temperature gauge is a good idea too. Might be worth fitting this first in case you don't need the cooler. Later Spridgets had spin on oil filters so just get one of those housings. Don't... MORE
I went to get the Park Avenue inspected today. My wife wanted the headlamps checked for alignment while I was there. A customer came in and commented on the old machine still being around. It seems that the headlamp alignment is no longer an item that is required in the inspection process. BUT!!! Isn't there always a but, and in this case, it is a BUTTHEAD, that helped this next addendum. The machine is not a needed item in an inspection station, but when the DPS comes in to inspect the station, it MUST have a red line on... MORE
I have also changed the rear springs and shockers from Moss. I use the car as you do. I have found a great difference,with no ill effects from the ride. What is the best part is that "She who must be obeyed",made comment as to how much more comfortable the ride seemed to be.Need I say any more! Gordon "Gordon Denson" 15832... MORE
Don, i just replaced my 1/4 eliptic springs last week. I used the "rally" springs because the other original springs were unavailable. I am quite pleased with the ride they deliver now. They seem stronger than the old springs, but, I figure the old ones were so worn that there HAD to be a noticeable difference. I am now in the process of puting gas tube shocks back there to replace the armstrongs. That should make it even nicer. One thing I did notice is that now my car sits about 2" taller in the rear. ( no more... MORE
I need to replace the springs on my MK1. Moss Motors only carries the 10 spring rally spec. ones. My question is what is the difference other in number of springs between the stock 15 spring set and the rally 10 spring ones? What would the ride difference be? I drive mainly around town and the city streets here are awful so too stiff a suspension would become very tiresome. Don (bouncing about town in his merry MK-1) "Don May" 15830... MORE
Hi All My friend has had his C reg Midget in for an MOT recently and it failed because it wasnt showing a vin plate. Correct me if im wrong but do early cars have to show a vin plate? If so where should it be located,or failing that where should the chassis number be located. I have looked around the body with no luck,someone said it could be on the drivers door b post but its not there either. Hope someone can help me. Thanks Dermot. "murraysport" 15781... MORE
Best to ask the expert: Peter C. at nosimport@... 'cause it depends what you want from the shocks in terms of utilization. Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 15779... MORE
Gas pedal is nearest the outside Bob 60 RHD AN5 TAMPA MTGBRKR1@... 15775... MORE
A guy I work with asked me a question the other day that I couldn't answer. I'm sure this group can. I know that cars in the UK had right hand drive so that you shifted with the left hand but are the pedals reversed as well? That is, is the gas nearest the transmission tunnel and the clutch nearest the door, like left hand drive cars? Although I've seen RHD cars before, I must admit that I never really looked that closely. "coachbad" 15762... MORE
Years ago I had a simple device for doing just this. If I remember correctly it was like plactic pliers. You connected one side to the coil output and the other to earth. As you opened it up the gap increased and a pointer moved across a scale marked in thousands of volts. Make coil spark and open the the gap up until thespark could not jump the gap and read off the voltage. Another interesting item I cannot find now. Terry "Terry Isherwood" 15717... MORE
I'm going to be getting a Bugeye in the near future and will be configuring it somewhat like an early vintage racer. I would like it to have have wire wheels. I've asked the list before and I've gotten two distinctly different responses. Response one is, you must use an early quarter elliptic rear end from a wire wheel spridget since the wire wheel shafts are shorter and will cause big problems. Response two is, if your not going to race, simply exchange the disk wheel axles with wire wheel types and don't worry about the difference in length.... MORE
Dave- Bob will have no use for a barber by the time he "lands" after checking the second coil! :) Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 15694... MORE
As a matter of interest does anyone know what steps are taken in 'rebuilding' shocks. terry "Terry Isherwood" 15706... MORE
John, The chassis includes two doors, both fenders, the valance and the hood. The trans tunnel has been cut but the piece is still with the car. If you come after it and leave me the axles and diff, you can take the rest. If you want the axles and diff already out then it would be $75 Regards, Tom Speed www.MGRacer.com Charlotte, NC '76 Midget (Son's Restored Toy) '66 Midget (SpeedRacer) '84 Chevy S-10 (Tows SpeedRacer) '98 Eclipse Spyder (Wife's Toy) '98 Chrysler Lowered Floor Conversion Van (Tows Me) "Tom Speed" 15646... MORE
You could connect the car to a 'Sun' or Crypton tuner/analyser thing or you can get a fairly cheap little gizmo called a flash tester that connects into an HT lead, it has a movable gap, so you measure the largest gap the spark will jump across, and this is dependant on the voltage (I think the thing might even be calibrated in KV) You could also improvise one, but don't say I told you and don't hold onto it while playing! (This reminds me of a story I heard about someone who, when checking for a spark at... MORE
