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hello everyone! I just joined your group! It seemed like a good thing to do considering I've owned a '69 Midget since 1995. So, let me explain to you why I'm here and then maybe I'll get on with asking a question or two. A long, long time ago I picked up my Midget for 300 USD from a kid who had bought the thing a year or so before and had never figured out how to make the thing run. I have worked on it on and off for years, occasionally picking up a part here and there... MORE


I read a couple of messages about towing but am still unclear. Here's my situation. My brother will be bringing me a 74 Midget I purchased in California to Colorado at Thanksgiving. I have 2 objectives:1)Safety 2)Money..maximizing the former, minimizing the latter. The engine and tranny are out of the car. The car rolls easily without any strange noises, etc.. My brother has a late model Nissan Pathfinder with a removeable hitch that is about 4" higher than the bumper. Questions:1)Can this be towed with a tow-bar set up? If so what kind of arrangement?, i.e., what kind of... MORE


Hi David, Here's a few tips for you. First of all, you don't need to dump your DGV and get another for the Datsun. Just get an adapter plate from Pierce Manifolds and it will bolt right up the the Datsun manifold. It's around $30-35 if I remember correctly., so yes I have done it before. (see my Morris Traveller page) The engine (yes Allen, it is heavier than an A-series, but not sure about the 1500) is good to around 300,000 miles if it has been properly cared for, so you might not need to rebuild, but you... MORE


David: I am in the very early planning stages to do the same swap, except that my engine is an A14. The sloppiness in the gearshift lever is probably the bushing that are in the lever where the bolt goes through it. The Datsun originals were plastic bushings that fall apart over time. They are available at the Datsun dealer, although the price is high to me, $7-8 for the two. Keep us posted on your progress. John "mg_john2" 15443... MORE


spridgetstein must be acceptable. No? could start a minor flame war and say something really stupid like "a later model Sprite is nothing but a Midget with fewer options and badges". But of course I would never say that. Nope, would be stupid and might even anger some among us. So am I ever glad I did not. =) Still, after not saying ""that"", spridgerstein does sound better the midgetstein or midgucla or even midgummy.. I'll stick with 'der beaste' and Breeze I & II. (and keep my fingers off the keyboard) sprite/spridget/midget.. all the same family. chuck n... MORE


Roger If by turret you are referring to the transmission tunnel then its painted red as in the colour of the body. Does this make a difference? Dermot "murraysport" 15255... MORE


Hi Chris Think you picked the wrong end of the stick.it is kind of similar to a bugeye but not as cute.more pointed and spitfire looking.(its not a spitfire front ive checked that) Dermot. fighting "murraysport" 15254... MORE


Yes. You have to pull the entire engine and transmission. That said, if you remove the starter motor you can see the edge of the flywheel- you may be able to feel it moving through there, but chances are it wont be loose enough to feel by hand. HTH Growler "Grant Bowyer" 15230... MORE


Guys: Just a quickie here as I've been working overtime and have little time for my favourite lists over the last 10 days. Whether one chooses Rivergate or Paul's conversion really makes little difference. Both kits have their pro's and con's but each has been perfected and both work perfectly well from everything I have heard from other users of both kits. I chose Rivergate before I knew Paul existed and therefore my personal knowledge is limited to Rivergate. I can vouch for excellent and pleasant service from the Perry's. They are top notch in all respects and a... MORE


Well then, I would still prefer the Morriservice kit. It uses the Datsun clutch and disc, which is available anywhere. The Datsun clutch is a 7" diameter as opposed to the 6.25 to 6.5 inch used in Spridgets. Gerard "gerardchateau" 15217... MORE


Many thanks for that Gerard. From a UK perspective I think Rivergate possibly makes a bit more sense as no flywheel mods are necessary. The rivergate kit now use the stock Spridget slave cylinder. J. "Jeremy Cogman" 15210... MORE


I bought a Rivergate kit earlier this year. I used my spridget clutch master and slave cylinders, just routed the line differently. Rivergate includes an adapter for the spridget slave cylinder. Works great. Rivergate also uses the Datsun throwout bearing and the Datsun throwout arm. The spridget pressure plate is used and a special clutch disc is used. Rivergate supplies a front yolk with bearings and crosspiece already installed. All you have to do is remove the spridget front yolk and install the new one on the spridget driveshaft. All in all the kit is easy to install and... MORE


Jeremy At the time I was comparing them a few years ago, Paul's kit used a Datsun clutch and the stock Spridget slave cylinder in a special mounting cradle. The Rivergate used the Spridget clutch and a Datsun slave cylinder from a Datsun truck. Everyone I know that used this setup had clutch problems of some sort. Paul's kit also located the starter in the postion matching the bell housing position, not the orginal A-series position. That meant you could use a gear reduction starter without having to drill the bell housing or use the stock starter with only... MORE


Nope, no links except pictures of installations on ny 72 and a couple Morris Minors. Morriservice is the originator of the 5 speed conversion may years ago. Contact Paul Asgeirsson at Pasgeirsson@... . He's in Portland Oregon. I do lot's of business with him and he's very reputatble. I prefer his kit over the Rivergate but they are very similar now. Tell Paul I sent you. Gerard "gerardchateau" 15196... MORE


My 67 Sprite has a frozen transmission which needs a rebuild anyway and was considering getting the conversion kit from Rivergate and hopefully find a used tranny locally to rebuild. I'm willing to rebuild it myself since I would have to rebuild one anyway to get my Sprite rolling. What engine RPM can I expect on 5th at around 70 MPH? Any conversion users around that can share their experience? Thanks in advance. "Yuchol Kim" 15187... MORE


David, A little easier to do in a 1975+ because the front crossmember redesign leaves more room for the engine at the crankshaft pulley. Gerard the Datsun B-210 engine and tranny will go in with a little "gerardchateau" 15137... MORE


Before I get under a car on stands I give it a good rock, if it moves then the stands need doing again and wild horses would not get me under there (not that we have many wild horses in Hampshire except New Forest Ponies of course, I digress). Front end of the prop shaft (driveshaft) is an internally splined tube that slides into the back of the gearbox onto a splined shaft. Can be a bit tricky to get back on as it's down the tunnel. Either put it back on before the box goes in or check... MORE


So despite some advices on taking the transmission, I decided to jack up the car to take a look to see if it was possible without taking the engine out. First of all, this is my first ever experience with these small cars. Man, it took some imagination jacking up the car both front and back. If I got the front lifted, the back got too low to get the jack underneath. So I had to go back and forth. Anyway, the transmission well looks too tight to drop it down without taking the engine out. My Sprite/Midget book... MORE


Peter, I assume you were holding the 'shift' key down while pressing '5' and also that the last character is actually a 'G' not a 9 (not the first time this has been transposed when copying from chassis plates or other documents) This being so, I reckon your car would have been built around May/June 1972 (The last 1972 model was GAN5-123644 built in June '72); though that would suggest it was hanging around more than a year before being registered which is a bit odd. There may be other clues to it's age, for example, are the quarter... MORE


If you achieve it you'' be the first in history (as far as we know!). Engine/trans in out in a day with one man and an engine hoist is very achievable. That said it's much easier with the bonnet off and that is a two man job! jeremy.cogman@... 15110... MORE


Anyone know where to buy a Continental Kit for a Midget? Or better yet, has anyone here built their own? I need more trunk space and love the look of the Continental Kit! I saw a pic of one somewhere on the net, but can't seem to find it. Any Ideas? Beladona PS- You were all right! There is no possible way to drop just the trans in a Midget! I saw why after I crawled under it! "beladona_13" 15103... MORE


Bought my first ever LBC, 67 Sprite, and want to get a good book on restoration. I was thinking of MG Midget & Austin-Healey Sprite: Guide to Purchase & D.I.Y. Restoration Lindsay Porter. Is this a good book or is there something else that's better? Also for those who own this book, does it tell you how to tune the engine, carb, transmission, etc? I noticed this is not a cheap book... "Yuchol Kim" 15004... MORE


A guy who runs a Sprite in the local autocrosses uses an enclosed U-Haul trailer. Not sure of the size. Since the transmission is stuck in third I would disconnect the drive shaft and push it into the trailer. Might take a bit of effort. Have you considered flat towing it? Assuming the brakes work. Martyn meastwood1@... Thanks everyone. Some reason, I'm having difficulty finding one though. Either they are too narrow, or too short (have walls around) or too big to tow with a Silverado 1/2 ton. Even got into an arguement with a rental guy over it.... MORE


I've read something similar with regard to the 'EP' additives in some hypoid gear oils. I can't remember the exact details, but I think the article said 'modern' transmissions such as in Spridgets would be ok, it was the various 'yellow metal' bearings in pre-war stuff that was likely to be affected. David "David Jacobs" 14969... MORE


I've just been talking to our oil sales rep . This was in regards to my vintage motorcycle but might also apply to Spridgets and frogeyes etc. I told him that I had put a 10/50 multigrade oil in the bike ' as a treat'. He asked me if it had any brass or phos. bronze bushes in it , yep, cam bushes and in the gearbox I said. He suggested that I removed it ASAP, because the additives in modern multigrades leach out a constituent of the phos. bronze and effectively destroys it. I have also found this... MORE