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Nige et al I used the same method for removing the 'frozen' piston in the brake calipers. Method clamp the the piston in the caliper half where the banjo fits. Wrap the caliper in a rag with some plced where the disc would be. Cut the rubber hose and apply airline. First mistake using workshop pressure at 6 bar (80psi) the resulting BANG brought all the technicians out of the test cells to see what the h*ll was going on (or off as the case may be). Use reducesd airline pressue for other calipers. The remaining piston can be... MORE
Anyone out there wanting a COMPLETELY rust free 79 Midget?? BTW, NO FINANCIAL INTEREST!! This is just too cheap to let go past without telling you guys. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2485001583 Ok, there is a bit of surface rust in the boot, between the spare the the rear panel, but the A pillars, rear wings, and front wings, are all in excellent shape. The floors are also nice and clean, the undercoating still all intact, not peeling anywhere that I noticed. As you all know, I don't normally seek out these cars, but....... I was out doing the yard sales today in... MORE
Stewart, Does that mean that by changing the spring pan, you might be able to adjust the ride height of the front end? This is the first time I have heard of this. Cheers, Bob in San Diego "Robert D. Gardner" 33118... MORE
Early rubber bumpered cars have the 9.85" springs, or at least mine does. A pparently they changed the spring pan on the shell to raise the height, bu t later the lengthened the springs.. unknown if they altered the cross memb er on the shell again. Stewart "Ford Prefect" 33117... MORE
Don Non RB front springs would be springs for chrome bumpered cars! And if you're considering this option (which seems a reasonable option) don't forget the bolts that hold the A frame spring pans in place are high tensile steel, so if you need to get some longer ones, which you will do, get longer high tensile ones. Nigel "amukdigiphoto" 33107... MORE
Thanks Bob, A thought just came to mind. My stock 73 rwa is a full inch and a half lowe r than my 74, now with the bugeye bonnet. I think perhaps a PO installed ne w springs at some point on the 74 as they look fairly new which makes me wo nder if he installed later model springs by mistake. Would you, are anyone else on the list, happen to know what the actual length measurements of th e uncompressed springs are for the early chrome bumper midgets and for the later rubber bumper model midgets are... MORE
The 'UG' part of the chassis number tells us it's a 1976 model year car, and the actual number 169542 indicates it would have been made in late '75. The engine number prefix FP says it's a Midget engine, not a Triumph Spitfire or 1500TC/Dolomite saloon engine. The suffix UE means North America (except California). Regards David "David Jacobs" 33102... MORE
Biff, PS I checked out your web site . . . The first new car I bought in my life was identical to your "old grey" also was black body, red interior, and with white walls tires. Wish I had better photograps of it. The only surviving photo is from the front of the door back :-( I traded in my 59 bugeye on it. When young you think that is trading up now I would gladly trade in my 74 rwa for a bugeye. :-) Don "Don May" 33097... MORE
Hi and thanks Bill, My problem is that the wheels are not centered in the fender cutouts as the body now rides high relative to the wheel hub centers so low profile tires would lower the whole car but would still leave the wheels in the same relative position to the body. Don "Don May" 33096... MORE
Hi guys, been a while since I posted last. My "Spridget" project, bugeye bonnet on a 74 rwa midget, is nearing completion and is actually on the road now. Still in its beautiful primer gray color :-) However . . . without the weight of bumpers, window mechanisms, wind wings, and lighter front end weight the body rides about two inches higher than I would like, in fact looks a bit strange because of the body hight. Would like to lower overall at least 1 1/2 - 2 inches. Would appreciate lowering suggestions. Anyone cut off the front spring... MORE
Don, You can lower the front buy installing non RB front springs and if that dosen't lower it enough put in spacers between the spring pan and the A-arm. Spacers can be made from some thick (1/4") wall pipe/tubing and longer mounting bolts. Cutting down the front springs would be my last resort. For the rear a spacer block between the axle and spring. The spacer would be a block the width of the spring with a locating stud on it's top to fit the upper spring plate and a hole in the bottom to clear/locate it on the... MORE
Nigel, To futher what Mr. San Diego offered, I have used a 2 ton come-along (hand winch?) to move the motor. My garage has a steel "I" beam instead of a 2 x 4 frame but the concept is the same. I have found this works rather well and is cheap. FYI-Midget motors are quite sturdy and survive falls well. Don't ask. Rob C Webfoot Leisure.com rob@... 866-530-9801 toll free " robbiesg@... " 33089... MORE
Nigel, You are welcome to mine, do you want to come and get it or should I bring it over to you... Cheers, Bob in San Diego P.S. In the past I have just taken a 4 by 4 and placed it under the ceiling in the proper spot and wedged a 2 by 4 under each end to hold it up. Could also make a simple 2 by 4 "A" frame at each end but that takes two more boards. The lump is not very heavy and the strength of a 2 by 4 when it is vertical... MORE
Is it possible it was the correct panel for a September onwards 1974 1275 midget? as I believe a lot of these have 1500 floor pressing.. Stewart "Ford Prefect" 33061... MORE
I have someone in England that wants to repatriate my steel Bugeye bonnet. Anyone know a source that could provide such service? Gerard gerard 33062... MORE
Headline...local British newspaper.... The local British car restorer known as Nigel was accidentally killed yesterday morning by an unknown missle of some sort which penetrated not only his body, but the wall of the cement garage in which he was working. The missle has not yet been found however, he was at the time working on some sort of hydraulic part which suspiciously appears to be missing it's piston. Police are looking into all evidence and are at this point seeking a certain Aussie currently known to them only by the name "Colin", who wrote Nigel telling him to... MORE
Nigel, I think the point was that it was a pressing, made as a "universal fit" repair panel, designed so as to fit either 1500 or earlier models, though not identical to the original production panel for the 1275. On mine the depressions are pretty well hidden by the front number plate anyway. Guy "Guy Weller" 33056... MORE
I never said that! It is an original BL part, sold for that application, but it just happens to have been revised at some stage, like many other parts - for example the 'original' brake pads you buy won't be the same compound as they would have been in 1971 (and I'm not shelling out 162.31 + paint and hassle for a new nose cone!) Regards David "David Jacobs" 33054... MORE
Steve Thanks for your reply. I have managed to unseize the slave cylinder, I'll see how it 'scrubs up' before deciding to reuse it. Regarding the windscreen, are you referring to putting the windscreen on the body - or actually getting the rubber seal into the frame itself? I've managed to get the seal into the frame after the tip from Brad - it worked ok, hard on the thumbs tho! I now need a source for a pillar seal, as I have a new one for one side, but not the other and Moss say its now NLA!... MORE
Guy It sounds like it, because that panel (with the depressions) is not correct for a 71 Sprite - it's the pressing for the 1500 as David explained. Nigel "amukdigiphoto" 33045... MORE
Cap'n I don't consider 65 bucks to be inexpensive - clearly your value of money is different to mine ;) But I do hear what you're saying. I did manage to un-seize it as it happens, perserverence pays off - sometimes! I'll clean it up and reassemble and then see how it looks - but from initial inspection it looks ok to be re-used. I'm doing that today. As no-one gave me a tip on what colour it was, I'll paint it the same as the gearbox housing. Nigel "amukdigiphoto" 33042... MORE
My '71 Sprite has those 2 depressions - not fully stamped through as cut outs - but the same shape. I thought it was an original panel but as the car had gone through several colour changes (Green - Black -Red) before I got it could have had a front-end repair Guy "Guy Weller" 33041... MORE
Second that, buy a new one. The cost to PITA ratio here is to high to rebuild. I tried to respond to your question yesterday on fitting the seal for the windscreen from work, but I got bounced as the email address was not registered. What I did was place a piece of nylon mason's line under the windscreen then work it up against the seal pulling it into place. We tried other methods but this was the easiest, and did the least damage to the new paint. Steve Quandt "smquandt" 33039... MORE
Hi guys I've started on cleaning up the gearbox, and removed the clutch slave cylinder, which seems seized solid. Anyone got any ideas on how to 'unseize' it? Also what colour was the slave cylinder painted - same as gearbox body? tia Nigel "amukdigiphoto" 33035... MORE
David Everythings fine thanks! I just don't get on here much these days, not through unwillingness, but as I read the posts on the webpage, for some reason it's often unavailable, which is a pain! Car's coming along nicely, doors fitted and built up, bumpers on loom in, some lights fitted, starting to look like a car again! Nigel "amukdigiphoto" 33008... MORE
