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Can you wait for the lettering spacing. I am having new outer sills fitted and the new ones do not have holes for the letters in them so I am recovering the old sills and going to make a paper pattern for the fixing holes. I will reference the front top and bottom of the sill on it. Then scan it in and anyone can have it. My master plan was to stick the paper on the sill with wall paper paste and drill through for the fixings then soak off the pattern. Terry "terry.isherwood" 24660... MORE
According to what I have read many times, both groups were ordered to work independently, but the secretly broke the "rule". Gerard The except below is from the Midget Sprite Club site, attributed to (c) Mick. S. Maguire M.I.E.E.E "1961 saw the introduction of the replacement for the Sprite Mk I, the car had undergone a major restyling. The front end was restyled by Healeys at Warwick along more traditional lines: the one piece front end of the frogeye was gone, being replaced by a more traditional layout of fixed front wings and a separate bonnet. The rear end... MORE
First is to do with the lower rear curved bits of the rear wings just underneath where the rear light lenses fit, I'm referring to the later style rear not the Frog/Bugeye one. Should this lower rear curved area have a vertical seam joint in it? Where the rear wing is attached to the rear apron? Mine had filler covering this up and I'm not sure whether this rear join seam should be visible there or not. Remember I want my car to lok as original as I can get it ; ) Second question is regarding the Midget... MORE
I have to admit to toying withe the idea of fitting the midget bonnet and wings to my frogeye temporarily, as there was one car built like this. In all fairness the fact the Mk2 sprite and Mk1 midget came out as well as it did is quiet amazing when you find out the front end was designed by Healey and the back end by MG.. allegedly they did not collaborate either.. (I suspect the truth is different!) Stewart "Ford Prefect" 24642... MORE
No, No, No! The Spridget sare unibody constructtion and as long as no structural panels are removed, the car does not flex (as in the Big Healeys or MGA's). The curve in the frame is that way to set the wheel castor. The frame will not straighten out when the engine is back in, nor should anything be done do accomplish same. That will permanently ruin the car! Sheesh, for a purist, you should know this!...'-) Gerard "gerardchateau" 24614... MORE
I figured the only politically correct thing to do was spend all this time restoring the bugeye bonnet to put on my 74. Don "Don May" 24637... MORE
It probably makes no measureable difference. The structure of these cars is quite strong, and the engine/trans weight is not far from the front axle centerline, so I doubt there is any change in panels fit you would be able to see. The factory certinly didn't care, and with even slight effort, your car will be straighter than when it was new... "Jeffrey Holmes" 24604... MORE
A quick update on the progress of the Midget. I've got primer coats on the underside, a coat of stone chip and seam sealer on the seams. I decided to turn the car over and continue with the primer coats on the other panels rather than complete the underside with top coat, turn it over and put the wheels back on. It suddenly struck me while I was prepping the engine bay for paint, that with the engine in, the body alignment may be slightly different. The question therefore is this - should the two outer wings, bonnet and... MORE
Ummmmmmmmmmmm yeah ! Don, I have a simple philosophy regarding these cars, if I want a messed about ugly utility vehicle that gets me from A to B I'd buy a modern car that never breaks down, has every modern gadget known to man and looks like an alien spaceship under the bonnet (hood). I, however, admire and enjoy the simplicity of Spridgets warts and all and therefore cannot understand the need for certain owners to mess them about making them more 'usable and modern' in their use. If you want a reliable bland unemotive 'get me from a... MORE
Greetings, As fall draws closer, I have started to think about starting the body work on my Midget. I'm leaning toward using a chemical stripper (this is an assembled daily driver). I will be doing one section at a time. My plan was to strip the finish to metal. Apply etching primer and a sealing primer. Then later in the winter (after the entire car finish has been stripped) start on the body work. Here is my question: Has anyone had any experiences with enviro friendly paint stripper like: http://www.eastwoodco.com/itemdy01.asp?T1=10410&Dep_Key1=Paint (Eastwood DeKote stripper) Thanks in advance for any feedback... MORE
Oh, yeah.... My BE is now lipless as well...and horizontally "seamless" in the front as well....grille is painted black....looks cool! :) Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 24571... MORE
Nigel is most likely wishing he is having a nightmare and will wake up to a world without pinstripes, racing stripes and other so called auto adornments. What I find offensive are all those things "tacked on" to an "original" design to satisfy American auto safety laws. First the side markers and lights . . . tacked on, breaking beautiful clean surfaces and lines. Then those awful rubber boxes "tacked on" the front bumpers of the 74 looking like the car had hit a UPS truck full of black boxes. Then, followed by even worse crimes against automotive design... MORE
Don, My 75 Midget was originally Brooklands Green and had narrow gold double pinstripes along the body sides just below the level of the door handles. I am certain they were there from new especially as they are very tough to remove. Rob C robbiesg@... 24546... MORE
Rob, that is were the double pinstripes on my 73 are located, just below the door handle between the handle and lock. White double ones that have sort of a half arrow shape at the front. I have an original British Leyland sales brochure for the 74 midget however it does not list pin strips as an option. Don "Don May" 24551... MORE
Do you all prefer Moss Motors or Victoria British Columbia for body part and accessories? I need the chrome, the interior panels, the turn signal needs to be repaired as does the horn. virgina '65 "Virginia" 24511... MORE
"Self-centered as usual...." Ah, well Don May...no way 'round this I am afraid.....for it "is written" if it "moves" and the cat is not otherwise engaged (sleeping, eating, grooming and/ or important stuff like that), then "it" must be chased.... As to when to get rid of a BE bonnet...when panel seams start rusting again. At that point I go fibreglass, Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 24518... MORE
I trust all the purists out there have their nitro glycerin pill handy. A group member observed upon seeing my bugeye bonnet photo that I have a lot of new metal to replace with new and weld in place of the rusted metal on the edges of the bonnet . . . I am thrilled that my MIG welding skills have progressed to a point that I tack welded the side panels back on after having removed them to work the fenders back to a fair semblance of their original state . . . weld sheet metal . .... MORE
SAUCON VALLEY TEASE RALLY Philadelphia Region SCCA - Brandywine Motorsports Club - South Jersey Region SCCA Saturday, September 13, 2003 Start at Copperhead Grill along Route 378 south of Bethlehem (Due to football games at both Lehigh and Moravian on September 13, we have had to make this an early rally, so that we will be finished before the football crowd.) Time/Speed/Distance rally of approximately 60 miles through the historic Saucon Valley of Lehigh County, PA. Only paved roads will be used. The rally is designed to be first-time friendly. It will include easy route following instructions, basic TSD... MORE
Thanks for the info Gerard, and here's what I did... I measured the "at rest" distance between the mounts to be 12", but I didn't know at the time to note the tie-rod angle. I picked up the front end of the car, upper arm dropped against the rubber stop, and measured 13.5". Set the car back down gave a tape measure to my daughter and asked her to measure how much the car was moving up and down as I stood on the two front frame extensions jumping up and down myself. Don't laugh=85 it worked. My results... MORE
Hello Group. Just started to rebuild a mk2/3? midget. Stored in dry conditions for 9 years, from elderly relative. Main bodywork panels repaired or replaced. Engine out, with other various components etc. Where do I start first? A list of your top ten major jobs to do first!!!!! That should be enough to frighten me, before we get started. Regards Sue & John Daniells Lincolnshire England "Sue" 24477... MORE
Welcome Sue, To add to Bob's suggestions. Often oxidation on electrical connections is a major problem with cars that are old and particularly if they have sat for long periods of time. There are many spade wire connectors on the backs of switches, gauges, lamps and the wiring harness has many bullet in line connectors, in black insulation tubes. At minimum pull off and push spade connectors back on, or bullet inline connectors apart and back together several times to break the surface crud. Spray with some WD40 before and after you do this. If they look very oxidized... MORE
Hi Drew, I don't know if this is a help or an answer to your question, but I think I would approach it this way. You want your tie rod ends to be as straight (horizontal) as possible at rest. This is for something callled "bump steer". The more angle you have to the tie rods the more toe-in/toe-out you will have as the cars rises or drops. You'll know your upper limit (chassis rising- wheel drop) by your bump stops. Racer's (at least Chuck's blue #50) had adjustable bolts used as bunp stops to limit travel. Lower limit...... MORE
In the process of checking out the clutch slave cylinder linkage I reached up to move aside the ground strap a bit to have a better view. The strap is from the lower clutch slave cylinder bolt to the chassis frame, the normal original configuration. It appeared to be a full strap, although covered with oil and dirt as they often are. A gentle push and it moved aside in two pieces, only a few strands were left under the dirt and oil and they parted under the least amount of pressure . . . Nothing can be taken... MORE
Hi all- New to forum. Finishing a ten year restoration (aren't MG's like a fine wine?) on my '73 Midget. The door catch/lock on each side is worn. Found striker plates at Moss and Vic Brit but cannot find new catches. Any ideas? Thanks........ Paul "dfwip" 24452... MORE
G'day Bill, Don etc The barrel of the boot lock is different to the doors and the ignition. However the same key should fit. You can remove the barrel from the boot lock - but only if you have the key!!!!!!!!! Otherwise the tumblers jam behind the chrome dress piece that the key fits into. When you inset the key, the tumblers withdraw into the barrel and the barrel can be removed. After you have removed the lock pin. Which you get to after you have filed off the crimps and removed the cover for the retaining spring. Assuming... MORE
