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Hi Michael Blanking off the pipes would do the trick and thats what I did initially. I used a couple of suitably tight fitting bolts held in place with jubilee clips...a very nice job or so I thought until the chilly Autumn came! "James" 31533... MORE
This all just goes to prove that we must be careful what we say on this list. Some people out there believe almost anything some people say. What fun! Hmmmmm...spacer under the head and a huge stroker crank....perhaps from a large block Chevy with 427 pistons? Could happen...Hmmmmm...! Cheers Bob in San Diego "Robert D. Gardner" 31566... MORE
Initially I thought it was the gasket, so I changed those. Then, when it still was leaking, I removed it from the fender well and the fluid was leaking out from the where the crank goes into the body. I only drive the beast in the summer. I have never had the heater on (I think the core leaks), so could I just come up with a couple plugs and seal off the hoses, thereby ignoring the valve altogether? "Michael" 31531... MORE
I have a 1979 Midget 1500. The heater valve is leaking. I assume it cannot be fixed. So, I am in need of a new one. I have tried Moss, LBC, Northwest, and Victoria. None have any. Can you offer any other sources I might check? "Michael" 31524... MORE
Trevor - The original motors are from (not sure of the years and model types) something like 61 to 64 Buick Skylark sedans (I believe mines a 64), I think how the story goes is after the Buick 215 V8 went out of production the tooling was sold to Rover and is now known as the Rover aluminum 3.5 litre V8. Some parts are interchangeable between the motors, I plan on using polished Rover valve covers. I have some photos of the car (complete with mouse nest in the engine compartment) if you are interested.... Later Rick B. "Rick... MORE
From: G & J Swann-Pric [mailto: swann-price@... ] Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 2004 1:20 PM To: midgetsprite@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [midgetsprite] Re: Heater valve A common mod is to replace the locally operated valve (ie one with the hand wheel attached on top) with a remotely operated one which are much more commonly available. The advantage of this is that you can then buy a control cable (either a heater control from say an early mini or a choke control for a Spridget - I've used a rotary control from a B in my car) mount it in a suitable... MORE
Ed, I actually agree with you , The proper way is to replace everything on the car with new items. That way you have no problems. !!!!!! On the other hand if money is tight ........ I think cleaning out , properly , is O.K. It depends what you need to spend money on. O.T.H. I didn't replace my secondhand cylinder block and sump , just gave them a good cleaning. Yet I have, in the past, heard of new parts being delivered with swarf or casting dentrite in them. I found what looked like a cast icicle in... MORE
Good point on this, Beckers....absolutely. "Overadvance" or too much timing will normally cause a "stumble" initially, "off-idle" HOWEVER....with a cam profile such as the VP3 (or Kent 286), it can be just the other way 'round wherein more initial advance (recurving) just may be the ticket due to poor scavenging along with relatively poor cylinder filling "off-idle"....and larger inlet valves along with higher lift rockers exacerbate the problem, IF indeed this is the problem in this particular case. We shall trouble shoot and find the problem!!!! :) Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 31421... MORE
Alan Hershaw....float level Bet you hit the nail on the head Alan, considering color of spark plugs under normal driving conditions. Too much fuel pressure can also be the gremlin. Webers (for the road) prefer about 1.5psi, but no more than 2.5psi even for highly tuned units. You MAY need a fuel pressure regulator? Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 31413... MORE
My son and I have finally finished the Sprite. Now we're work on some final tuning. The engine is a 1098 with a VP3 cam and 1.5/1 rockers, carbs have the rich needles and stiffer springs at Cap'n Bobs suggestion which I agree with. I can get it to idle at 1000 or so but when pulling away it sputters and stumbles. It will rev freely in neutral. Does anyone have an idea what the problem is? Ignition parts are new. Thanks. Martyn "Martyn Eastwood" 31400... MORE
Thanx, Chris.... Truck bed liner hits the nail (even better) right on the head. Have a guy not over a couple of miles away who does this work....definitely worth checking this option out...excellent suggestion. :):) Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 31393... MORE
you don't, you fit an eight port head - v. expensive bit of tuning kit! David "David Jacobs" 31371... MORE
James, A couple of points about the fact that lead was not introduced untl mid-30's (and then ommitted again during the war years. The lead does 2 things; 1. It "lubricates" the valve stems. This only became necessary as finer tollerances were introduced and engines ran at higher revs. Not critical for many of the earlier side-valve engines. 2. It reduces pre-ignition. Again much less of a problem on early low-compression engines. I have run an old 750 side valve engine on a mix of petrol and paraffin (kerosene) It was common practice during war year rationing in the... MORE
Nah. This is interesting, James... Lead was used as an additive to permit higher compression ratios than were prevalent back in the early part of the last century (omigod......I AM old!!:) It "delayed" the beginning of the combustion process, allowing gasoline to begin to ignite at a higher temperature (allowed for "anti-dieseling" or "run on" as it is more popularly known these days). Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 31300... MORE
Hi Ben Converting the head by fitting hardened valve seats is the only proper answer. I take the view that the worst that can happen by using unleaded is a valve buring out, in which case all that needs to be done is to have the hardened seats fitted at that point(and a new valve of course!) The additives are bad news as not only are they expensive but if the car is not used regularly it can form a gunge in the tank and clog up fuel pipes and jets etc. LRP hasn't been available where I live... MORE
James... Could not agree more with your take on "properly" going unleaded with respect to cylinder head, etc. I noted you were using "regular unleaded" before switching over to Shell Optimax. As I am in the USA we may be using the same words but with different meanings.... ...do I understand you to mean "regular" (as in low-octane unleaded) or "regular unleaded" as in "normally available at the corner pump" unleaded "hi-test" (aka "premium"). I think your gasoline is shown in RON at the pump "over there" while we utilize PON "over here". But adding about 3 numbers to... MORE
Hi, Ken... 1275's ran with no exhaust valve seals for better cooling (residual oiling) of the stems. Guess they figured the combustion gasses would be "outbound" in any case instead of "sucking" as in the case of the inlet valve. It would make sense to me to install the oil thrower concave side "in", convex side "out" but I haven't got the manual at hand and haven't built an engine in 20 years so I'll leave this one to another more "current" than I in this respect! :) Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 31272... MORE
The gasket set for my 1275 Midget engine came with 4 rubber "boots" which are oil seals for the inlet valve stems. The set also included 5 (!) of the small o-rings which I thought were for teh earlier 1098 motors where they were used on inlet and exhaust. Shouldm I be installing 4 of these o-rings on my exhaust valves in addition to the 4 boots on the inlet guides? The manual is ambiguous. Also, the manual says to install the oil thrower in the timing chest concave side out - then shows a picture of it installed... MORE
I don't think so, Tom. Considering what you paid, if it's in the decent mechanical shape claimed, I think you did OK for what you paid, personally. I owned a de-smogged '72 until a certain girl ran a Stop sign one night and her insurance co. put me into a new Fiat 1/9. Pull the head and shave it to bring the Comp. Ratio up to no more than 9.5-1, (mine was 10-1 but we had "manly" gas available at that time!:) and purchase a set of 1.75 HS4's suitably calibrated as in Stage 1 of the Special Tuning... MORE
Rob C Seems slow to me also. Bill French Hilton Head frenchww@... 31182... MORE
Your plans pretty much match up with what I am doing, Rick. I have the engine compartment pretty well taken care of as well as the front wheel wells. I used POR 15 on the compartment and the various metal shrouds and brackets. It is supposed to be very tough and it has a nice shine to it. Since my color is black the color match is not a concern. I still have some reconstruction to do around the rear wheel arches. The rocker panels are original and are rock solid. This is because since the time I bought... MORE
After 10 LONG years, I'm on the road!!!!! Drove about 145 miles (top down of course) today. I had forgotten just how much fun these cars are. Now I remember why I have worked so hard on the thing. The 5 speed from Paul A is nothing short of amazing. It completely transforms the car, all for the better. I will never own one without the conversion. Hard to describe what it is like to drive a "new" MG. In about a week I may be able to wipe this silly-ass grin off my face and then maybe, just... MORE
Hi, I added a photo of the clip I'm looking for in Jim Curtice's photos. Thanks, Jim Curtice "Jim Curtice" 31090... MORE
Building on what Duncan said, the book by Horler will list the colors and have some good photos. One place you can see chips/buy paint from the Autocolor library (www.autocolorlibrary.com). Another practical source for me is "Restoring Sprites and Midgets - An enthusiasist guide" by Grahame Bristow. He doesn't list every nut and bolt, but he does show the break down of many systems. One more place to look at paint listings is: http://www.mgcars.org.uk/midgetspriteclub/sprite/spritepaint.html Good luck. I'm doing much the same thing with my '61 Bugeye. Jim "JTMCO" 31041... MORE
Hi Jim you can get the P clips from Moss ok, I got some for my car and the parts are ok. Regards Ashley Hinton "Mr Ashley Hinton" 31024... MORE
