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Oh yeah, to answer the other question, they are maintained quite well. Oh, BTW, nice looking car, you may want to have a look at your roof, it looks like you have a few missing shingles.... maybe I should not of said that... LOL! Really, everything I have said can be found out on websites. I even found a website that has a list of everyone that was made and what had happened to it. The ones back in the day when Mr. Powers was shot down were known as U-2C models. Those were mainly used by the CIA.... MORE
I'm sure this subject has been discussed before but I'm equally sure you will forgive me for bringing it up again. I want to remove the rear axle housing and springs (as a single unit) from my 73 Midget. Where should I place the stands at the rear? Jim C 73 Midget 67 MGB "Jim Crowder" 28678... MORE
Surely sounds like something is causing incomplete clutch release. Since it sounds like everything hydraulic is okay, and you're actually pushing the release bearing far enough, them some possibilities could be: a broken or damaged release brg. These usually last well, but it is possible to break the carbon piece. Possibly the pressure plate has some broken or bent fingers, or is not bolted up straight or tight. The pilot bush could be binding or damaged, the trans input shaft could be bent or burred up. The flywheel could be warped. There could also be a foreign object, say... MORE
Good thoughts. Clutch fork is stock, unmodified. Pushrod is new. I think I am getting maximum clutch travel. When the clutch is not depressed, there is NO PLAY at the fork. As soon as pressure is applied to the pedal, the fork begins to move. That is why I think it is set up right. It is not a matter of it taking a stiff "pop" to get it into first. It grinds, and badly. Same for reverse, but less so. Also, WAY too much force is needed to drop it into second. Sure does act like SOMETHING is... MORE
Thanks for the kind reply. Been messing with these cars for 30+ years. Am more than willing to admit most on this list have forgotten more than I'll ever know..... Some years ago I raced an old Lola in the SCCA. Did a lot of messing with brakes. Quickly learned effect of different bores, etc on pedal pressure, movement, etc. It has been ten years since I've driven a Midget, but I can tell you for certain the problem is too serious to go away with "break-in". If this is the way the cars were when new, none would... MORE
Paul, Yes it will crunch going into 1st and reverse Yes it will be harder getting into gears when stationary The "bite point" on the clutch should be further from the floor so it may still need adjustment, But.... nothing beats driving it for a few hundred miles. It will shake any remaining air bubbles out of the hydraulic fluid. It will bed down any contact surfaces, synchro hubs, clutch and release bearing and it will ease the meshing of gears Drive it! Gets some miles under those tyres!! OK, wait till the snow has gone and then drive... MORE
Got everything hooked up, but since it is below zero ouside with 8" of snow, I decided to give the car a bit of a test inside the shop. Am able to shift into each gear, but considerable force is needed. There is a very distinct "crunch" shifting into first and reverse, less so in reverse. The take-off in each gear is smooth, but when the car is in gear with the clutch depressed, there is a substantial amount of noise coming from the tranny area. The clutch begins to engage right as the pedal is being released. The... MORE
Agreed...I was just about to say, Guy W. Assuming correct length rods and correct parts... Spridget clutch systems are notorious for this initial behaviour after initial (and more than just initial!) bleeding. I once left the slave cylinder very slightly open overnight and while there was still more than sufficient fluid in the MC in the AM, it still needed bleeding and we still got air out of it. Real PITA! Used it for a week during which time the level in the MC required slight filling periodically and the pedal moved up off the floor and all was... MORE
I wonder if someone can help me here. I have raised this issue before, and wish to bring it to the attention of 'The People who Know' For Christmas I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of Terry Horler's 'Original Sprit and Midget' which I have thoroughly enjoyed reading. On page 80 next to the Photo' of the dashboard, he states, with regard to Mk2 Midgets, that "The gear lever cowl was now painted black regardless of body colour." This appears to be contradicted in Clausagers book 'Sprites and Midgets - the complete Story' on page 101, where... MORE
David, OK - now explain exactly how you came across this web site !! LOL Is that an Allegro estate rear end sticking out of that skip ? Now there's an interesting LBC - square steering wheel. What was that all about ? Jim Lodder 1974 RWA Hampshire UK Jim Lodder 28521... MORE
Terrors aren't they? I silver soldered some repairs on my radiator about 28 years ago and it is still OK. No one is prepared to take the chance. How much are you having to pay for the new one Jim? Having looked at one of these overflow tanks (my car does not have one) it looks like it may be lead soldered as original (or it might just be the one I looked at) in which case you will have to lead solder it. The important thing if you do this is to increase the mechanical strength of the... MORE
Having looked at one of these overflow tanks (my car does not have one) it looks like it may be lead soldered as original (or it might just be the one I looked at) in which case you will have to lead solder it. The important thing if you do this is to increase the mechanical strength of the joint as well. Solder on its own will have a hard job holding it, because the split is quite wide. There are number of ways of doing this but there is no point in going into great detail if you... MORE
G'day all I have also had a Pertronix kit where the magnet wasn't a snug fit on the shaft. You can't leave it loose (obviously!) as your timing will wander. But you certainly can stick it on with some insulation tape under it on the shaft. We actually gummed it on with Blu-tak and it works fine. avagoodday Colin "Colin@SpriteParts" 28396... MORE
or if you are feeling brave, oil the dizzy shaft then put some epoxy putty inside the magnet and push it home. "Jeremy Cogman" 28399... MORE
Alan I can't give you a source for fibreglass frogeye rear ends, because I simpl =3D=0D y do not know of any company who makes them, although there are probably plenty about. I do know however that Paul Banham makes a 'Frogeye' replica kit, which is =3D=0D based on a mini 'donor' car and that the Frogeye outer fibreglass panels ar =3D=0D e exactly the same dimensions as the original Frogeye. It may be worth contacting them and asking them if they would be willing to sell the Frogey =3D=0D e rear end separately and if so what the... MORE
Hi guys As I mentioned in my last post about the Sebring Sprite Conversion, I'd upload some photo's of the car a guy restored, putting a fibreglass rear end on a 1973 Midget whilst retaining the Midget front end. This story was related in the June 1992 issue of Popular Classics Magazine. I've also uploaded a picture of the 'factory' prototype Mk II Sprite as shown on page 64 of Geoffrey Healeys book - 'More Healeys, Frogeye Sprites and Midgets', that the guy above used as inspiration. These photo's are viewable on the yahoo website, under photo's and in... MORE
Alan Well, you reply to my original reply, you make no mention of me in your rep =3D=0D ly, and you ask virtually the same question in your reply as I answered in my reply - I will therefore refrain from making any comment on your eyesight. It's not that difficult to replace the rear end of a Spridget with the rear =3D=0D end of a Frogeye if you do it with a one piece fibreglass rear, although as there' =3D=0D s no boot opening - it means having to crawl into the tiny opening from the cock =3D=0D... MORE
"Magnet rotates on shaft" To Geoff on autox. list: I will tell you...this is one I have not run into myself. The one I've got fits snugly... always did. So I've no clue. Methinks a phone call to PerTronix Tech. may be in order here unless some other listers know about this...maybe Rex or Colin on the Bugeye List?..... .....Guys...we've got a PerTronix wherein the "magnet" does not fit snugly on the dis shaft...seems it's free to rotate a couple of degrees (not the dist. shaft, itself) either way. Is this "proper" or "acceptable"? Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@...... MORE
Alan Hi and welcome to the list. You've got a couple of problems here, and as I don't know how much you know about Sprites and Midgets I'll try and explain as best I can. Now I may be wrong here, and I'm sure someone will correct me if I am, but =3D=0D the Red Sprite in the Sebring pictures look like its had a front Sebring Bo =3D=0D nnet fitted and a rear fibreglass Coup=E9 fitted. The Silver Sprite in the other p=3D=0D ictures, the one you prefer is in fact a Standard Frogeye Sprite with a Sebring... MORE
Steve Woohoo! Many congrats. I don't think I am ahead of you Steve, I'm just finishing off the final primer coats on the passenger side wing ready for colour - that will be the last 'bit' on the car that needs to be colour coated. I still have both doors, bootlid and bonnet to colour coat as well. I don't know if you have this book or not - 'Restoring Sprites and Midgets - an Enthusiasts Guide' by Grahame Bristow (Brooklands Books) but it really is a very useful book in terms of reassembly. It's been written with the... MORE
I remember all the cars in the 1970s that used lever arms. Always were crap, always leaked. You would replace them every year to get the car through the MOT. I think the problem with them is that they are doing two jobs, hold the geometry of the front suspension and provide the damping. I think that the up and down forces rotate the shaft and thats OK but the forward and backward forces from accelerating and braking for instance force the shaft against the seals and it leaks. The beauty of using telescopics is that the new bracket... MORE
you'd see them in the UK - with the advent of different weight allowances a few years back, a lot of articulated tractor units were converted by adding an additional non-powered load bearing axle with just two wheels either in front of, or behind the (single) driven axle, so two on the front, four driven wheels, two non driven wheels and eight on the trailer makes Don's 16! How far did you say you drove the Midget, Don? ;-) Regards David "David Jacobs" 28210... MORE
G'day Paul I'm not certain why you would want to fit tapered roller bearings. This has been raised quite a number of times in the past (perhaps before you were on the list) and see below for one of the more recent comments. avagoodday Colin We have had many discussions on the differences between the use of angular contact ball bearings, as used originally in Spridgets, and the use of any type of tapered roller bearing. Without launching into a complex and boring diatribe on the rights and wrongs of either type of bearing, the simple answer is that... MORE
Am considering installing tapered front wheel bearings. Any of you have any experience with this set-up? Do I still install the spacer? Anything different or special with installation? Thanks much. Paul "dfwip" 28131... MORE
If the 1inch travel is the full distance that the pedal is able to move through, this would be a BAD thing, And either: the pedal is starting very close to the floor before the clutch begins to disengage, or the pedal starts high, but is prevented from full travel by the slave cylinder piston hitting the circlip or other faults with the linkage. Guy "Guy Weller" 28087... MORE
