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Mike writes: "Maybe the beast is supposed to feel like a go kart going down the road" You got it...that's exactly right. But, not "wondering" down the road, assuming the surface is smooth. It should go exactly where YOU point it and NOT the other way 'round. It should never feel as though the "tail is wagging the dog". On rougher surfaces the car will "move" sideways in a controlled manner as it "skips" over rougher pavement but it should never "wonder" or feel "loose", despite the fact road shock may be transmitted to the steerng wheel. Any "wondering"... MORE
Uhm, I forgot the original question. :-) If your car doesn't have excessive bounce, then what was your concern? Does it drift excessively when hitting a bump in the curve? Is the front loose in all turns? Does it wander on staight and flat roads? Has the front end ever been rebuilt? Does your steering rack have play? Let's see if we can find another topic to "discuss". Maybe we should start another thread if you feel there is still something amiss in car's handling. Another thought: What if the PO put too heavy of an oil in the... MORE
"I would suggest....Datsun 5-speed" Food worth thought, IMHO. Yes...the 5 speed simply "transforms" the car....for sure! Peace and quiet of operation, fully synchro with slightly lower first three gears for xcellent acceleration, while retaining the normal 1-1 4th and engine/fuel saving "overdrive" 5th. And "rebuilt" boxi available for 1/2 the cost of "stock" box (not that you'll probably ever need one considering the HP/torque of the original 210 the box was designed for....but, in the event!:) Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 23777... MORE
Don It's extremely difficult to tell from those pictures the age or model, as by the looks of it, as you said, it has a mixture of parts from Sprites and Midgets on it, and you can't be sure what was original on that car. You have to make certain assumptions, and as this list has ably demonstrated in the past, assumptions are dangerous. It has a Sprite badge on the back, a Midget Grille on the front and Austin Healey Hub caps. If the boot handle is correct, this dates it to after October 1961 when it changed.... MORE
A follow up on the steering wheel lock clicking. The lock plunger knocking back and forth in the slot on the steering shaft formed sharp ridges on the top edges of the slot which when the steering shaft turned wore down the softer aluminum housing enough that the steel plunger was left slightly above the level of the surround housing and it was catching momentarily in the steering column slot as the steering shaft turned. I removed the steering column and rather than drill out the break off bolts took my Dremal tool and used a small thin cut... MORE
Actually I purchased a 1977 MG Midget for my wife for a graduation gift. It really is a nice car and I'm sure we'll have many hours of enjoyment riding around the country side. But alass, the first problem has cropped up, or should I say problems. When I tried the car out the clutch grabbed close to the floorboard. Not a big problem I thought due to the fact I hadn't driven it before and wasn't sure what was normal. Within a short period of time and not much driving it seems that I am having problems shifting... MORE
After stripping off the front end outer metal work and cleaning the engine compartment I discovered there is a crack in the transmission bell housing. The tab like area at the top of the clutch bell housing where the top two bolts are located has a horizontal crack below them.. It does not appear to be a major structural problem once the transmission bell housing is bolted on as all other areas and bolts are sound. It looks like an easy in place weld job. Is it possible to weld the aluminum housing material? Some PO strangeness as usual... MORE
Does anyone have the measurements between the 6 points on the shocks on a 1975 midget. I live in a very small town and the body shops here don't have any type of information on mg's. My midget has more problems than I first thought. I replaced the negative camber bushings in the lower a-arms with a new set of stock ones, checked the distance between the lower a-arms after buying a shop manual from Moss, checked the spindle, and removed and checked the shock mounts to see if they had been played with and still have too much... MORE
Does anyone have the measurements between the 6 points on the shocks on a 1975 midget. I live in a very small town and the body shops here don't have any type of information on mg's. My midget has more problems than I first thought. I replaced the negative camber bushings in the lower a-arms with a new set of stock ones, checked the distance between the lower a-arms after buying a shop manual from Moss, checked the spindle, and removed and checked the shock mounts to see if they had been played with and still have too much... MORE
"I am building a 1275 to the specs of my 1340 Cooper S that I had in the UK. I had the cam ground close to the 731 cam that I had in that motor. It will have a big valve head and cooper s distributor. It is .030 over. I have several leather hides and decided to cover all panels and dash with that. I put floors, lt rocker and A post piller sections back in it plus a new bonnet. (Since buying a bonnet I bought a 68 with an excellent bonnet for $400.) Oh well. All... MORE
Jim.... Best and easiest way to get this right PDQ....call these people tomorrow AM and they will guide you correctly... www.nisonger.com 3 hour diff. in time, of course!! :) Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 23375... MORE
Hi I think I might be to late put my two pennyworth in. I have just done the very same job on my Mk1 Midget and it is exactly the same.The rear end was fixed to a point behind the trim with a self tapping screw.The frount and had a small bracket that fixed around the trim and bolted to one of the nuts that are attached to the padding on top of the dash.As far as the trim around the door space is concerned this is fixed by little clips with barbs on them that clip on to... MORE
Don't! If there is water in it you need room for a header - for expansion - and that means all the hoses etc to give proper circulation, and you will be able to run it only for a few moments, and if there is not a header - how much money did you say you want to throw away on an unnecessary rebuild? On the other hand, why not take it apart and have a peek whilst you are there and save all the trouble and aggravation! Just a look inside the rocker cover will give you a... MORE
Colin, I agree with you. There is one advantage that I can think of though, and that is that with discs there is less travel to take up between the pads and disc than there is with cylinders and drums. Should give a better and firmer pedal. Seems a long way round though to get this result! Guy "Guy Weller" 23271... MORE
G'day all Gotta ask - why?????? Under heavy braking, when the weight transfers to the front, the rear brakes lock up with the standard drum brakes fitted. I get slower as I get older (or so my bride tells me), but perhaps someone can explain to me why locking up the rears sooner (by using disc brakes) is an advantage. Personally, I enjoy power oversteer, but don't cherish disappearing backwards into the shrubbery under hard braking. Of course I have seen a few people fit rear disc brakes. Guess what they fit next. A brake biassing valve (usually off... MORE
Heh, heh.... Well, Terry.. ......if he's capable of doing his own machining then it's basically his time and not really the money that is at stake. With a proper biasing valve it should work. Different strokes for different folks, I guess. I, too, find the stock brakes pefectly adequate. Wonder what it'll be like when he hits the pedal in the rain? Probably have to crank in a little more bias to the fronts, I would imagine. Which will probably defeat the whole purpose of discs in the back for superior stopping in the dry? Maybe he'll make page... MORE
Terry, I am running a narrowed Vega 3.36 posi rearend in my Sprite. It has drum brakes, the emergency brake mechanisms of which are actuated by cables in sleeves as you might expect. I was able to adapt the stock E-brake lever mechanism quite neatly with some fabrication. The stock e-brake linkage on the rear axle was not useful to me. SO... if in the event that your friends disk brake E-brake setup is cable actuated, I can provide details and/or some digital photos. Let me know if needed. Chow. Hamondale "hamondale" 23248... MORE
I think we need a little more detail. However a weird thing you need to know is what happens at each end. The rear of the seal comes off the seem and is trapped behind the rear trim panel, much cheaper than the fancy moulding used on later cars. The front end disappears under the dash though I can't remember how it is held. "Jeremy Cogman" 23241... MORE
G'day Bill Use ordinary auto electrical wire and wrap it tightly around 1/4" pipe (or screwdriver shaft). It will become, and remain, curly. Or you can just loop the wire around the steering column 2 or 3 times, loosly. It will tighten up a bit when you turn one way, and loosen when you turn the other way, but it still works just fine. avagoodday Colin "Colin@SpriteParts" 23214... MORE
On the unit I have there are three bend over metal tabs holding the case sections together. Carefully bend them up to pull the unit apart. There may be some resistance at the float shaft end that looks like a slotted screw to pass through the hole, a little cleaning there and you can pull the case apart enough to remove the brass spring. I also rubbed the ends of the spring on fine sand paper and cleaned the case surface around the shaft hole where the spring contacts the case and the surfaces of the round bushing next... MORE
Hi guys You may have noticed I've been rather quiet regarding posts to the list lately, thats soley because I've been beavering away on the Midget restoration, and making the most of the good weather. I'll bring you up to date on where I am. I'm glad to say that about 90% of the structural welding is now complete and includes two new floorpans, two new inner and outer sills, two new inner footwell side panels, two new lower hinge repair sections and outer covers, two new lower rear inner and outer wing repair sections, localised repairs to both... MORE
Easy, Just position the winder on the spindle so that it is out of the way in the fully up position and in the fully down position. It can be done. I have long legs so if it can work for me it should be able to work for some of the more vertically challenged as well - perhaps - unless YOU know different etc. etc. :-) :-) R "Roger Stinson" 23113... MORE
Electric Windows???? How much torque and HP do you think you are dealing with here? And your life is not complicated enough, already? Heh, heh, heh, heh!! Simply reposition the winder upon it's shaft (per another lister's excellent advice) and stay with the KISS principle....you'll be glad you did! :) (When Frank C.'s electric windows fail, he just gets another set of doors off one of his other cars and begins all over again!!:) Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 23102... MORE
Need some help on this. I intended to rebuild my clutch master cylinder so I looked in the Haynes 1275/1500 comic book. It says to remove the pedal box cover remove the cotter pin and pin and than remove the master cylinder nuts. How does someone remove the lower nut without taking off the entire pedal box along with also removing the brake master cylinder. Not so simple a job. Is this the only way to get at the nut. Dougp77 Michigan. "dougple" 23062... MORE
Mike Thanks just about what I thought. The pedal box could use some work so it looks like out it comes. Thanks Doug "Doug Pletcher" 23064... MORE
