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Dear Listers, Based on traffic lately I don't know who's out there but here goes anyway: My brake light switch has passed on. Ordered a new one from Vicky B and have run into a problem. The manuals I have (Haynes and Official Shop) want one to unscrew the pedal box surround to get the clearance necessary to screw in the new switch without interference. Sounds OK but on inspection it appears my surround is welded down. Short of breaking the welds I don't see any way to screw in the new switch without hammerassing (sp?) it in and... MORE
In an effort to keep things looking reasonably original, I am planning to re-do my beat-up console and install an NOS AM radio, map light, etc. into my 78 midget. I also have a nice amp tucked under the passenger seat that was last used with the cassette player that used to live in the car. My intention is to have the AM radio work as designed with a little speaker in the console, and use the amp, with speakers mounted behind, with a portable device of some sort, probably an mp3 player. MY QUESTION IS, what do I... MORE
To do properly it is a hell of a lot of work, apart from needing to replace both front wings and having to cut off the bumper mountings for the front bumpers, you need to replace the entire rear panel and cut out the rear bumper mountings. you can go cheapskate and put the rubber bumper indicators into the hole in the RB wings and make up a flush grill that sits in the front nd of the opening at the front and just leave the rear with some fabrication to the area below the indicator units, but the... MORE
Hi Gav, I am interested in pictures as well. The big question I have is that if the rubber bumper is removed from the front - what do you do with the grill? Could be a problem. Jody "Jody L. Reese" 38007... MORE
Jim, I might share with you the start up procedure my dad taught me. I think it works well for older rebuilt motors, not the new crate motors of today etc. When ready to start, add regular oil, 30w or even 20w single weight out of the ground oil. Pull plugs after static timing, a squirt of oil in the cylinders, crank engine with plugs out and ignition off until you see oil pressure. Even better to have the valve cover off to make sure oil reaches the rockers. Put in plugs and valve cover. Put pans of tap... MORE
Inline and transverse blocks are not easily interchangeable, it needs some machining work plus the relevant crank, so it's unlikely you've ended up with an MG1300 block. The 12G is probably part of a casting number or something. If the block top face has been machined flat at any time, it will most likely have lost it's original number tag. Mine did, though I've still got it somewhere, albeit slightly chewed up by the milling machine! Regards David "David Jacobs" 37999... MORE
Gav, I've been blowing my own horn about removing the bumpers from my 1975 and am planning to get some pix up. I'm not finished yet but my sinister plan will be visible. Rob C Webfoot Leisure.com Your Local Pool Store-On the Web rob@... 866-530-9801 toll free " robbiesg@... " 37994... MORE
All the this talk of removing things and making things better has got me interested... Has anybody removed the rubber bumpers and put the side indicators back in? and how legal is it to this? Do he registration plate come off with the bumpers? Also pictures would be good! Preferably of what you did, but pictures of how nice your car looks after would be okay too! Gav. "gav_newman" 37989... MORE
G'day guys No, nothing to do with Ace Ventura. On eBay are a complete set of NOS Ace Mercury wheel caps, optional on early MG Midget, and rarer than rocking horse excrement. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&category=33744&item=7988917546 Go gettem Colin "Colin Dodds" 37984... MORE
G'day Wolf The seat bases and backs are totally interchangeable, until 1966 when they went to tubular frames. The bases are different, but only because the Bugeye seats had a mesh insert at the base (for drainage?). Otherwise the size and shape are identical to Mk II and Mk III seats. I will send you pictures. The backs are the same size, shape and curvature, but the later ones were a little stiffer. Bottom line is: strip off the vinyl and foam, clean and paint them, and re-trim them in the Bugeye pattern, and no-one will ever know the... MORE
G'day Jim Joe's correct when he says :"A good many new cars come with Mobil 1 as the original factory fill" However, these cars were/are designed for light weight synthetic oils. For example, often you will find overhead camshafts running directly in aluminium cylinder heads, with no intervening bearing material. Your car was designed with larger tolerances, and required a heavier grade oil. Rebuilding it doesn't change that. We use a standard mineral based oil (Penrite HPR30 which is 20W60 weight) in both road and race engines, and never have a problem with it. About 12 months ago we... MORE
Most of the places which sell car paint also have rubber bumper black too. "joe blxfstz" 37953... MORE
Dear Jody, Welcome to this plane of reality. I have a 75 rubber bumper and got rid of them due to cosmetics (they probably looked like yours) and to improve the car. If you remove the bumper in front you will have two large rectangular holes in the lower part of the front of each wing. You will also have two frame members that protrude through the grill opening flush with the front body work. My car will look exactly like a pre-rubber model when done. I cut off the frame memebers as closely as possible and welded in... MORE
Hi Everyone, My name is Jody and I just joined the group. I have been given a 1976 1500 MG. I plan on restoring it over the next year or so. It is in pretty good shape and should not require any major body work. Rust is very minimal. Here is my first question: This MG is of course one of the rubber- bumper versions. The rubber is worn and a little rough. I assume it must have sat outside here in Utah for a while as it looks like wind and sun damage. What are my best options... MORE
Welcome to the group! A company called SEM makes black paint that is designed to go over rubber bumpers. Here are two sources chosen at random.. . http://www.levineautoparts.com/sembumcoatae.html http://jcsonlinetoolshed.com/product.php/11786/225/ If you really want to consider going through the conversion to chrome, look at this page... http://npmccabe.tripod.com/mgbumpers.htm Before you do anything, you might want to try cleaning the bumpers, then drenching the bumpers in armor-all, let it sit overnight, then wipe it down. I don't know what they look like but they may be more salvageable than you think. Good luck, Steve www.1978mgmidget.com Steven Michelsen 37952... MORE
A good many new cars come with Mobil 1 as the original factory fill, no special oil for break in. For a complete rebuild to factory or better tolerances, I'd think 10W30, but you might prefer 15W50. Since the price of petroleum oil has increased so much, and Mobil 1 is $4/qt at Wal-Mart, I've started running it in everything, Sprite, Caddy, Volvo, lawn mowers, generator. Keeps things simple. An early (500 miles?) oil change might be a good idea, sort of just in case there's something unexpected left in the engine. I once did an instrumented test with... MORE
Hmmm.... perhaps I can modify these to hold up my new glass bonnet?? :) Cap'n Bob '60 8{) "Robert E. Shlafer" 37936... MORE
I need to fix my dangling wiper stalk. The plastic block that it sets into has cracked more or less in half. The broken piece is gone. I can set the stalk in place "just for show" but can't use it. So then, short of replacing the whole thing (which would be a bit of overkill as the thing would work fine if I can just get it to stay in place) I figure I will need an adhesive that can: - be thick enough to mold into a shape. - be strong enough to tolerate the stress involved... MORE
Thanks for the advice guys. With the aid of an old wing mirror & torch I was able to locate the fuel the pump, give it a tap & sure enough "tick tick..." I think I'll keep a lookout for a spare, or am I being over cautious ? "johnco89" 37914... MORE
Hi, Jed! I live in a nice neighborhood, and my `79 Midget is garaged. However, I sometimes park in less than desirable areas and I have had issues with young jerks throwing beer cans, McDonald's waste, etc. into the cockpit of my car if not covered with a tonneau - in broad daylight in mall parking lots, etc.!! Also had a radio stolen once (before the car was garaged). The idiots tore open the top with a knife to crawl into the cockpit and ripped out the entire console. Radio was a Blaupunt with a "code," so it was... MORE
Any way to get in from behind the seats? Even cutting a hole that could be covered up later? Bob Hi Jim, Have you tried pushing down on the boot lid hard to crush the gasket a bit and release the lock from the hook while pushing the button? Divorce the car? Pa "Robert D. Gardner" 37893... MORE
Yikes! Beware of the revenge of the cars! You just can't trust them to go to an outing so it can meet other cars! Must be shyness! Later, Paul A Hi Jim, Have you tried pushing down on the boot lid hard to crush the gasket a bit and release the lock from the hook while pushing the button? Divorce the car? Pa "Paul Asgeirsson" 37889... MORE
Hi Jim, Have you tried pushing down on the boot lid hard to crush the gasket a bit and release the lock from the hook while pushing the button? Divorce the car? Pa "Paul Asgeirsson" 37887... MORE
Hello all, I have a running MG Midget convertible, in excellent condition, that I love to death but am really needing to sell. I bought this car on Ebay last year, but have never driven it openly (by which I mean on public roads), had it insured, or had the title put in my name (I suffer from lack of funds). My brother has driven it, and says it handles quite well... the only defects we know of are: a minor hole in the exhaust pipe, a broken parking brake, and a leak in the braking system near the... MORE
Clean off all the corrosion with a scotch brite pad or stiff brush, wash with detergent,rinse, dip in a solution of 1 part in 10 household vinegar for 10-15 seconds, rinse, dry, and prime with any bare metal primer. The Krylon stuff from Wal-Mart is fine, then top coat with color. "joe blxfstz" 37863... MORE
