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Mike, Let me start by saying if there are no leaks and the fluid level in the MC dosen't drop, I would suspect your MC. That said, does your brake warning light come on when you turn the ignition on? If it dosen't then the switch is centered. When either the right or left brakes fail the internal shuttle is push to one side or the other to seal off the side which has lost pressure and when it does it activates the switch and the dash light comes on. If your light is on after bleeding the brakes... MORE
Yes Brad, I've since found out The up to 72 steering rack brackets were aluminium, then they were pressed steel . I have two sets of '72 and have established that the brackets and rack will have to be transfered to the Frogeye for LHD to RHD conversion. Even though the lock to Lock number of turns is higher. Thanks for the reply anyhow. Rgds alan Still working on it NON LBC An open question. Why do you lot shoot your better politicians / good people ? , (Kennedy, M.L.King, Roosevelt, Lincoln, Garfield, Mckinley, John Lennon etc etc?????) or... MORE
Yep.... You got it big guy!!!! Of course, this assumes a reasonably healthy engine pulling decent vacuum. TWO CAVEATS.... 1) If the engine's clapped out and is pullin' lousy vacuum, the pistons will never "top out", spring tension and fully open butterflies notwithstanding and thus....it follows, that.... 2) the entire induction system has got to be "air tight" as well. You don't need a midget under the hood. You need an SU carb tool kit!!! It comes with a little jet centering tool along with "rods" you place within the piston tubes which temporarily take the place of the... MORE
Rob, That helps. So let me get more clear. The spring rate (color) determines how high the piston will rise in relation to redline under load, for example if it will not reach the top under load or it reaches the top way before red line under load, it is a function of the spring/color and how fast the piston reacts (not how high it goes) is a function of the viscosity of the oil in the damper. Is that close? Now all we need is a midget to curl up in the engine bay and peer into the... MORE
Good one, Brad!! LMAO!!! Ya' know, I've got little respect for Bill's ethics and sense of honor and/or integrity such as I percieve it to be. But a part of me likes the guy personally, nontheless. I mean he did what he did and that which he definitely should not have done, "professionally" speaking. He isn't the first (of either sex, "position" notwithstanding, and he sure as hell won't be the last! The thing about Bill which really turned me off was his inability to take responsibility for his "human" failings. I mean, if the guy simply stood up... MORE
Decided to MOT the frogeye for one last summer before it gets the shell fully sorted. As it stands it needs a tyre, the horn fixing and the handbrake adjusting. Nothing really major. However the reason the handbrake needs adjusting is not because of wear in the system or a starched cable, but the bracket on the axle bends over time and needs knocking out with a hammer. This had to be done at the last MOT it had (1999). The bend occurs where the cable passes though the bracket, has anyone else had this problem and if so... MORE
abestea Forgive me for laughing at this post - been there, done that bought the T shirt! You really are going to have to change your attitude to working on these cars if you get frustrated just trying to get the front wing off !!!!! Oh my you've got some fun ahead of you! Here's a few pointers - 1/ Throw out the window the idea that any job you do on the car will be done within the timeframe you expect it to take - it takes a lot longer! 2/ Ignore anything in the books that Starts... MORE
Jens, Fixed needles are held rigidly by a grub screw into the piston, but swinging (or biased spring) needles are retained by a separate collar, they are forced by a light spring so that they contact one side of the jet, so no centering is needed, but the jet and needle both wear more than the fixed type. They're not interchangeable because of the retaining ring on the spring type. HS2s used both types, depending on the year. You can check which yours is by the tag number on the carb float bowl (what do you mean, it's not... MORE
The Purpose of Tools HAMMER: Originally employed as a weapon of war, the hammer nowadays is used as a kind of divining rod to locate expensive parts not far from the object we are trying to hit. MECHANIC'S KNIFE: Used to open and slice through the contents of cardboard cartons delivered to your front door; works particularly well on boxes containing leather goods. ELECTRIC HAND DRILL: Normally used for spinning steel Pop rivets in their holes until you die of old age. PLIERS: Used to round off bolt heads. HACKSAW: One of a family of cutting tools built on... MORE
Nope. That round headed bolt just holds the spring leaves together. If you've removed the u-bolt and the two other bolts (which thread into the spring top plate) there is nothing else holding the sprng except rust. Give it a whack, then slide it out. "joe blxfstz" 32680... MORE
Nonna For those of you who are not Italian, Nonna is grandmother! A young girl was going on a date. Her nonna said: "Sit here and let me tell you about those young boys. He is going to try and kiss you, you are going to like that, but don't let him do that. He is going to try and feel your breast, you are going to like that, but don't let him do that. But most important, he is going to try and get on top of you to have his way with you. You are going to... MORE
Have you actually got the wing off? as reading you e-mail it would appear you have only taken three of the six bolts that hold the rear part of the wing on!. In the foot well there are (or should be) 4 bolts, three are at the door pillar end of the wing, and there is a fourth at the front of the foot well. Then there is one at the top of the win in the guttering looking down from the top of the car. and there is one final one that you will find a little awkward,... MORE
Hi Paul, - I know what you mean about those door innards! There is actually a sequence to follow when assembling, which makes the process easier and less painful. Problem is when you are just dealing with one item and don't want to strip out more than is absolutely necessary. On the locks I would still advise that you keep the filing of tumblers to a minimum else you will end up with a lock that will turn with a screwdriver. Better to take put the key in, note which tumblers are too long, and which too short. Then... MORE
Hello all - Thanks for everybody's advice on my key `problem'. Looks like I'll be getting my set of files out and having a go with the tumblers. I'll let you all know how I get on. By the way, anybody experienced this? I wound down the window a couple of days ago, but the glass stayed at the top as it had separated from the lower channel. Not an expensive problem to resolve, just time consuming as I had to pretty much take the whole door apart to get the glass back in position after replacing the rubber... MORE
On our old Singer Vogue, we could take the key out of the ignition with the engine still running. In fact, once the whole barrel came out and fell on the floor! With lots of old cars, particularily those still using the original key, the keys become very worn. They work, but there is no way that a duplicate could work! The lock & key wear out together. Margaret So much to do, so few people to do it for me. mmbrock88@... 32634... MORE
Yes you can do that. When you put the key in, the key diplaces the "tumblers" sideways, by differing amounts according to the serations on the key. With the correct key the serations displace the tumblers by the exact correct amount. With the wrong key, some will dispalce too far, sopme not far enough, and the ends protrude. As you say, you can file these off flush to the barrel with the key in position, until the barrel will turn. The only slight problem is that you can end up with a lock that virtually any key will operate!... MORE
I've never done this, so this suggestion is a bit of blue-sky thinking, but what would happen if you put your desired key into the dismantled lock barrel (with tumblers in place) and just filed all the outsides down till they matched the barrel profile? Regards David 32624... MORE
Yes, just don't try factoring in an hourly rate for the job - you either end up on a sub-human rate of pay or very expensive locks!! Guy "Guy Weller" 32621... MORE
Paul, I bought a matched set, 2 doors and boot lock for my '71 Sprite. I then dismantled the ignition lock cylinder and swapped the little tumbler plates around until it matched the new key set. Fiddely, and I think of the 7 little brass plates I ended up having to file 2 to match the key after swapping the other 5 around . You need to be very patient! I then find that in practice I never lock the doors anyway as there really dosn't seem any point - I rarerly have the hood up, and if I... MORE
Difficult, because even as new, the boot was a different key! But it was the same for the doors and ignition. Hmm ...... Difficult, that one. My comments apply to a '66 Midget, of course, it might have been different by the time yours came along. Good luck with that one, you might need it You could always try dismantling the lock and making your own tumblers to fit the key of course, but that is a bit of a specialist job and if you can't do it yourself it would probably be mega expensive. R. "Roger Stinson" 32617... MORE
I am hoping someone can help me with a problem I have obtaining a key set for my 1971 Midget. I purchased a lock set consisting of the two doors and boot lock, all with matching FS keys. I am now trying to purchase either just the lock barrel or the complete ignition switch (located in the middle of the dashboard) with the same FS key number as the doors. I have spoken to most of the suppliers such as Moss, Brown & Gammons etc. but none will sell me the ignition barrel with a specific key number. I... MORE
Cap'n Bob Good news! I installed a new OP switch, filter and new oil. Took the car out on a good 45 min run and no warning light. What a relief. So far, so good. Was happy to hear Jens made out well too with his pressure issues. Thanks for the encouragement. Mike mk2sprite@... 32605... MORE
I'll buy that, Bob (Troutdale, OR). Point is..."it's" (effectively) coming from behind you....and a windblocker will take some of that off of you and keep most of the rain off the inside of the windshield as well (at least mine does!) unless it's really pouring out there, in which case both you and the interior will drown, windblocker or not. Happy motoring! :):) Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 32585... MORE
Capt'n Bob, You of all people let them go down the wrong path? The windshield does not "Push" the air any more than a fence pushes the wind. The air flows around or over the windscreen depending on the angle of the windscreen just like the water from rain hitting the windshield while you are driving. A slanted windscreen forces the air up into the air above it creating a higher pressure above and less pressure behind the windshield, like the leading edge of an airplane wing. With a top on, the air flows smoothly across the top, lifting... MORE
How about the windshield pushing the air in front of it and leaving lower pressure behind it. The air then rushes in from behind to equalize the pressure. (Nature abhors a vacuum) This air is then forming a wind coming from behind your head and blowing forward. Nelson Retired science teacher "Nelson Wittstock" 32561... MORE
