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G'day Jeremy When I said "fine" emery or wet+dry, I meant something like 1200 grade. The stuff you use to rub down a newly painted car before the final polish. There is no way it will leave and residue embedded in the surface. Same with wire wool. The wire works like hundreds of little scrapers. Trust me. We need to do it in around 25% of engine rebuilds, as otherwise the camshaft is too tight. A bearing scraper in experienced hands is a better tool. But if you are not careful you can leave gouges in the bearing. avagoodday... MORE
First - will someone who has experience resolving off-idle stumble with a Weber DGV on a 1275 please post me off-list. General parameters: 1275, std bore, stock cam, head milled, Crane optical ignition, header. Use an aftermarket electric fuel pump with a pressure regulator set to 3.5 pounds. Engine has never idled this well in the 33 years I've owned it (even as low as 700rpm), idle set at 900rpm, performance above 2000 rpm is excellent. It just stumbles in the 1500 - 1700 rpm range when you hit the gas. Makes double- clutching a bit dicey. Have done... MORE
Not sure about relieving bearings with any form of 'sacrificial' abrasive such as emery or steel wool. You are likely to leave small chunks of carbide or steel in the bearing surface. "Jeremy Cogman" 24160... MORE
G'day Brad I am not aware of production oversize cam bearings. I guess you could go hunting other makes for something that would fit, but I doubt it would be productive. Find a machine shop with a lathe and a knurling tool, grip each of the bearings in turn in the lathe with the camshaft inside so that you don't crush the bearings, and lightly knurl the outside of the bearings. Then fit them with Locktite. Betcha they don't come loose. You might need to relieve the ID of the bearings once fitted, as the knurling will tend to... MORE
Take a look at the loctite web site. There is some useful info there. I think you could use one of their products to fix ne cam bearings http://www.loctite.com Guy "Guy Weller" 24142... MORE
What about using an engineering adhesive such as "locktight" on the back of a new set of bearings? Would this stop them moving? I don't have the engineering knowledge to know if this would be a practical solution, perhaps someone else here knows? Guy "Guy Weller" 24141... MORE
In between all the I wish I had not posted that posts I was able to re-install the steering column cowl on the 73 Purple Midget (Black Tulip) Then worked up my resolve to break out the MIG welder and tack one of the fenders back on the Bugeye bonnet. Some of the tack welds look fairy close to the real things. Took the 73 out for a run down the block and back for the first time. Bit of a noise maker in low but ok in the rest of the gears. The engine is very strong, all... MORE
I keep looking at the .020 over 1275 block that has the spun cam bearings. Is there any way to still use the block, oversized bearings, or any other options? Brad Brad Fornal 24124... MORE
Well . . . the way I see it is if you can't live with a cat don't own a spridget, get a dog and a Lexus. Only kill what you have to eat to survive, and remember you are attached to everything in the universe, so don't shoot your mama or your foot, and don't expect unconditional love unless you are willing to return it. The current resident cat is sitting on my newspaper so I won't be able to discuss any current events. Don "Don May" 24133... MORE
Hi All Sorry if this is old news (I dont have the list sent to me) But I,ve just Ordered Terry Horlers Original Sprite and Midget Book From www.haynes.co.uk as its back in print Just thought I,d let everyone know Cheers Dave "daveyd425" 24111... MORE
Well, Dave... As Brad says.."welocme to the dark side" I figured if Biff was going to call me an a$$hole, the very least I could do is to be cooperative. Using "cats" instead of the more traditional "birds" in that post to Neil, and for added impact, using "rock" instead of the more traditional "stone" is my attempt at being cooperative in seeing it his way!! I hope I haven't offended! Now let's give poor Jeremy and others a "cat-break", here!! Obligatory LBC content: Anyone want a louvered steel BE bonnet? Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 24113... MORE
G'day Brad The valve stem diameters are the same. You can squeeze 1275cc valves into a 1098cc head (12G295) if you want to, but you will need to open the combustion chamber up quite a bit to allow gas flow around the valve, or you are defeating the purpose. Really no great advantage. 1275cc head will fit on 1098cc block, but if you have a high lift cam, and/or 1.5:1 rockers, the exhaust valves will hit the top of the block face. You will need to machine a crescent out of the block, up to .100" deep (I just... MORE
If only so Ed . . . had a truck not tried to back over it or it tried to take a short cut under one during its sordid past. . . It's a bit like a head with a lace collar with slightly crossed bugeyes with bondo covered pineapple cheeks. The tinker has met his match. I'm going to take a long nap. Don "Don May" 24108... MORE
That is my next step . . . buy a fiberglass one and be done with it. Now I know why Glen let it sit in his yard so long before telling me it was mine if I would just take it away. :-) I was determined to save it if it killed me I fear I have a coffin shaped like a bugeye bonnet. What a funeral that would be. Would I be the first person buried in one? Don "Don May" 24104... MORE
The bugeye bonnet is going to kill me also. You have my utmost condolences. It is not that we are going mad . . . we were mad to start in the first place. I am tempted to spray paint over all of it and sit it in the corner of the living room as a decor conversation piece, or buy one of those cute bugeye cookie jars for the kitchen. mercy, mercy, mercy. Don "Don May" 24098... MORE
David, Guy is correct about the spacers (except it would read better if you fit the spacers before tightening the rack mounting bolts!) What you don't mention is whether you replaced the levers (the arms that connect the trackrod end to the stub axle) with the older type as well as the rack. They should match together with the equivalent rack. This might have altered your steering geometry - the Ackerman angles/toe-in on turns but I don't know if this would affect the self-centring effect. Regards David "David Jacobs" 24075... MORE
Well, Nigel... Your searching for something here but it's not about the 1500 or a correct way to modify or sort the handling on a car. With respect to the 1500, It's mostly all add-on stuff to the original type so the mfgs. could extend the life of the type while meeting later day safety standards. As such, all "earlier" prior specs and parts are available so it's not as though one is dealing with a new type. So, none of this is really rocket science as I am sure you know, though some bending here and there may... MORE
Cap'n Bob, Appreciate the insight. The last 1275 I drove was a 73 back in 1981. Didn't know jack about such cars so comparison's are impossible. I was planning to lower the rear of the car with a block arrangement that raises the rear axle where it attaches to the spring. Since fitting the new wheels and tires I'm not so sure about this. I had to do some sugery on the rear to eliminate the "tuck-in" flange for clearance. The front wheels were even worse. Had to raise the wheel cutout an inch. Will probably flair them. Do... MORE
Well, Rob... Vicky B. offers a rear spring lowering kit at a very reasonable price so you wouldn't be out much if this approach didn't work. I think the Ford Sierra 5 speed is what Guy Weller has used or is currently using....and.... .....refering to fellow spritester Daniel's handy, dandy informative book, we find (Pg. 63) that "Frontline Spridget, Ltd. has a sseparate kit, with special adapter plate that allows conversion to the Ford" Sierra 5 speed gearbox. On Pg. 144 Daniel further kindly provides: http://www.mgcars.org.uk/frontine Also, if the lowering blocks don't work you might try Motobuild, Ltd. for... MORE
We put the pan back onto the 1275, but cannot go further until I have the proper gaskets. I will not make them out of silicone!! So, in the interim, we took the 1098 apart. The problem we found, in the removing the frozen pistons, is that there are sleeves on the back two cylinders. One of the sleeves was moving when I was trying to pound the piston out. What holds the sleeve still? I want to build a motor for the Frogeye, to get it on the road, until the 1275 is built. I have two guys... MORE
Well, Rob... The one I drove was a '75 with about 30K on it at the time. It ran 50psi and ran pretty smoothly right up to 4.5k...I didn't take it any higher....not my car! Most engnes have a "vibration period" or two within their rev ranges. Nothing to worry about usually...they just normally run more smoothly at some rpm's within the range than they do at others. Turbine engines are the same way. My own '74 had been lowered 1" all around (quite the street rod!) so I really felt the height difference but the handling of this... MORE
David, my understanding of the spacers on the steering rack are that they are there to help alignment withthe steering column. Column and rack need to be pretty accurately at 90 degrees to each other or the steering column wants to describe an arc as you turn the wheel. The rack should be fitted with loosened bolts first so that it can rotate around its own long axis in its alignment to the chassis. Then fit the steering column. Spin the steeering wheel a few times lock to lock to lign it all up and then tighten the rack,... MORE
Things at work have finally settled down from the past few months. We have gotten a second weekend off in a row, and I was able to get the mechanic from the truck shop to come over to my house this a.m. at 8:30. Some of you know, the 68 Sprite locked itself into first gear a while ago. It also had the original engine it rolled out of the factory with still in it, all smoking and original. If I am to repair the tranny, I will replace the engine, if only temporarily, to fix the original one.... MORE
Excellent. Shared LBC pain is better. Rob C Batavia robbiesg@... 24025... MORE
Being the owner of a somewhat converted rubber bumper 76 midget,I would like to say that my reasons for the change were simple.# 1 i got a nice car at a great price.#2 After much consideration and head scratching,I decided i could go without any bumpers.Having grown up in the 60S I never got over the hotrod/sportscar thing.Back then a midget/sprite looked pretty tough with no bumpers,A roll bar,wide stripes on bonnet and boot.They even had mag wheels[not minilight style]on some.Any way much as i prefer an older model chrome bumper model this is what i have to work... MORE
