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Rex, On my race engines, and street engines for that matter, on the first start up, I take several pans of boiling water and fill the radiator and cooling system. It brings the block up to about 150 degrees or so. I have been told by some old drag racing engine builders that 90% of the wear and damage of a first start up is because of the cold parts, with minimum lube, under pressure are rubbing and scraping. Having a hot engine, and up to oil pressure from the first start does wonders for engine life. Oil flows... MORE
Paul, Yes, there is a proper way to break in your engine. The first 20 min will tell if your engine will live a long life or die at an early age. Lots of people have differant ideas on how to run it in for the first 1000 miles. I will tell you how I do it at work and what I reccomend to my customers. When we go to start up a new one we always go through the same check list. All fluids up to specs. Gravity fill the oil cooler if installed. Make sure the fuel... MORE
Hi Alan- That's what has me really confused. I am NOT sure it is stopping mechanically. Years ago I had a problem like this with one of my race motors, and it was found to be a ring of rust. This time, since I could not detect any "mechanical" stop and the valve train looked fine, I had my boys push a little harder, several times. They ended up skidding the car about a foot. It ain't budging. Got any suggestion as to how I can free up the initial tick-over? One other note. I carefully marked the crankshaft... MORE
I need help. Here's what happened. Began restoration about 10 years ago. Thought it would go faster than it did, so early on I had the engine done. It was built by Dave Tabor of Comptune, the guys who built all the SCCA champ 1275 motors. Anyway, I told Dave I wanted a 1967 street spec high compression engine. I know he used a factory crank and cam. I believe he used aftermarket pistons that he preferred with a compression of about 8.9 to 1. He used a factory non-emission head, redone to run unleaded. Job was completed many... MORE
Hellow Im new to this list. Two weeks ago I purchased a 73 Midget. It needs quit a bit of body work. Iv heard of Sebring Sprite replica conversions and I would like to go that rout. The problem is this Yankee cant seem to find where to get a decent replica kit here in the states. The only place Iv found that supply a kit is British Speedwell Racing http://www.toyshop-resto.com/britspd/sebring.html but I don't at all like how the back of the kit looks. I would prefer a kit resembling more like the silver Sebring Sprite here... http://www.mgcars.org.uk/midgetspriteclub/surrey/spritegallery3.html If... MORE
Duncan You're most welcome, I'm just sorry I can't be of more help. I have quite a lot of old SU literature here, courtesy of an old 'motor-racing' friend of mine who many years ago had a tuning shop, but as many of us do, never threw anything out! He's now passed most of that information onto me now, I have a whole host of information relating to Solex carbs! If I do come across anything else that may be of interest to you, naturally I'll let you know. It is an interesting question though, if the Carbs were... MORE
From: amukdigiphoto [mailto: amukdigiphoto@... ] Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2003 5:27 PM To: midgetsprite@yahoogroups.com Subject: [midgetsprite] Re: SU Question Duncan You're most welcome, I'm just sorry I can't be of more help. I have quite a lot of old SU literature here, courtesy of an old 'motor-racing' friend of mine who many years ago had a tuning shop, but as many of us do, never threw anything out! He's now passed most of that information onto me now, I have a whole host of information relating to Solex carbs! If I do come across anything else that may be... MORE
The Dunlop race tyres are made in Japan & some in England. "beckers" 27422... MORE
Robert, I am far from an expert on MG Midget handling having about 1200 miles of wheel time to date. Some of that time the car didn't run too well. That said, I love the way the car handles. In my opinion it is somewhat firmer and "blockier" if that makes sense. The car always jerked around beartifully; lefts, rights long curves etc. It feels more solid somehow with the new underpinnings. I believe someone on the list in the past stated that tossablitiy of the car declines with a wheel/tire combo that is too large. If memory serves,... MORE
Robert, Can't resist contributing to this as I just switched to 5.5 inch wheels meself. My car is a SWA and the wheels fitted are Vega pattern American Racing wheels about 20 yrs. old (don't ask) but in fine shape. I am running pre-rubber bumper front springs and stock rears. I had to take the front wheel well up an inch and grind the rear arch "tuck in" flat to get them to fit with 175 tires. Like you, I read Big Daddy and drew Rat Finks. I am now facing installing some kind of flares front and rear... MORE
They do move generally , some more than others , depending on how and where they are mounted. (The moment caused by the distance from the chassis , then a joint and a vertical rise to the centre of mass of the light is the reason) A spotlight 'narrow' beam obviously shows the worst of it. The modern road rally boys build their 'extra' lights into the bodywork of the car, either valance or bonnet. The extra lights only vibrate then as much as headlights . The original trick for the bumper mounted lights was to cut a wide... MORE
Ed If you read one of my earlier posts regarding the front hub smaller bearing not going all the way down to the spacer, I can now tell you why that was. When I started working on the second hub to fit the bearings and oil seals, I took a look down the hub, to see how far down the smaller bearing had to go. Yep you guessed it (well I hope you did ; ) the outer 'RACE' of the smaller bearing was still down there! Doh! That's why on the other hub the smaller bearing wasn't going... MORE
Well, I just couldn't stand no being in debt. I had come into a small (and I mean small) amount of cash recently due to the sell of a piece of property in a ghetto. I spent a weekend recently at Elizabeth and Fisher Jones place in the hill country of Texas (take your hat off when you say that). I was there to persue Bambi and his kin with my cousin and grandson. We took a nice buck, but that's another story. Those of you who have had the pleasure of seeing the Jones' place will agree (unless... MORE
Yeah, yeah , yeah !!!!!! military planes don't count though. but relatively speaking is it more expensive now? i.e if an average Joe was paid $100 a week and petrol was $1 a gallon in 1970 then in 2003 he is paid $1000 a week and petrol is $9 a gallon , relatively speaking the petrol is cheaper now. Federal and local taxes etc not withstanding of course I don't know the actual figures which is why I'm asking. I believe in GB the pro rata is about the same, but of course stand to be corrected. And cars... MORE
Alan... Which came first? The chicken or the egg? :):) Oil is basic power for production...of nearly anything and everything. There are other factors of course like normal inflation, with or without the cost of basic power tripling over a short period. Oil was US$ 9.00 bbl. back in the early 60's, if that. Airline kerosene was US 15 cents a US gallon under fleet purchase, if that, back then. As a kid, leaded high test ran about 40 cents a gallon or so. The foregoing notwithstanding, the modern cars of today are far safer/better machines for sure. Part... MORE
Nigel... I have used the "new" sealed tie rod ends for many moons now. On my PO'd Vizardized '74 I had to replace them at approx. 50K miles and this was a car lowered with sport springs, 5.5" wheels with 60 series and KYB Gas Adjust shocks, 3/4" roll bar...very stiff set-up so the sealed TR ends I got from Sports & Classics I'd have to rate as pretty good. Anyone know any reason why the sealed ends couldn't be tapped for a regular grease fitting? Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 26627... MORE
Nigel, When being brutal with the steering rods / arms make sure you don't bend th em. Another effective way of making the track rod end flats useful is to grind the flats parallel and obviously closer together to be a good fit in a good open ended spanner. You should be changing them as a matter of course any way at only =A36:50 or each, so don't be afraid of damaging the TR ends per se. Alan Aside Track rod ends and steering arms (Thomson steering joints - trade name), Mo re items made on the Leamington site... MORE
Bill, Yes, had similar problems when I installed my Moss sourced Roll Bar on my Mk IV Sprite. The main problem was the side parts of the hood (top in US lingo as opposed to bonnet!) frame fouling the lower parts of the roll bar as the frame was finally lowered onto the wheel arch pads, ie the last 6" or so. I cured this as others have suggested, by gently bending the offending parts of the hood frame outwards until I got a a good clearance. Does not seem to have changed the shape or weather tightness of... MORE
which, if you believe in kharma, is as it should be. Intelligent we have not been... "psuedo intelligence" and "cowardly" would be more appropriately like it and now we are paying for it which, if you believe in kharma, is as it should be. Too many spoiled children running around with weapons, both here and abroad. So much for "political correctness" in terms of "tolerance and understanding". Time for the "good guys" to identify themselves and get together to practice a little tough love on the "bullies on the block" and put a stop to all this piss poor... MORE
Mr.H Loved the classic look of my wire wheels as well but it didn't save 'em. Between cleaning, truing and only 4.5 wide track I couldn't justify keeping them. Switched to a set of American Racing wheels for a Vega and am very happy with the results. FYI-The new wheels are 5.5 inches wide. Had to change rear pumpkin/axles and hubs and perform minor wheel well surgery front and rear to accomodate 165/70's on the new wheels. Rob C '75 Midget Webfoot Leisure.com rob@... 630-841-6077 robbiesg@... 26472... MORE
Nigel, I just did this chore this summer and can pass on the following: To remove the bearing races you need a screw driver/hammer combo. The hub should have two shallow indentations just at the top of the bearing race to place the screw driver tip. Place the tip and tap firmly several times on alternate sides until the race begins to move. Point two. Just rip them greeze seels oucha there! Ya'll gonna hevta buy new 'uns anyhow. Rob C 75 Midget Webfoot Leisure.com rob@... 630-841-6077 robbiesg@... 26470... MORE
No need to modify the complex hood struts and bows, they were there first! It sounds to me like a job for. "MISTER HAMMER"!!! Perhaps a really big hammer. We call them persuaders. If it doesn't work at first, get a bigger hammer. Or at worst, mark the offending area and cut out some of the roll bar, reverse the removed metal to retain the curved strength and weld back in the hole, thereby giving some extra room and retaining the strength of the bar. Better than finding a new bar and going through the install process all over... MORE
Bill, if you feel up to working out all that complicated geometry, for the mechanism, you might give it a go, but I should warn you Les Ireland and the Healey team spent YEARS perfecting that design! The packaway type from a '62 probably won't fit - the 'screen is different; one from a 64-66 would certainly fit the windscreen and door glass, though you'd have to do some serious modifcation to the rear of the cockpit area to get it to fit there. A better solution might be to admit defeat and get a roll bar that still... MORE
VP3 cam...oh, yeah!!! Martyn, this is about as hot as you can get for the road in a 1275 and still have decent low end for light to medium traffic. In your smaller 1098, it's almost a mild race cam! Hopefully, you have the larger main bearing "cc" engine because this cam's torque curve comes in at about 3200 on a 1275cc+ motor and will pull right through 7,000rpm with larger valves and 1.5 rollers. On my 1340, it would idle very nicely at about 1,000rpm (nice "lopey" sound) and behaved very well using a 45DCOE with a Weber... MORE
Well, ladies and germs, I may be a little less visible on the lists than I have been in the past. I am leaving my present job (selling computer systems) and moving on to try new things. The economy has really hit our customers and they aren't buying systems. I was slowly going under so I decided to make a change. I start on Monday (for a few weeks of training) and I will be working for a Lincoln-Mercury dealership in Norristown, PA. Let's see how Lincolns sell! They told me that their car sales are up 68% over... MORE
