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Yes, Alan... The "standard reply" is what you normally get. It simply confirms they got your email along with the "ebay" mail you rec'd, and that it is indeed a fraudulent mail, that it did not originate with ebay and they will look into it (along with the gazillion others they've rec'd.). The "Citibank" and "PayPal" ones should be arriving "over there" any day now!! :) Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 27804... MORE
Cost, Rdgard??? Certainly, you jest. How about "ZIP"...nothing!! Though it could have been $30.00. They tell you when you sign up that cancellation instructions are given in their initial email which contains the link that enables you to watch the 42 minute movie clip. Now, remember, you only have 30 "free" minutes after you initially sign up and they send you their initial responding email. Now, no one is going to mind a $30 charge for watching Paris in a "quality" movie clip of Paris in action. I mean she's gorgeous and $30 is reasonable for 42 minutes of... 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
Are you sure it stops mechanically? If the engine has not turned over for a long time a ring of rust could have built up above where the top rings would have been , specially if the plugs have been left out for all that time. Then - if the engine has been rebored and crank reground , even with the plugs out , with a tight engine it is sometimes difficult to get the enough umph to turn the engine over top dead centre. At that point nearly all the mechanical advantage has gone and you will be... MORE
Nigel I will strip and examine the probably get a local rebore shop to do the cra nk and block if required. Rebuilding and head reprofiling I'll probably do myself. I will probably get hardened inserts put in also. Some machining I can probably get done if required by my sub contractor machine shop. I got a bit interested in the bore Vs stroke for 1340cc . I might look into that also. I got machined and rebuilt modified mini and MGBGT engines in the past (bef ore the kids started growing up) but have really only been doing... MORE
Paul I would think that in the rebuild process to get your valve clearances correct that the engine would have been rotated through the complete 360 degrees. I agree with Rex, easier to pull the head and check for anything that has fallen in, than to pull the pan. Steve Quandt Steve Quandt 27705... 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
anything's possible, but the hassle of using a FWD engine is probably too much :- you can't use the crank, as the Metro has a tail that the flywheel/clutch mounts on, where the Spridget has a flange; the rear main bearing/oil 'seal' area is quite a bit different too (it can be modified to suit, given suitable engineering facilities) the front and rear engine plates are different; I *think* the oil pickup is different because of the Transmission-In-Sump, but I wouldn't swear to this; So basically, there's loads of detail differences that make it a tricky swap and you'd... MORE
Forgive me Nigel... For some reason I thought your name was Alan to. The reason why I asked virtually the same question was because I wanted you (or someone else) to elaborate a little more on the modification necessary to install the Frogeye rear end on a Midget. What might seem to be a serious modification for one person might not be so to another... Thank you Nigel for taking the time to answer my rookie questions. Your help is greatly appreciated. I like your suggestion of using a one piece fiberglass rear. I will most likely go that... MORE
Thanks Alan And thank you Robert B. Houston and Rex Urban for your replies. I will admit. My knowledge of 60s British cars is somewhat limited. I mainly mess with 80s-90s RWD Imports like the MR2, Supra, 240SX, 300ZX, etc.. I dont know why I didnt see that the Silver Sprite was a Frogeye being that the rear end is the only part I like on the Frogeye. I think I need glasses. Anyway... Is it that hard to take the rear panels of a Frogeye and install them on a Spridget? Is it a mater of traditionally replacing... MORE
Hi there - A Newbie here. I am wondering - is it possible to fit a 1275cc A series engine block from a Metro into an A.H. Sprite? I assume being an A-Series block it 'should' be possible - but I've head various stories of possible complications. What exactly is involved in performing this transplant? I only ask because a relation has offered me a VERY low mileage Metro (1275cc), with known history for FREE, but I need to act quickly otherwise it will be scrapped!!! Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance, T. W. P.S. I... MORE
Tim I guess it also depends on how much the 'plate' is worth, I mean if we're talking a couple of k, then it probably would be worth selling to help fund the restoration. As much as I don't agree with 'plate' transfers, it is justifiable if it helped keep one of these lovely cars on the road. Personally, and this is only a personal view, I think all 'plates' should be non-transferable, I simply do not see the point of allowing people to transfer the 'identity' of a car to someone else for the sake of 'vanity' for... MORE
You will loose value off the car anyway if you sell the original plate, the age related ones that the DVLA give out are non transferable and have very strange combinations of letter on them.. (z's X znc V seem to be common) you will loose about 10-20% of the value of the car if you sell the original plate. I have made all the plates on my cars non transferable any way. One more thing to bear in mind the plate is NOT transferable on any UK car without a current MOT certificate and tax disc. This is... MORE
I got the rules for my 1965 MGB. You need so many points, you get points for original engine, running gear, suspension steering rack etc. A heritage shell counts as an original body if it was the same as the old rusty one, minus the rust that is, on the basis that you are replacing like for like and its a valid spare bit. A problem for MK1 MGBs as you can only get MK2 shells. I am sure these rules are on the MGOC or DLVC web sites terry "terry.isherwood" 27676... MORE
Robert For reference sake here's the information from the dvla site - Vehicles that have been rebuilt using a mix of new/used parts.=A0 amukdigiphoto@... 27649... MORE
Robert As David pointed out, Heritage Shells are treated differently. I think they treat them as a 'repair panel' rather than 'another car', because they have never been registered as a 'car', and as you're transferring more than 70% of the donor car into the Heritage Shell, it still takes on the registration of the donor car. There are guidelines on what constitutes that 70% and I think it includes engine, gearbox, diff etc. amukdigiphoto@... 27648... MORE
Tim I have no direct experience of this, but in my mind, and from what I 'understand' you will definitely devalue your car by selling it's original registration number, no doubt about it. By how much, who knows, but it loses part of its history, and that makes it less desirable. It's a bit like cars that don't have their original engines and have had replacements put in. It doesn't detract some people, but it does make it difficult to get a top notch price if you ever come to sell it, because its not 'original' throughout. Whilst I... MORE
I have a '61 Sprite with what is probably a desirable UK personal registration number (three letters, three numbers. I am contemplating selling the registration number to fund some needed bodywork restoration works on the car and I was wondering whether anyone else in the group has any experience of this. The number plate means nothing to me but I wouldn't want to lose the style of number plate (silver font on black background) or the letter/number configuration. My understanding is that the DVLC would give a similar style "non-transferable" registration number. I don't want to reduce the value... MORE
In the UK, if you re-shell a car with anything other than a Heritage shell (which is classed as a replacement/spare part), strictly speaking, the car should be registered on a Q plate as being of indeterminate age so even if he did actually use a 1968 'chassis', he still wouldn't get a 'G' registration. Regards David "David Jacobs" 27605... MORE
the jets wear first; because the needle is sliding up and down, all it's wear is spread over it's length, but the jet wear is concentrated at the top. The actual wear rate is minuscule - I don't know if they were the originals, but I couldn't measure the wear on mine when I rebuilt them at 106,000 miles! David "David Jacobs" 27551... MORE
Terry Thanks for your input, I have heard of anti-bloom thinners, but I only have 2 more coats to spray so I think I'll muddle along. It's had another two coats of 70/30 thinners/paint mix today, and whilst I'm pleased with how that went on, it's a lot runnier than 50/50 mix and much easier to cause runs! Nigel "amukdigiphoto" 27537... MORE
You can get 'anti bloom' thinners. Your local paint supplier should be able to advise you on things like min temp for spraying. Also you need a water separater in the line from the compressor to the gun as compressing the air squeezes out the water. Terry "terry.isherwood" 27534... MORE
Yep... The colortune also is a real handy, neat tuning aid. I use a very sensitive handheld portable tach to set the mixture as "seeing is believing" and the colortune certainly fulfills this axiom in spades in living color! :):) Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 27540... MORE
When I first had my car a few years ago (!) I noticed that water collected in the bottom of the doors and so I drill a few small holes at the points where water seemed to remain. It may be just coincidence, but I am still using the original door frames and skins, with only surface rust top deal with. (not the easiest inside a door frame, but it can be done!) Oh, I think some Dinitrol fluid might have helped as well. :-) Of course, the holes totally ruin the originality, but on this one, I don't... MORE
Roger Yes I have 2kw fan heater in the garage I mostly use for drying the car off after rubbing it down, although I don't like using it because it just stirs dust into the air, which then conveniently lands on my fresh paint! Yes it should look good, specially considering its had a bare metal respray, which seriously added to the amount of work involved! Roger, the prep took forever, seriously its taken me months to get the bodywork to the stage of even being ready for topcoat. People just don't have a clue how much work is... MORE
