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The clutch throwout bearing on the 1275 is a carbon faced bearing, not a ball bearing like other cars, The carbon rides on the triangular shaped flat surface of the spring plate that holds the clutch plate the the flywheel. There are "kits" out there that allow the use of a ball bearing type throwout bearing with the stock clutch - perhaps this is causing your confusion? If you have a transmission convertion, you would most likely have a different throwout bearing. "Jim" 37236... MORE
G'day all The thin sheet of ally will do nothing to stop conducted heat - but then the original heat shield will not either. In fact, unless you put an electric cool suit around the float bowls, NOTHING will stop the conducted heat. There might be things that will slow it down, but nothing will stop it. Like rust and Kroil, it creeps. The ally will however reflect the radiant heat. Try it, it works. We have done it a few times, mostly on race cars at the circuit when there wasn't anything else around. And Jim, I would... MORE
The Organization Of Spridget Handymen in Transit got together yesterday to swap out Larry Macy's engine. Larry got a rebuilt (A wedding present? How thoughtful.) and it was about time to do the deed. Kevin and Rob Valentine, Phil Nase (?), Bill Gilroy and I showed up at Larry's. I understand that Frank Clarici had some problems on the way back from Carlisle so he couldn't make it. I'm sure Frank will fill us in. First we pulled the old engine and tranny, then Kevin and Larry timed the new cam and finished the reassembly. The rest of us... MORE
Hey. If you're cabable of pulling the engine, you can certainly rebuild the tranny yourself. Get a book and go at it. It ain't rocket science. "joe blxfstz" 37194... MORE
Good point. Axles on these break fairly often. I once talked ot a guy who had broken an even dozen (stock car, on the street), and I once broke one at Saturday midnight, up in the mountains, 100 miles from home. Fortunately we were returning from a British car gathering, and right behind us was a friend in a 4 passenger Cortina. Other than that, I'd still be walking. "joe blxfstz" 37193... MORE
HI All, I have a question about the competition 1/2 ellipticals for my MKIII Midget. I installed them and the car now sits approx 2.5 inches taller. Anybody have any ideas? Is it the new springs? Will they settle over 4"? Let me know if anybody elese has had any luck with these. Also I am getting ready to list my house and I was wondering what a hardtop for a spridget should list for. I think I am going to sell that ans a pair of brand new HS2's (still in box)and a few other spridget parts laying... MORE
Wait until you get it apart before you make any decision. If you're lucky it may be just a clutch problem, like the center broke out of the disc. Or maybe the flywheel bolts sheared off; although it sounds like a broken trans input shaft, which isn't too terribly serious. You can rebuild yours, or possibly find a good used one for a few hundred dollars, plus $200 for a new clutch set and related parts. Or you can spend the big bucks for a Datsun 5- speed. If you go the Datsun route, be sure to get a... MORE
There is a poly-block that goes between intake manifold and carb prior to the heat shield/carb. And I recall there was (asbestos-type) insulation on the shield of my PO'd MGA's. I do not recall this on my later post-60/70 Spridgets or MGB's. Not on my Frog restored by PO, either. Of course, any Home Despot will carry something which can be used along wit h modern adhesives that will do the trick. Or heat reflective paint/coating. Beyond higher engine compartment temps in warmer weather which translate into higher induction air temps and gener ally less peppy performance under these... MORE
Hi, Over here in the UK I tend to leave the anti-freeze in, as it is also a summer coolant. If a heavy winter is expected, I increase the ratio of anti-freeze to water. As for the clunking sounds from the rear, I had this sort of noise from my Mk3 Midget. It turned out to be the diff. Sometimes filling it up with the appropriate oil/grease, the noise goes away for a bit. But eventually the diff. will need either a rebuild or be replaced, usually with a reconditioned one, as new ones tend to be rather expensive,... MORE
"stock 1275...3.73....smoke the tires" Yes it will. Most especially when we team the foregoing with the slightly lower 1st gear of the Datsun 5 speed "whilst" (I like this word........it's got a.............. well.......certain "flavor" so to speak) we enjoy a more serene 70mph cruise in 5th. With the Cooper S cam advanced 4 degrees for Metro inlet timing, I gotta be careful of this in the rain. In 2nd as well (in the lower range after the clutch is in, yet). And this with 70 Series 175 T/A's yet. Cap'n Bob "Quick" :{) "Robert E. Shlafer" 37074... MORE
A stock 1275 in good condition works very nicely with a 3.73. 3800 rpm (145-13 tires) = 70 mph, and it will smoke the tires in 1st gear. "joe blxfstz" 37071... MORE
Cap'n The car cam with a ZS150. I transplanted a Spitfire 1300 carb/manifod setup. The original set up had a valve cover tube and a carb tube that connected to a charcoal canister along with the fuel vent tubing. The pro I had work on the car is good. His opinion is that I need negative pressure off the valve cover which between a 30 year old cannister and some suspect tubing connections I am not getting. Most of the original emmissions equipment was gone when I got the car. The motor is a fresh rebuild. Rob C Webfoot... MORE
I thought you might like to see these stats about dragsters. It is surprising and amazing. Bob Dragsters..... Cool info about dragsters.......... * One Top Fuel dragster 500 cubic inch Hemi engine makes more horsepower than the first 4 rows of race cars at the Daytona 500. * Under full throttle, a dragster engine consumes 1=BD gallons of nitromethane per second. * A stock Dodge Hemi V8 engine cannot produce enough power to even drive the dragster supercharger. * With 3000 CFM of air being rammed in by the supercharger on overdrive, the fuel mixture is compressed into a... MORE
Guys - Has anyone out there successfully removed the added frame rails on a later MG Midget, the ones that run from the firewall through the engine compartment, out the grill opening to support the those fugly rubber bumpers? Running out of room for my headers and was wondering what lies underneath them if I removed them entirely, or if it will affect the strength of the body much. Was going to cut them back to put a standard type of grill in it and need to notch a large portion of them out for the headers anyway...... Later... MORE
While trying to reassemble the head of a 1500cc midget I managed to strip the thread of a nut. I hadn't crossed the thread. I was using a Torque wrench and was at least 10% under the Haynes manual recommend torque of 46lbf ft. (I was very relieved when I found out it was just the nut cause I had assumed it would be the stud.) I was now going to replace all of the nuts, does any one know the thread size? Is there any where I can find out thread sizes for various items? Also I presume... MORE
Weren't chrome wires optional on US Midgets? If not, you could always sell/swap for standard ones - there's always someone out there who wants a bit of bling! David "David Jacobs" 36965... MORE
Anyone know if stainless steel fuel tanks are still available for early Spridgets, mine is a MKIII Sprite 1966. I Know they were available a couple of years back but currently none of the usual suspects here in the UK seem to stick them. I think the Idea of a stainless tank is brilliant since there is mo possibility of corrosion crud building up on the inside and finding its way in to the carbs (ever) and no need to paint the outside. Thanks and best regards Dave "David Dixon" 36963... MORE
Only one thing .. doesn't the 65 have a tent for a roof? I really would not waste the money on rebuilding the engine if its running fine, far better spending the money on the body, plenty of spare mechaincals about from peple who have done it the wrong way round and found they can't afford to get the body done. 2nd gear syncro is prone to wearing, just learn to drive without it chances are if the box is rebuilt it won't be long before it is shot again!, I suspect most of the other list members have!,... MORE
Hello, Well it's a sad day I have to sell my Sprite. Life and school don't seem to agree with my little English car. Here is a list of all the goodies that it has: Some details are: Engine 1089cc bored .040 over Intake valve is 1 5/16"(Rimflow) Exhaust valve is1 1/16 (Rimflow) The head has been ported and has a 10:1 compression ratio. The cam specs are duration @ .020 (In./Ex.) 268-272. Rockers ratio is 1.5:1 Duplex adjustable cam gear Also has Isky duel value springs. Pistons are flattop Hepolites Heavy-duty radiator/with 10" fan Twin HS2s with red... MORE
Solid body though....a good start for a restoration "project" methinks. RWA Spridgets are (IMHO) the best looking of non-Frogeye types. Even a BE bonnet looks very much at home on RWA cars. Cap'n Bob '60 :{) "Robert E. Shlafer" 36940... MORE
Perhaps we organise some containers and buy them all, ship them out and restore them, then on-sell them here in Aus. Just think of all the money we could lose. "Mike Allen" 36939... MORE
You've gotta love this one.A 1973 Midget that has been in storage for 20 years. One bid already for $500. The storage guys are now selling it, and some of their priceless gems include: 1) It runs but obviously will need a tune up. As it that's all it will need! 2) We did not drive the car and there is no fluid in the hydraulic clutch, but we were told the transmission, and brakes are OK. So please explain how you verified these bits were OK. 3) The only rust is where I am pointing in the photos,... MORE
I rebuilt the engine recently and I am trying to sort everything out before I try starting it. I took the plugs out, I thopught I primed the pump, and then I cranked the engine untill the battery was half dead still no oil pressure. Before anyone asks, I put three quarts of oil in already and there is a new filter installed, and the oil cooler is all hooked up. Whats wrong with this picture? "gan5ub91179g" 36936... MORE
Colin, Saw a similiar T-shirt at the fall British car show last year. Picture of a vac surrounded by the text. "Finally Lucas builds a product that doesn't suck" Shoulda bought it. Rob C-75 Midget on the road again with Delco electrics. Webfoot Leisure.com Your Local Pool Store-On the Web rob@... 866-530-9801 toll free " robbiesg@... " 36935... MORE
"Oils ain't oils" Cheapo oil is exactly that...good base stock without benefit of the major mfgr's additive packages which make it "better" in preventing formation of acids, foaming, varnish/deposits, etc., etc., blah, blah, blah. While the tolerences within our older engines were spec'd with petroleum based oils in mind...viscosity as much if not moreso, as film strength being in mind as a "boundary" between parts ................a quart of synthetic within 3 of petroleum can only be a good thing in terms of upgrad ing the mix by "reinforcing" film strength while adding "slipperiness" to t he whole. I HAVE... MORE
