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Guy The gathering is at Collectors World, a venue just outside Downham Market ( on the A1122 Wisbech road) on Spring bank holiday Monday (31/05/04) the gates open at 10am however the main (very interesting) attractions don't open until 11am. The event is being hosted by the Cambridgeshire branch of the Midget and Sprite club and is open to all Spridget owners (members and non members alike) who live within Spridgeting distance of Downham Market (and only you know how far that is). The local cars will include all models and MKs of Spridget and Sprite including cars of... MORE
David, On an engine with a badly worn rocker shaft it will pump oil under pressure from under the rocker bushes faster than it will drain by gravity down the push-rod holes. Once the level builds up above the ends of the valve guides - which may take a mile or two at medium to high revs, the stem seals on the valves no longer control the entry of oil down the valve guides. Then the blue smoke starts. Guy "Guy Weller" 32331... MORE
Brad, my rebuilt 1275 smoked blue and I followed all sorts of advice from list members to get it right before I finally fixed it. Of many "cures" attemted, the two that made the most difference in my case were: 1. Replacement of the rocker shaft. Too much oil was leaking out of the rocker bushes. It was apparent by running the engine with the rocker cover off. I left the cork gasket seated on the head and let the engine run at fast tickover. It leaked so fast that it soon created a lake on the top of... MORE
Worn rocker gear by itself should not make a huge difference to the amount of oil burnt, except for the fact that there would be more of the stuff sloshing about up there to get sucked down (worn) valve guides. To see if it is worn, you can get a reasonable idea by pushing the rockers against their springs along the shaft from their normal positions - if the shaft itself is worn, you will see/feel a ridge on the underneath (thrust side) and the rockers will have less side-play on the un-worn section of shaft. If you want... MORE
The rear spring mountings are not quite the same - on the rubber bumper cars there are some spacers between the front mounting plate and the floor, so if these springs are fitted on an earlier Spridget, they will not give quite the same increase in ride height; however, they will fit ok. Regards David "David Jacobs" 32324... MORE
Brad, You can see if your rocker shaft is okay or not by removing the valve cover after the engine is warmed up and restart the engine. If oil is thrown all over the place or runs out of one or more rocker arms in streams then it is worn. If oil isn't thrown all over the place and only a small amount can be seen dribbling down the rockers then it's probably okay. 'Usually' if they are really worn the oil will be coming out fast enough that the drain holes can't keep up with it and you... MORE
John, Front springs on 1500 are about an unch longer, so I would assume that the rear sprigs are qrched to ride higher as well. This was part of the US regulation to have the bumpers at a higher level. All the mountings should be the same however. Gerard "gerardchateau" 32316... MORE
The 68 STILL burns oil. From cold, the first 5 miles are just little puffs, then it goes into James Bond mode. Not full time, it comes and goes. I tried our shop mechanics idea to determine if the rings are seated. I have the head off, so I put 1" of oil on top of each piston. The oil has not dropped hardly at all in 1 1/2 hours. I can tell from the head, which chambers were burning oil, and the one that was not, has the most significant amount of seepage, almost 1/8", the others are... MORE
Could anyone tell me if 1500 springs were of the same dimensions (# of leaves excluded), and as such, if they could be directly installed (i.e. "bolt-in") in place of the earlier Midget semi-elliptical springs. Thanx Hamondale "hamondale" 32315... MORE
5 leaves?.. would that no make them possibly 1500 springs? if so the 1500 was 1.5" higher than any other sprite, and as they are meant to have a lot of extra weight (bumpers and re-inforcement) probably higher still, and you have by replacing the rear panels with fiberglass brought about a noticeable reduction in weight.. Stewart "Ford Prefect" 32308... MORE
Which way is it "almost vertical"? The eye of the spring should be behind a vertical line from the eye of the mounting point. Even if it is only very slightly forward of the mounting point it will prevent the shackle moving into the right angle and the spring will never settle to give the correct ride height. If the shackle is even slanted a little forward then use a pry bar to flip the shackle so that it points rearwards. Do this with the wheels on the ground (or on ramps), not with the axle hanging on the... MORE
Hi Rob could you please pass on any information on fitting fibreglass front , rear and doors as i'am thinking of converting my 1968 mk 4 sprite . Regards Bob Hi Bob My first recomendation is dont! Unless you are a masochist with unlimited time buckets of money and infinite patience don't do it. Now if you are stupid enough to still be reading this the front end is a doodle just take off the wings move the wiper motor (it hangs over the edge of the bulkhead and will foul the bonnet when it is lifted) move the... MORE
Rob Batley.... You know....years ago I owned a '67 Sprite and had purchased a Bugeye rear glass clip to "match" the Bugeye bonnet which came on this car when I acquired it. Figured the BE front and rear end with the '67 wind up windows, and fold down top, etc. would be about the perfect Spridget. Before I could get to mounting the rear clip, the car was destroyed in an accident wherin the other guy was at fault, resulting in the aquisition of my current BE. Considering your description of what it took to properly fit the BE... MORE
Terry, disregarding the pre-'69 facelift bigger bumpers, there were 2 or three different spring bars fitted. The first type AHA9455 went up to about July 72 (Chassis no. GAN5 123730) From the illustration in the BL parts book, this would appear to be the old one you took off, as it looks like it has more bends in it than the later CHA42. The third type was only fitted to North american market cars, in conjunction with the big rubber buffer overriders. Did you get anything which indicated the part number with your new one? As for which way... MORE
Rob Check out your rear spring shackles. I bet they're pointing towards the front of the car - pos. up to 45 deg forward of vertical. You need to get them flipped so that they're pointing 20 - 30 degrees BACK from vertical ie towards the rear of the car. BTDT! - I used a stout broom handle to lever mine back - followed by three huge paving slabs in the boot / trunk for three months to settle the springs while the rebuild continued. Cheers, Steve "Steve and Sue Clark" 32293... MORE
This might sound like a totaly daft question, but it is a while since I last had the axle off its mount, but is it possible to mount the axle the wrong side of the springs? either that or you have got the rear shakle 'locked' in the wrong position, forward of centre. R.. "Roger Stinson" 32286... MORE
"Is it possible to have the axle mounted the wrong side of the springs". According to a discussion on this list last month wherein another 1/2 elliptic type had the problem of too high a rear end ride height after renewing springs, it was according to other 1/2 elliptic listers. Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 32289... MORE
So the task is done. 6 hours worth of labor, I had the A arms with the king pins installed, and almost a grand later, the car drives smoothly again. Moral of the Story?? GREASE YOUR SUSPENSION OFTEN!!! We all let things slide, but this is one thing you should not forget. Sure, I saved a bit on time and trouble over the years, but lost the handling that made the car a blast to drive. I took it down the worst road in town, and it didn't make a sound. The ride was fairly smooth considering the road... MORE
Hi All I am finishing building a frogeye out of a 1970 midget (fibreglass front and rear) and replaced the rear springs (left all nuts and bolts loose until loaded) with nearly new (purchased on auto jumble 5 leaves 38mm wide 4.35mm thick). With everything bolted up the rear of the car is 225 mm off the floor (9 inches) what could be wrong? Best Regards Rob Batley "rob batley" 32278... MORE
I am in the middle of changing the front suspension on the 68. I am catching my breath, and allowing the spring pans and disc brake backers to dry from being coated with fresh paint. Thank you to Peter for the new shocks, I will have the cores on their way to you this week. Btw, I was missing the bolt on the right shock that keeps the trunion bolt from turning, I hope this isn't a big issue. Just Ed, the parts are great, everything is going on fine!!! All the bolts coming threaded through the bushings, eliminated... MORE
Paul Bah! Would be that way round wouldn't it - he needs to find a LHD Minor to nick one from then ! N "amukdigiphoto" 32128... MORE
Early cars with Morris Minor steering racks were DEFINITELY aluminum, and NOT painted or plated. Later cars (as stated below) with _Triumph_ steering racks WERE stamped steel AND Cad plated. I don't know if UK cars might have had black oainted brackets on the later cars, but I have an original un-molested '72 Midget, and the brackets are cad plated. Gerard "gerardchateau" 32127... MORE
Alan It doesn't look like it. Horler says - ...and was replaced entirely by a Triumph sourced steering rack from January 1972. The new unit required revised mounting brackets which now carried an angled split line for the clamping caps, the new brackets being black-painted steel. Nigel "amukdigiphoto" 32125... MORE
David Wasn't the Frogeye steering rack exactly the same as the Morris Minor one except turned upside down? Nigel have a not a you do Terry changed at the rack's correctly. If rack? Of brake steering arms down! - "amukdigiphoto" 32124... MORE
Yes, but it's this way: RHD Frogeye, same rack as the LHD Morris!! And ve rse visa! Paul A "Paul Asgeirsson" 32126... MORE
