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Ed Well I recently saw pair of Sykes Pickavant Spring Compressors sell on ebay for 15 bucks, plus you can get them here www.machinemart.co.uk in the uk, no problem at all. http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product.asp?p=040211224 Nigel "amukdigiphoto" 27067... MORE
Later coils marked + & -, On cars wired with a negative ground system, these connections should be + to ignition switch, and - to distributor/contact points. "Brent Wolf" 27072... MORE
What stops them dropping out again when the suspension is at full travel in use?! David "David Jacobs" 27065... MORE
I've tried using 'universal' spring compressors ie the type with two hooks on a double threaded rod, one RH thread, one LH thread, so when you turn the rod it pulls the hooks together. These are easily available in the UK and probably elsewhere, though I doubt if the VL Churchill item 18G153 is. The universal ones don't fit Spridgets well enough to use properly - the top of the spring is shrouded too much by the surrounding metalwork. Regards David "David Jacobs" 27064... MORE
From: Brent Wolf [mailto: wolfbj@... ] Sent: Saturday, November 29, 2003 10:19 PM To: Richard Rivenbark; Spridgets; Midgetsprite Subject: [midgetsprite] Re: 1275 coil Later coils marked + & -, On cars wired with a negative ground system, these connections should be + to ignition switch, and - to distributor/contact points. "Duncan Sinclair" 27073... MORE
Roger Thanks, I think I understand. I first thought, what bolts? going in where? Then I realised you must be referring to the bolts that bolt the spring Seat onto the Wishbone - right? Nigel "amukdigiphoto" 27055... MORE
I have used this method several times. Very easy to remove and install the springs this way with or without the engine in place and the cost is only two longer bolts and a couple of washers and nuts! I have found spacers and washers between the a-arm hole and the nut or bolt head make it easier to use a wrench to loosen and tighten as it raises the nut or head out of the indented area of the a-arm where the holes are located. I used a couple of large washers and socket wrench heads (makes about... MORE
When I have reasembled the front suspension oon my car before, I have always assembled it complete, without the spring and then used long 'slave bolts' to draw it up into position. This way you are not fighting the spring at any stage, except when using the slave bolts, and here it is very controlled. This method does not rely on the weight of the car at all. It is worth putting a small wooden block in position to prevent over compression of the bump stops however. Leave them in place until the engine is back in the car,... MORE
Roger I presume by 'slave bolts' you mean Spring Compressors? or am I getting confused? I could have used 'Spring Compressors' but it's just yet another tool to buy! You're lucky with the Spridget front suspension that you can remove and install the spring without the need for Spring Compressors, but that's rather dependant on the engine being in! Nigel "amukdigiphoto" 27049... MORE
Hi guys Thought I'd update you all once again on how the restoration is going. I've taken a few more pics that can be seen on the Yahoo Group Webpage in the Nigel-71-Midget Folder. Basically the rear axle is back on the car with the rear springs and backplates, brakes and hubs all reassembled. I've also nearly completed the left hand side (RHD Drive) front suspension. Putting the front and rear suspension components back on before all the spraying is finished is a bit out of sequence, but due to the restriction on space within my garage, I now... 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, Amen on rear brakes for Midgets. Hate 'em! The only good part is the springs aren't as strong as the American iron I used to play with so you can "force" things. I saved my sanity on my rear brakes by buying circlip pliers. Some even include inside and outside tips. If you're not using same I strongly suggest you invest. Rob C, 75 Midget asleep for the winter. Webfoot Leisure.com rob@... 630-841-6077 robbiesg@... 26982... MORE
Sorry folks, way off topic. We're planning to head down to Bristol on Wednesday to see Concorde land for the last time. Can anyone who knows the area recommend a good place to park, for going up onto the downs by the Clifton Suspension Bridge. Cheers and thanks for your indulgence. "Jeremy Cogman" 26946... MORE
All I can say is OUCH! But it could be usable if the rear end had ballast added..... HMMMMM. Sorry I am a horse power junkie! Matt Pfeil "matthew pfeil" 26935... MORE
Lori I bought a 65 for restoration back in May, here on the civilised side of the pond (that should be good for a few replies) for the equivalent of $1000. Mine was a runner and was on the road in in March 2002, I would not have wanted to drive it though the floor was almost completely rotted out, rear spring hangers about to collapse no outer sills and inner sills rotted through. The car had been reinforced with angle iron and 1/8 plate some of which I was able to pull off with my bare hands. The... MORE
Jim C. .... "Roller" is the one that came in later 1275's so by this definition, is the superior product. As to whether it will fit the earlier engines that originally used the nonroller bronze bushing???? This would be a matter for.....Ed of JustBrits, no doubt!! How 'bout it Ed? Will (or should) it fit??? Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 26879... MORE
After some thought, it looks like I might not try to save my existing front clip on my AH Sprite MKII. My car was a GP car in the early 70's and has some front end repairs to show for it. I think rather than putting the time and $$$ into fixing what I have, I'll go with a one piece fiberglass front end. So my question is.....what's out there in fiberglass front ends, and who can recomend a good one? I've looked into the Speedwell piece and it looks nice. Does anyone have any first hand experience with... MORE
Thanks Nigel, Yes, sentimentality does enter into it. My father gave me this Sprite as a high school graduation present some 23 years ago. He actually gave it to me in pieces, and we rebuilt it together, which brought us closer, considering I was living with my mother after their divorce. So it's not just a car, it's a family heirloom! In the last three years I have installed performance suspension front and rear, uprated brakes, Weber, and LCB exhaust header. Now the drivetrain is out to rebuild the engine and install the Datsun 5- speed. Looking more closely... MORE
Hi Matt, I'm in the middle of parting out a 75 midget. I will be keeping the suspension. Make me an offer on the windsheild and it's yours. I can ship ups from my work. Chris Smith 908-850-8337 Hackettstown, NJ "christopher smith" 26719... MORE
For North American Sprites, it was at HAN9 72034, so Brandon's would most likely have been Positive earth originally. (These chassis number change points do not necessarily indicate everything before was one spec and everything after was another - minor part changes especially would have been brought in over some period of time.) Regards David "David Jacobs" 26690... MORE
Brandon Not sure if this will help answer your question, but it will put things into perspective for you. The change over point for RHD cars from positive to negative earth was at HAN9-72041 and GAN4-60460, November 1967. This involved a change of rev counter, wiper motor, fuel guage with voltage stabiliser. The Temperature gauge changed to C-N-H graduation. Now I'm not sure when the change-over came for LHD cars, but it must have been around the same time. So it looks like from your VIN number it was originally a Negative Earth car. The only real way of... MORE
the 'MAA' chassis number prefix is either a 1980 model Rolls Royce Phantom VI (honest!) or in BMC terms, the first character, M, is for Morris (we would expect G for MG or H for Austin Healey or A for Austin), the first A is strictly speaking a sub 1200cc engine (ie A series) and the second A is the body type (not sure what 'A' is - though it's definitely not a Spridget which would be N - 2 seat tourer) CKD cars assembled in Australia had different prefixes, (YGGN or YGN) so it's not one of those,... MORE
Dear List, I have been offered an MG Midget but do not have much data except for few chassis, engine and model numbers. Can someone shed some light on this? year, specs or whatever you can add will be appreciated! The chassis number is MAA 002909, Engine S1104341-A, Model (body?) BMG12. Cheers Martin "Martin Aubert" 26659... MORE
Jeremy erm! It was pretty much in daily use before I took it off the road about 15 year =3D=0D s ago now I guess, and it's been dry stored in my garage ever since. I know both sides of the front suspension was replaced by a PO very shortly =3D=0D before I bought the car, I don't know if the TRE's were replaced at the sam =3D=0D e time, but I assume they were checked. I've done less than 5k miles in it since I've had it, and its still done le =3D=0D ss than 100k miles in... MORE
As they are old they are probably drilled for a split pin and castellated nut which is an incentive to use them. One of my real gripes is that the modern ones come with a nyloc. The accountant that made that decision has obviously never done the job himself. The threaded portion of the TRE does not offer enough rotation resistance to do up the nyloc yet there is no way to hold it other than by clamping the TRE to the steering arm with a heath robinson assemblage of old bits of wood and g clamps. Grrrrrr "Jeremy... MORE
